The William Aldridge Foundation

The Foundation is heading a campaign to have Military compensation for loss of limb or death in Service protected from being considered as 'personal savings' or 'personal income' by the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) or any other official body.

Following the very public and recent decision by the DWP to have the death in service payment and compensation for a young soldiers' loss of life in Afghanistan counted as the 'personal savings' of his mother who was named as next of kin on his Military will form.

We have created an online petition to Government in the hope of encouraging support to have a new law introduced as there is currently no case law in existence for how military compensation is treated for the current conflict in Afghanistan or possibly even previous conflicts.

www.petitiononline.co.uk/petition/protec...death-in-service/525

Since launching the campaign we have heard of many more horror stories of military amputees having to use their compensation to pay for adaptations to their own homes, pay for prosthetics and once medically discharged (losing the very job they sacrificed so much for) being denied the basic right to claim any form of financial assistance for unemployment untill their compensation payments are exhausted! This is also against a backdrop of countless other Forces families coming forward with similar experiences of being targetted for removal of previously claimed benefits due to being the recipient of their loved ones compensation following death in service, thus forcing them to utilise the compensation for everyday living expenses!

Compensation is payable as a form of financial ‘apology’ for loss of limb or life, therefore should never be treated as a ‘windfall’ payment, ‘money earned’ or ‘money saved’ under any circumstances. In order to qualify for compensation in the first instance, the recipient has had to suffer losing limb or life whilst on active duty in HM Armed Forces.

How is it right that a perfectly fit and healthy individual, available for work, is freely able to claim financial assistance for being unemployed and yet service personnel who have sacrificed so much for their country are denied?

How is it right that a young, unmarried serviceman, who was not legally or finanancially responsible for his mother's upkeep when alive, is forced to be in death?

PLEASE give your support to having what is morally right made law by adding your signature to the petition.

www.petitiononline.co.uk/petition/protec...death-in-service/525

[img/]

the law needsa to change.... it should be protected!!

The compensation should be protected... sadly it is not until you know someone who is suffering this injustice that the facts are revealed. I just could not believe it when I heard... just so so awful. The families affected by this have suffered enough.

The whole government and country should hang their heads in deserved shame, if they don't support this. The fact they announced this to you with such disrespect on Armastise Day makes it even worse, and I'd hope the DWP has made an enemy of every serviceman and woman past and present.

I shall also announce it on the OOA walls for you Lucy - hopefully gather you some more support!

All my love, Tim. xx

I hope it goes without saying how I feel about the present situation regards the governments actions.
Just in case. I am ashamed of their actions.I am also at a loss to understand there actions.You could say I have a vested interest in bringing about a law change.
That is not my reason for supporting a law change.
I genuinely feel,that to penalize any next of kin is immoral and totally idefencable.

I serve on the War Pension & Advisory Committee for the west of Scotland, Also as a veteran in receipt of a war pension I have a very vested interest in supporting this issue through all possible channels, Also with my brother still serving & possibly due to go to Afgan next year & a dear friend out there just now in the counter IED team The whole issue is very much on my intray & will stay there until those in the DWP/Government make good on their pledge to restore the Military Covenent.