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Welcome to
the news for 2000 for all Army Pensioners. Those who have been drawing
their pension for some time will have seen many of these articles before, but
please bear with us, so that all new pensioners are catered for each year.
Army
pensions are administered at Pensions Department, Army Personnel Centre, Glasgow
and an article explaining how they can help you, and how best to contact them is
mentioned in this page.
The annual
increase is due on the first Monday of the financial year, which this year is 10 April
2000. The increase will be a maximum of 1.1% and proportionally less for
those who have been discharged for less than a
year. Details of your increase and/or your new annual rate are given
on your advice note or voucher counterfoil.
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The
Pensions Division, address below, must be notified if you change address or any
other changes to personal circumstances which would affect your pension
benefits. If life certificates are issued to an old address and not
returned, your pension will be frozen and payment stopped. P60's are also
issued to the home address every April and the Pensions Division cannot provide
copies if these go astray.
If you are
under 55 years of age do remember to inform Pensions Division if you have
become incapable of full-time employment either due to mental or physical
infirmity as you may then apply to have your pension increases paid before you
reach 55.
Please do
not telephone Pensions Division as information cannot be taken or
released over the telephone but always write to notify any changes in your
circumstances or with change of address or bank details, deferred increase
enquiries etc. The address is:
- Pensions Division Helpdesk
-
MP 480
-
Army Personnel Centre
-
Kentigern House
-
65 Brown Street
-
GLASGOW G2 8EX
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Anyone who considers
that their medical condition or the death of a spouse is due to service factors
can claim a War or War Widows/Widowers Pension from DSS.
War pensions by
their very nature take time to resolve. After application, investigation
has to take place through Military records, hospital case notes and GP's.
Therefore to bring a War Pension claim to conclusion one can expect to wait
between seven to nine months for a decision. Should a claim
"fail" and the client then wishes the case to go for arbitration to an
independent tribunal the process can be anything up to two years before the case
is heard for adjudication.
Help claiming a War
or War Widow/Widowers pension and associated allowances may be obtained from the
Pensions Department of the Royal British Legion. They will process any
claim to War Pension plus Tribunal representation at no charge to the claimant
whether or not the claimant is a member of the Legion. Any War Disablement
problem that needs opinion or action maybe addressed to:
- Pensions Department
- The Royal British Legion
- 48 Pall Mall
- LONDON
- SW1Y 5JY
- Tel: Legion Line
on: 0345 725 725
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If your pension is
paid direct to a bank or building society be aware that the payments have to be
paid to your own account or to a joint account that includes your name.
Payments may not be credited to an account that is solely in the name of a third
party.
If your nominated
account belongs to a third party, the bank or building society should return the
payment to the APC. Although Pensions Division will then endeavor to
re-credit the payment as quickly as possible, the payment will not be re-issued
to you for at least three weeks due to delays in the banking system.
However, the payment will only be re-issued on receipt of your correct bank
details. Therefore, to avoid delay if your nominated account belongs to a
third party, you should inform Pensions Division in writing of your own bank
details. In some cases banks do accept payments into the account of a
third party but note that, when Pensions Division become aware of this,
payment will be stopped and you will be contacted and asked to provide
alternative bank details.
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If you were a member
of the Territorial Army, were medically discharged and are in receipt of an
Attributable Benefits Reservists Scheme (ABRS) pension and consider your
pensionable disability has worsened since your last medical board review, you
can apply to the following address to arrange a medical board review:
- Special Section 6124
- Department of Social Security
- War Pension Agency
- Norcross
- BLACKPOOL
- FY5 3WP
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If you enlisted in
the following countries: Cyprus, Lebanon, Malta, Palestine, Syria,
Mauritius and Seychelles, and consider your pensionable disability has worsened
since your last medical board review, you can
apply to the following address to arrange a medical review board:
-
TA/Overseas Pension Section
-
MP 480
-
Room 2511
-
Kentigern House
-
65 Brown Street
-
GLASGOW
-
G2 8EX
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- The Pension Ombudsman
- 11 Belgrave Road
- LONDON
- SW1V 1RBbb
- Tel: 02078 349 144
-
|
- Occupational
Pensions Advisory Service (OPAS)
- 11 Belgave Road
- LONDON
- SW1V 1RB
- Tel: 02072 338 080
-
|
- HM
Inspector of Taxes (PD2)
- Ty-Glas
- Llanishen
- CARDIFF
- CF4 5YE
- Tel: 02920 753 271
|
- War
Pensions Agency
- Norcross
- BLACKPOOL
- FY5 3WP
- Tel: 01253 858 858
-
-
|
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For a comfortable
and active retirement you can't beat being an In-Pensioner at the Royal Hospital
Chelsea, a magnificent home for old soldiers founded in 1682 by Charles II and
designed by Sir Christopher Wren. You'll be well dug in, with a room of
your own, and in good company with former soldiers like yourself. The
setting is idyllic: 60 acres close by the famous Kings Road in the heart of
London and near the Thames. Your every need will be met in a carefree
life. You will eat in the Great Hall and relax in the In-pensioners
Club. There's a billiards room, a good library of books and videos, and an
Arts and Crafts Centre and a Post Office. The Royal Hospital also has its
own Chapel, as well as a Roman Catholic Chapel. A splendid medical
services includes an infirmary staffed by caring doctors, a matron and
nurses. In addition, there are support facilities which include a
chiropodist, a physiotherapy department and fitness centre.
You are eligible to
become an In-Pensioner if you are:
 |
In receipt of a pension for
Army service or disability due to military service; if you are an Officer on
retired pay with at least 12 years in the ranks you may also apply. |
|
65 years or over;
exceptionally, if you are between 55-65 with a disability pension you may
apply if you are unable to earn a living because of disability. |
|
Able to look after yourself
and walk around unaided. |
|
Free from obligations to
support a wife or children. |
|
Passed medically fit for
admission. |
If you want to know more,
contact:
The Secretary (Room 6),
Royal Hospital Chelsea, London SW3 4SR
Telephone 02078 815
204 Fax 02078 236 871
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The Royal
Cambridge Home for Soldier's Widows was founded in 1851, since when it has
provided safe, manageable and comfortable homes for the elderly widows of men
who served in the British Army. Originally only those widows of NCOs and
Private Soldiers were accepted but the regulations governing admission were
later changed to include widows whose husbands had served some of their time, be
it only one day, in the ranks. Now it is open to also accept women, either
single or widowed, who have themselves served in the Army or Army Nursing Corps
and married women whose husbands have been admitted into the Royal Hospital
Chelsea and who are in residential care. This new qualification
encompasses women who have served in the following:
|
Army Territorial Services (ATS) |
|
Women's' Royal Army Corps (WRAC) |
|
Queen Alexandra's Royal
Army Nursing Corps (QARANC) |
|
First Aid Nursing Yeomanry
Service (FANY) 1917 - 1921 |
|
Women's Transport Service (WTS)
1917 - 1921 |
|
Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary
Corps (QMAAC) |
The
home is situated in its own very pleasant grounds near Hampton Court Palace and
within a short stroll of the Thames. It is registered for thirty residents
and many of today's residents were in their late sixties when they came some
twenty years ago. Any vacancies that arise are taken up very
quickly. The Royal Cambridge Home is unique and the residents are
special. If you would like to know more about the Home then please write,
address below:
- The
Superintendent
-
Royal
Cambridge Home
-
82/84
Hurst Road
-
East
Molesly
-
Surrey
-
KT8
9AH
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