For all Wefare enquiries please call
the Legion Contact Call Centre on 0808 802 8080
WELFARE SOMERSET
The Royal British Legion was formed in 1921 as a caring organisation for those in need from the Service and ex-Service community. If you are aged 16 and over and have received 1 days pay in any arm of the Services, or are a spouse or dependant of that person, you are eligible for Legion assistance. Also included are Reserve or Auxiliary Forces, Home Guard and certain Voluntary Aid Societies workers.
For more information click below:
Immediate Needs
Carephone Personal Alarm Systems Scheme
Mobility Aids
Dedicated Benefits & Money Advice Service
Electrically Powered Vehicles (EPVs)
War Pensions
Residential Nursing Homes
Family Holidays
Childrens Adventure Holidays
Property Repair Loan Scheme
Hospital & Housebound Visiting Scheme
Remembrance Travel
Legion Contact Centre: 0808 802 8080
Immediate Needs
The Immediate Needs Scheme is designed to assist those facing a temporary crisis, which, after all other possible measures have been taken, needs an emergency injection of funds to achieve a solution. This scheme will cover every instance of human drama and trauma and a few examples are debts, family breaks ups, pending evictions, the effects of hunger and cold, the sudden need to replace major household appliances, home movement costs, physical disablement and the consequence of mugging and theft.
Dedicated Benefits & Money Advice Service
The Royal British Legion provides a holistic service offering advice on benefits and money matters to only serving and ex-Service personnel, their partners and dependants. The advisor covers Bristol and also all of the Somerset area. Clients can call the free helpline on 0808 802 8080 to find their nearest location.
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Electrically Powered Vehicles (EPVs)
Many ex-service people who have increasing difficulty in walking may find that eventually they are unable to get about independently without the aid of an electric wheelchair or scooter. When all Health Authority and Government schemes are unable to assist and the Mobility component of DLA cannot be used the Legion will consider assistance. In all cases the clients GP must sign a form stating that the client will benefit from the vehicle and can safely use one. The Legion will often share the cost of an EPV with other charities and this is explained to the client when initially visited.
Mobility Aids
The Legion can provide mobility aids where they are not available through statutory sources, these can include rise recliner chairs, adjustable beds, manual
wheelchairs, rollators, car hoists, etc. All requests will need to be supported by an Occupational Therapist report which can be arranged by the Legion.
Carephone Personal Alarm Systems Scheme
The Legion will assist with the installation of a Lifeline alarm system, which enables users to summon assistance to their home in an emergency. A small pendant containing an alarm button may be worn on the person so the alarm can be activated within a reasonable distance of the unit.
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Family Holidays
The aim is to provide a holiday away from home for the most disadvantaged families.
We provide holidays on a 7 night package in conjunction with various holiday centres inclusive of all on site activities. There is an extensive range of day time activities for all age groups and a programme of evening entertainment.
Childrens Adventure Holidays
The aim of the service is to give children who are isolated the opportunity to build and develop confidence and skills through group activities amongst others from similar backgrounds, that is, parents with Service connections.
Isolated parents will also benefit with a period of respite, thus improving quality of life.
Provided is residential adventure and activity holidays for 12 - 17 year olds at nine centres throughout England.
Property Repair Loan Scheme
The Legion is often asked for financial assistance to meet the cost of essential repairs or adaptation of property. In many cases the requests come from retired and disabled persons for whom repayment of a commercial loan is beyond their means. To make grants towards the cost of repairs bears heavily on Legion funds, and therefore, a loan is offered at 0% APR. Those accepting a loan have the choice of either making repayments during the life of the loan or repaying the loan in a lump sum when the property is sold or from the estate following death. In the case of the latter, this will be on the death of the surviving partner.
War Pensions
The Royal British Legion has its own Pensions Department located in London toassist with enquiries and claims for War Disability Pensions or War Widows Pensions. Call the free helpline number 0808 802 8080 for information.
'All ex-Service men and women are entitled to claim for a War Disability Pension if they consider that their service in the Armed Forces is related to a medical condition from which they are currently suffering. They do not need to have served in a war or armed conflict to be able to do this'.
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Residential Nursing Homes
The Legion owns six care homes providing 24-hour residential and nursing care for individuals who are unable to care for themselves at home. In Somerset there is Dunkirk Memorial House which is at Bishops Lydeard near Taunton. Application/enquiries should be made to the homes direct on 01823 432 407.
Hospital & Housebound Visiting Scheme
(certain areas only)
This scheme is one of the oldest used by the Legion and encapsulates what the Legion benevolent network is all about. The aim is to visit those less fortunate than ourselves, from the ex-Service community who are either housebound or in hospital, to offer the hand of friendship and companionship for a few hours each month. Loneliness is a terrible thing and just by undertaking visits such as these much can be done to help combat it. Those who are housebound are often elderly and live alone receiving few, if any visitors.
Remembrance Travel
The Royal Charter provides for the Legion 'to arrange for and assist widows, widowers, and children to visit the graves of those who have fallen in Our Service'. The Legion has been running visits to war graves abroad since the 1920s. Remembrance Travel organises and arranges an annual programme of visits (pilgrimages) to war cemeteries and memorials world-wide. Anyone can apply to join a pilgrimage; they do not have to be a Legion member or have a special grave to visit. In reality, all types of relatives, veterans, students and other interested people travel on these visits. A Government grant is available for those war widows who have not visited their husband's grave overseas at public expense before; it covers 7/8ths of the cost. Photographs of war graves and poppy wreath laying is also carried on behalf of individuals as required.
Visit www.remembrancetravel.org.uk
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