Support for serving armed forces personnel, reservists and veterans

Types of support

Benefits advice and pensions

• Council tax and benefits
• Local organisations - Benefits
• Pensions for veterans
• Pensions for veterans flowchart

Education

• Schools
• Adult education
• Enhanced Learning Credits Administration Scheme
• Open University
• Troops to Teachers
• UCAS - Higher education courses in the UK
• Warrior Programme - Educational and motivational training programme

Employment support

• Jobs with Kirklees
• Training and apprenticeships
• British Legion - Finding a job as a veteran or service leavers
• Calderdale and Kirklees Careers
• Career Transition Partnership - Jobs for ex-military personnel
• Defence Relationship Management - Advice and support on employing members of the armed forces
• Finding a job
• Help for Heroes
• Naval Families Federation - Employment information
• The Poppy Factory - Help to find jobs and employment in the UK
• Remploy - Disability employment services
• RFEA - The Forces Employment Charity supports civilian spouses and partners of serving and ex-Forces personnel on their journey into employment. It provides one-to-one advice and guidance, employability and employment support. This includes bespoke career and training diagnostics, CV and application assistance and interview techniques.
• Richmond Fellowship - Kirklees Employment Service specialises in providing support for people living with or recovering from mental ill health. It helps them to find paid employment, voluntary work, education and training or to retain their current employment.

Self employment

• Businesses and self-employed
• HM Revenue and Customs tax guide

Family support

• Children and families
• Local organisations - Older people
• Army Families Federation
• Naval Families Federation
• Royal Air Force Families Federation - Family support
• SSAFA the armed forces charity

Forces charities

Support including housing, finances, benefit advice, healthcare and help to get back into work, for individuals and families who have been part of (or are still part of) the Armed Forces or Reservist Community:

• Royal British Legion
• SSAFA
• Cobseo (The Confederation of Service Charities)
• Veterans Gateway

Health services including dentists

• Health and wellbeing
• Big White Wall - Support dealing with stress
• Combat Stress - Support for veterans suffering mental ill-health caused by military service
• MIND - Mental health guidance and support
• NHS Choices
• NHS healthcare for veterans
• Samaritans
• Warrior Programme

Housing, homelessness

• Adaptations to your home
• Council housing - Information for tenants of Kirklees council homes
• Citizens Advice
• Fusion Housing - Support if you have your own tenancy or need help to find one
• Housing and homelessness
• Substance, Tenancy and Resettlement Service (STARS)

Leisure

• Kirklees Passport - Council-run discount scheme
• Leisure and culture
• Local organisations
• Kirklees Active Leisure - Sports facilities
• Defence Discount Cards
• Armed Forces Day

Money

• The Army Benevolent Fund - The Soldiers Charity
• Citizen Advice Dewsbury
• Citizens Advice Huddersfield
• Debt Advice Agency
• Heroes Welcome
• Money Advice Service
• Money and tax
• Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund
• The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust
• Veterans UK - Mental health support and medical advice
• Where to go to get free debt advice

Support to reservists

Kirklees Council actively supports and encourages their employees to become a reservist.

• Armed Forces Covenant - Support and advice for Reservists
• GOV UK - Rights and responsibilities for reservists and employers
• Combat Stress - Mental health support for reservists

Additional support

Mental health and wellbeing

• Mental health support offers a range of resources and advice if you are experiencing mental health problems. Get confidential help and support.
• SWYPFT: community, mental health and learning disability services
• Carers Count
• Richmond Fellowship - Kirklees Employment Service specialises in providing support for people living with or recovering from mental ill health. It helps them to find paid employment, voluntary work, education and training or to retain their current employment.
• Blesma - Armed Forces charity that supports limbless veterans

Bereavement and suicide

• Help for somebody with suicidal thoughts
• West Yorkshire and Harrogate Suicide Bereavement Service supports adults bereaved by suicide
• Grief and Loss Service
• West Yorkshire Suicide Prevention: Leaving service - Exploring mental health and suicide with veterans

Support for frontline workers

Life Force Kirklees

Guidance on working with armed forces veterans for community based support agencies including the voluntary sector, services provided by the NHS, local authorities, GPs and charities.

Kirklees Armed Forces Covenant

The Armed Forces Covenant is a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local Armed Forces Community. This Covenant encompasses the moral obligation between the Nation, the Government and the Armed Forces, at the local level.

The Armed Forces Covenant is based upon two key principles:

• The Armed Forces community should not face disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services
• Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

Kirklees Armed Forces Covenant