AFCS Tariff Bands: Armed Forces Compensation Scheme in Detail

You can claim AFCS if:

• You served in HM Forces (Army, Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force) at any point since 6 April 2005.
• You suffered injury or illness, including mental health conditions, caused or made worse by service.
• Your injury/illness is on the AFCS schedule or can be added by analogy.

The pre-2005 framework is the War Pensions Scheme (WPS), administered separately. WPS covers injury or illness caused or made worse by service before 6 April 2005. Service that straddles the boundary may give rise to both AFCS and WPS claims for different injuries.

You can claim while still serving — you do not have to leave service before applying. Most claims are made post-discharge, but in-service claims are common.

Reservists are covered. Cadets are not normally covered (they have a separate scheme).

The AFCS tariff has 15 bands. Each band has a fixed lump-sum amount (uprated annually):

• Band 1 (most severe): £650,000. Examples — catastrophic brain injury, complete quadriplegia, blindness in both eyes, multiple amputations including one above-knee.
• Band 2: £570,000. Severe traumatic brain injury, complete paraplegia.
• Band 3: £435,000. Loss of two limbs, severe spinal injury.
• Band 4: £310,000.
• Band 5: £232,000.
• Band 6: £147,000.
• Band 7: £73,500.
• Band 8: £48,500.
• Band 9: £29,400.
• Band 10: £18,030.
• Band 11: £11,250.
• Band 12: £6,180. PTSD diagnosed but with management; moderate hearing loss.
• Band 13: £3,500. Moderate orthopaedic injury with recovery; some hearing loss.
• Band 14: £2,295.
• Band 15: £1,236. Minor injury with full recovery.

Specific injuries are mapped to specific bands in the AFCS Order Schedule 3. Where an injury is not listed, it is awarded "by analogy" to the most similar listed injury.

Many service injuries involve multiple conditions — for example, an IED blast might cause traumatic brain injury, hearing loss, PTSD, and limb amputation. The Multiple Injuries Calculation under the AFCS Order:

• The most serious injury is awarded at 100% of its tariff value.
• The second most serious is awarded at 30% of its tariff value.
• The third most serious is awarded at 15% of its tariff value.
• Subsequent injuries are awarded at smaller percentages.

For example, a complex case might involve:

• Band 3 leg amputation: £435,000 × 100% = £435,000.
• Band 6 PTSD: £147,000 × 30% = £44,100.
• Band 10 hearing loss: £18,030 × 15% = £2,705.
• Total lump sum: £481,805.

The combined lump sum cannot exceed the Band 1 maximum of £650,000.

Bands 1 to 11 also receive a Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP) — a tax-free monthly payment for life. The GIP percentage is:

• Band 1: 100% of basic salary at time of injury.
• Band 2-3: 75%.
• Band 4-5: 50%.
• Band 6-8: 30%.
• Band 9-11: 15%.

"Basic salary" is the basic pay level at the time of injury, plus inflation. The GIP is uprated annually with CPI. It is paid alongside any service pension or state pension.

GIP also continues to survivors. If the recipient dies, a surviving spouse or civil partner can receive a Survivors' Guaranteed Income Payment (SGIP) at reduced rate.

The lump sum and GIP together can be very significant. A Band 1 recipient with £30,000 basic salary would receive: £650,000 lump sum + £30,000/year GIP for life (tax-free, inflation-linked).

How to claim:

1. Download AFCS Form from gov.uk/government/publications/armed-forces-compensation-scheme-form. Or call Veterans UK on 0808 1914 218 for a paper copy.
2. Complete the form: personal details, service record, condition(s), how service caused or worsened them, medical evidence.
3. Submit with supporting evidence: military medical records (release authorised through the application), GP records, hospital reports, specialist consultant reports.
4. Veterans UK acknowledges within 4 weeks.
5. Decision: typically 3-12 months. Complex multi-injury cases longer.
6. Receive decision letter with the band(s) awarded, lump sum, and GIP eligibility.

The decision is made by Veterans UK with medical advice from MoD doctors. Independent expert reports can be commissioned if needed.

If you disagree with the decision:

1. Reconsideration by Veterans UK — within 12 months of the decision. Submit fresh medical evidence or argument. Decision usually within 6 months.
2. First-tier Tribunal (War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Chamber) — within 12 months of the reconsideration decision (or longer in some circumstances).
3. Tribunal hearing: 6-12 months from appeal lodged. Usually 1 day. Panel includes a doctor and a senior officer.
4. Tribunal can: confirm, increase the band, or grant additional bands. They very rarely reduce.
5. Further appeal to the Upper Tribunal on points of law only.

Free legal aid is available for tribunal hearings through the Civilian Legal Services scheme. The Royal British Legion, SSAFA, and Veterans UK Welfare Service provide free advice and representation. Specialist firms (Hilary Meredith Solicitors, Hugh James) handle complex AFCS appeals on conditional fee terms.