VETERANS MEDICAL FUNDS ANNOUNCEMENT

We are very excited to announce The Royal British Legion’s Veterans Medical Funds (VMF) recently reached a milestone of 1,000 applications.

The Veterans Medical Funds were launched as a result of The Royal British Legion’s research and campaigning both through the Lost Voices report and the 2015 Manifesto, which included veterans’ access to hearing aids as a key policy recommendation. Launched in late 2015, The Veterans Medical Funds are funded by Libor rate fixing fines with a £13 million commitment by HM Treasury over five years. As such, it is a fantastic example of how we are making a significant difference to our beneficiaries’ everyday lives.

The Veterans Medical Funds consist of two programs:

The Veterans Mobility Fund (VMF) will support those veterans who have Service-related serious physical injury who fall outside the package of provision provided by the MOD on discharge or those who received a package of assistance and their warranty has expired.

Further details of both funds can be found at www.rbl.org.uk/vetmedfunds including details on how to apply.

Below is an example of correspondence we have received from successful applicants which emphasis the difference the funds are making to their lives:

"I have had my hearing aids for a week now and the difference they make is amazing. After years of struggling to hear and join in a conversation and guessing what people are saying, invariably getting it embarrassingly wrong. To be able to watch television without deafening my wife is brilliant. You do not consider poor hearing to be a disability but it is and because of your grant, I no longer have it".

"The quality of the new hearing aids which are far superior to the type allocated by the NHS was immediately noticeable and a vast improvement was witnessed when communicating either on a one to one basis, but also in group conversa-tions. I really can’t thank the Royal British Legion enough for their involvement in improving my quality of life and no doubt social confidence when amongst others. What's more, the uncomplicated and friendly process applied when applying for the grant was very much appreciated."