Can I claim compensation for PTSD caused by my service?
Short answer
Yes — PTSD, complex PTSD, anxiety and depression are all compensatable under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme if service caused or worsened them, for service since 6 April 2005. Awards typically fall in tariff bands 6 to 12, and a psychiatrist’s diagnosis linking the condition to service events is essential.
The AFCS treats a psychiatric injury exactly as it treats a physical one. PTSD, complex PTSD, anxiety and depression all qualify if service caused them or made them worse, provided the service in question was on or after 6 April 2005. You do not have to have left the forces to claim — many claims are made while still serving.
Where mental health sits on the tariff
Every AFCS award is placed on a 15-band tariff, each band carrying a fixed tax-free lump sum. Mental health conditions typically fall in bands 6 to 12:
- Band 12 — £6,180. The description used is PTSD diagnosed but manageable with treatment.
- Band 6 — £147,000. The top of the range mental health claims typically reach. Where your condition falls between the two depends on its severity and prognosis.
- Guaranteed Income Payment. Bands 1 to 11 also attract a GIP — a tax-free monthly payment for life, calculated as a percentage of your basic salary at the time of injury: 30% for bands 6 to 8, 15% for bands 9 to 11.
- More than one condition. Where PTSD sits alongside physical injuries, the multiple injuries calculation pays the most serious at 100% of its band value, the second at 30% and the third at 15%.
What a mental health claim needs
Medical evidence from a psychiatrist, clinical psychologist or trauma specialist is essential: a formal diagnosis, and something that links it to identifiable service events. Self-reported symptoms alone will not carry a claim. Gather your service records, military and GP notes, and statements from people who served with you.
Treatment and compensation are separate tracks, and you should start the treatment one first — Op COURAGE takes self-referrals on 0800 952 1029 and does not require you to prove causation. If your condition later worsens to a higher band, the deterioration provision lets you claim again, within a year of the deterioration becoming apparent. AFCS awards are tax-free and disregarded for Universal Credit, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction. If service before 6 April 2005 caused the condition, claim under the War Pension Scheme instead.
Related guides
Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS)
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) provides tax-free compensation to serving and former members of the UK Armed Forces who have been injured, become ill, or lost their lives as a result of service on or after 6 April 2005. Compensation is made up of a lump sum payment and, for more serious cases, a Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP) for life.
6 min
Veterans Mental Health Support
Veterans are at increased risk of a range of mental health conditions including PTSD, depression, anxiety, alcohol dependency, and adjustment disorders. The NHS has developed a dedicated service, Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service, providing specialist community mental health care for veterans and their families. A range of charity services complement NHS provision.
6 min
NHS Veterans Trauma Network: Specialist Care for Service-Related Injuries
The NHS Veterans Trauma Network (VTN) provides specialist multidisciplinary care for veterans with physical injuries caused by service — including blast injuries, complex limb injuries, traumatic brain injury, and severe burns. Op COURAGE is the NHS mental health pathway. Both are free NHS services delivered through 10 regional centres of expertise. This guide explains who can access them, how to be referred, and what services they provide.
9 min
War Pension Scheme
The War Pension Scheme provides financial support to veterans who were injured or became ill as a result of service before 6 April 2005, and to the dependants of those who died as a result of such service. Unlike AFCS, War Pensions are ongoing weekly payments, not primarily lump sums, and can be supplemented by a range of additional allowances.
6 min
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