‘I’m the veterans’ minister giving additional £10m to our heroes –and I’m simply getting began’ | Politics | News | EUROtoday

Johnny Mercer has tonight hailed a £10million funding enhance for veterans’ psychological well being providers.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is anticipated to verify the additional money throughout Wednesday’s Autumn Statement.

And Veterans’ Minister Johnny instructed the Daily Express: “While in the past, services for veterans have often been lacking, now, under this Prime Minister, what it feels like to be a veteran is being fundamentally transformed.

“Over the last year, we have seen £5million given to fund new healthcare innovations, a commitment to end veteran homelessness this year through Op Fortitude, including through a substantial investment in housing, and a new dedicated health pathway for the physical needs of veterans, called Op Restore.

“This will run alongside the dedicated veterans mental health pathway, Op Courage. And Wednesday’s Autumn Statement will also see more stepped-up support for our veterans, with £10million for mental health services, including those who are homeless, isolated or elderly.”

Nearly 30,000 former personnel, reservists, relations and carers, have sought specialist assist for his or her psychological well being prior to now six years.

A spate of suicides after a number of the most brutal excursions of Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010, was the primary time veterans have been extra prone to take their lives than civilians.

A research earlier this 12 months additionally stated youthful navy personnel have been extra prone to commit suicide.

Mr Mercer, writing for the Daily Express after asserting in Parliament an overhaul of veterans’ providers, stated he’s “focused on making the right changes which will benefit all veterans across the UK, step by step”.

He confirmed the Veterans UK banner is being scrapped, with defence chiefs now scrambling to discover a higher solution to direct ex-personnel to counselling, housing help and employment alternatives.

Officials are involved former personnel have been struggling to search out the assistance they wanted.

And Mr Mercer admitted employees attempting to assist Britain’s battle heroes have “sometimes been held back by old-fashioned systems”.

The Cabinet minister conceded: “I know this has caused frustration in the veteran community and so we’ll deliver an improved service for them.

“So this change marks a vital step forward in better communicating the variety of services that the Ministry of Defence provides to not only veterans, but those in the military, their families and the bereaved community.”

The Daily Express has beforehand reported how paper data have been nonetheless getting used to supply some providers for veterans.

The phrase “veteran” has now been taken out of all ministerial posts inside the Ministry of Defence.

This will sign that the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is coordinating Government coverage for former service personnel, Government sources imagine.

Speaking within the House of Commons, Mr Mercer stated the transfer places the Government “yet another step closer… to making the UK the best country in the world to be a veteran”.

He additionally paid tribute to the unbiased assessment workforce, including that the UK has an “unwavering duty to those who put their life on the line for our freedom”.

“This Government is committed and determined to discharge that duty with the honour and respect our courageous ex-service personnel deserve,” he stated.

Minister for Defence People and Families, Andrew Murrison, stated: “This jointly commissioned independent review builds on the hard work already being undertaken by a lot of people who genuinely care about providing high-quality services for our Armed Forces Community.

“The recommendations in this review will help ensure we are taking that hard work in the right direction for our Armed Forces Community, who deserve the best services.”