Your first four steps
Step 1
Your single front door for housing, health, employment and finance support. Free, 24/7.
0808 802 1212
Step 2
Apply for the HM Armed Forces Veteran badge and digital card to prove service.
Apply on GOV.UK
Step 3
Register as a veteran with your GP for priority NHS pathways and Op COURAGE access.
Find Op COURAGE
Step 4
Free CV support, interview coaching and job finding for service leavers.
www.modctp.co.uk
Step 5
AFCS (from Apr 2005) or War Pension (before) plus PIP/UC may apply — free help exists.
Veterans UK 0808 191 4218
Step 6
Housing, healthcare, money, education, family and Covenant duties explained in plain English.
Open rights guide
10 rights & entitlements
As a veteran you have the same employment rights as any UK worker — plus additional protections under the Equality Act if you have a service-related condition, and access to specialist transition and employer schemes.
8 rights & entitlements
Veterans have enhanced rights when applying for social housing, specialist homelessness pathways, and practical help from military charities.
9 rights & entitlements
Veterans can access priority NHS treatment for service-related conditions, specialist mental health services, trauma networks and welfare support — often without a long GP wait for the first step.
10 rights & entitlements
Compensation schemes, disability benefits, pensions and discounts can make a major difference — but rules differ depending on when you served and how you were injured.
6 rights & entitlements
Learning credits, resettlement training, apprenticeships and further education routes help convert service skills into civilian qualifications.
6 rights & entitlements
Practical help with debt, budgeting, discounts and day-to-day money pressures — including when compensation or pensions make benefits forms confusing.
6 rights & entitlements
Spouses, partners, children and bereaved families have their own routes to work, education, healthcare and welfare support under the Covenant.
6 rights & entitlements
Public bodies have Covenant duties, and veterans can expect fair treatment from councils, health, education and justice services — plus community hubs and legal advice routes.
No sections match your search — try housing, employment, or NHS.
If you are a veteran, reservist or family member, you can use national crisis lines and services built for service-related trauma. These sit in your Healthcare rights as well — this is the short version.
Op COURAGE (NHS)
Free specialist mental health for veterans. Self-refer — no GP needed.
nhs.uk/opcourage
Or call 111 and ask for the veteran pathway
Combat Stress
Specialist PTSD support. Helpline free 24/7.
0800 138 1619
Text COMBAT STRESS to 85258
Samaritans
Anyone can call — free, 24/7, confidential.
116 123
More on CrisisAssist
National MH lines, parents/teens routes, and how to use 999 / 111 / text.
Open CrisisAssist
Full healthcare rights (priority NHS treatment, Op COURAGE detail, Combat Stress): open the Healthcare Entitlements section above, or jump to all helplines below.
Free helplines. Available now. You deserve support.