Drone_pilot
30-05-04, 11:52
Disabled servicemen and women could "lose out" if proposed changes to war pensions go ahead, according to the Royal British Legion.
The charity, which helps claimants, says a bill currently going through the House of Lords could cut successful applications by half.
The Armed Forces (Pensions and Compensation) Bill proposes changes to the burden and standard of proof and the deadline for applications for the pensions, according to the Legion.
War pensions are paid for disabilities attributable to service in the armed forces.
Delegates at the charity's annual conference in Scarborough are set to debate a call for the Government to abandon the proposals.
Legion spokesman Jeremy Lillies said the deadline for applications would change from seven years after leaving the forces to five years from the date of the incident which caused the disability.
The burden of proof would pass to the applicant, and the standard of proof would change from "beyond reasonable doubt" to "on the balance of probabilities".
He said: "They no longer have the length of time they used to have and the burden of proof is such now that it will make it much more difficult.
"The Ministry of Defence do not accept our research, but we stand by the results, which show to us - if we look at 1,000 cases which we looked at last year which were successful and had they been subject to the proposed system - about 50% would not have been successful.
"A lot of people are going to lose out if this comes in. It does mean that a lot of people are going to suffer if this bill goes through.
Source: Modoracle (http://www.modoracle.com/)
The charity, which helps claimants, says a bill currently going through the House of Lords could cut successful applications by half.
The Armed Forces (Pensions and Compensation) Bill proposes changes to the burden and standard of proof and the deadline for applications for the pensions, according to the Legion.
War pensions are paid for disabilities attributable to service in the armed forces.
Delegates at the charity's annual conference in Scarborough are set to debate a call for the Government to abandon the proposals.
Legion spokesman Jeremy Lillies said the deadline for applications would change from seven years after leaving the forces to five years from the date of the incident which caused the disability.
The burden of proof would pass to the applicant, and the standard of proof would change from "beyond reasonable doubt" to "on the balance of probabilities".
He said: "They no longer have the length of time they used to have and the burden of proof is such now that it will make it much more difficult.
"The Ministry of Defence do not accept our research, but we stand by the results, which show to us - if we look at 1,000 cases which we looked at last year which were successful and had they been subject to the proposed system - about 50% would not have been successful.
"A lot of people are going to lose out if this comes in. It does mean that a lot of people are going to suffer if this bill goes through.
Source: Modoracle (http://www.modoracle.com/)