A MAJOR review into veterans welfare services has been announced by the Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

MOD and OVA will jointly launch a review into a range of welfare services, including those under the banner of Veterans UK.

The review will examine the effectiveness and efficiency of welfare services, identify any duplication or gaps in support and make recommendations for improvement, ensuring clarity in the scope and capacity of current services.

Support which is being looked at includes services such as the Veterans Welfare Service, which comes under the banner of Veterans UK.

It provides one-to-one support to veterans and their families through a network of welfare managers across the UK. The Defence Transition Service, which supports military personnel as they move into civilian life, is also part of the review.

Carlisle MP John Stevenson said: “I think we are all eternally grateful for the service of all our veterans so it’s only right that we provide them with the support they deserve. I welcome this review and see it is a fundamental part of our ongoing commitment to improving our offer for our serving personnel, veterans and their families."

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The review is expected to take three months, and will report back to the Minister for Defence, People, Veterans and Service Families, and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, with recommendations for the future role of welfare support and provision of services.

Following the completion of the review, MOD and OVA will develop an action plan to address the findings and recommendations, with a focus on implementing meaningful change that will enhance service effectiveness and delivery.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Johnny Mercer said: “We recognise that supporting veterans to access appropriate support is critical to this government’s success in making the UK the best country in the world to be a veteran.

This review will enable us to better align the workings of a range of support services, with the needs of the veterans community, and enhance the quality of the services veterans are offered.”