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Published: December 12, 2024 by mbelfield
LGBT Foundation welcomes the Government’s decision to increase compensation for LGBTQ+ veterans as part of efforts to redress the historic ban on LGBTQ+ people serving in the armed forces.
The updated £75 million scheme – a 50% increase from the £50 million cap set by the previous Government – is an important step in recognising the harm caused by the ban, which ended in 2000 but left lasting scars on those dismissed, interrogated, and denied their dignity. Veterans may now receive payments of up to £70,000 as part of this effort to address the injustice.
Defence Secretary John Healey described this treatment “a moral stain on our nation”. While no amount of money can undo the pain of the past, we believe this scheme opens the door for meaningful conversations about how we, as a country and community, can do better for LGBTQ+ veterans and ensure such discrimination is never repeated.
On the redress, LGBT Foundation Trustee Dr Mike Hill, who served in the Royal Navy said: “Recognising the harm caused to LGBTQ+ veterans by an illegal ban is important, as the effects of the ban included being outed to friends and family, humiliation, sexual abuse and imprisonment. Whilst we welcome the news of compensation, we remain concerned that the compensation does not reflect the effect that the ban continues to have on many LGBTQ+ veterans today.”
Ruairi Smith, Programme Manager for Operation Equality & Our Manchester at LGBT Foundation, added: “This is a vital acknowledgement of the harm caused to LGBTQ+ veterans, but there’s still more to do. We’re here to help and support where needed, and we’re eager to continue conversations with veterans, service providers, and policymakers to learn from the past and create a more inclusive future.”
LGBT Foundation is proud to have been recognised, alongside Fighting With Pride, in the recommendations section of the Etherton Review. Our Pride in Practice programme and online Training Academy work to improve care and understanding of LGBTQ+ people across services.
The recommendations emphasise the importance of training clinicians to raise awareness of the needs of LGBTQ+ patients and service users, including LGBTQ+ veterans, and to promote the delivery of high-quality, inclusive care.
For more information about LGBT Foundation’s support to LGBTQ+ veterans and training programmes visit lgbt.foundation.
