Commonwealth Veterans Programme

There are just over 14,000 older people from Commonwealth or former Commonwealth countries who served in the British Armed Forces prior to their countries gaining independence. Of this number, it is known that just over half are living in absolute poverty without access to financial support, pensions or basic social care. Their extreme poverty means they often lack access to sufficient levels of basic nutrition and are extremely marginalised. UK aid is needed to support the expansion of a cash transfer programme designed to provide sustained nutrition for up to 7,000 older people living in absolute poverty across ODA eligible countries. The beneficiaries, living in some of the world’s poorest countries need assistance to be able to meet their basic nutritional needs, are Commonwealth veterans and surviving spouses of veterans who served the British Armed Forces prior to their country gaining independence. £11.7 million of UK aid will be required over a five-year period to contribute to a £15.5 million cash transfer programme managed by the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League (RCEL). The key outcome is that up to 7,000 vulnerable older people will receive cash transfers to be able to afford sustained nutrition which will strengthen resilience and lift them out of absolute poverty. Such cash transfers will provide a level of dignity that they would otherwise not have experienced. Update December 2022 - The number of beneficiaries has not declined at the rate predicted in the actuarial forecast. This is due both to beneficiaries surviving longer, possibly because of better levels of nutrition due to the programme, and new beneficiaries, mainly widows, coming forward to apply for grants. This is positive news as the Programme is supporting more beneficiaries with greater gender parity in many countries. In October 2022, FCDO approved further funding of £646K to maintain the same level of individual grants during years 4 & 5 of the Programme. The AGA was amended accordingly in December 2022, and hence the total value of the programme has been increased from £15.4m to £16m. Update March 2024- The original programme has now been superseded. In 2023, a new business case was presented to extend the initiative for a further three years. This was approved by FCDO in October 23 and will now extend the programme until March 2027. The UK FCDO have allocated £5.9 million in funding to the programme, which will provide essential financial support for up to 3355 Commonwealth veterans and surviving spouses.