- The most severely injured veterans with life-limiting and complex brain injuries (VSI-BI) experience the highest levels of social exclusion due to their intensive needs
- Help for Heroes will use the one-off grant to provide bespoke support over the next 3 years to enhance Veteran’s physical, psychological and social care giving them a better chance at living a fulfilling life
- Help for Heroes will also offer enhanced support to the families who shoulder the burden and responsibility of their complex needs.
In the last-ever tranche of Libor grants, Help for Heroes has been awarded £1.5 million to improve the level of care given to Britain’s most severely wounded and injured Veterans who experience the greatest challenges and highest levels of social exclusion.
Many have complex injuries including multiple limb loss, severe brain injuries and serious mental health conditions which means they will require specialist support through a complex care pathway for the remainder of their lives.
The grant, to be announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond in tomorrow’s Budget will be used to directly improve the quality of life of 20 Veterans who have suffered some of the most life-limiting injuries during their service in the Armed Forces. These individuals have 24 hour-a-day support needs which could not until now be met by the NHS, charities or their families without additional support. In many cases this bespoke 24/7 support can cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The one-off Libor fine grant from HM Treasury will be used to access specialist clinical support, provide educational and vocational opportunities, as well as provide financial support towards additional carer costs, adaptive travel and equipment. This work will give those with the most need a better chance at leading the fulfilling lives they deserve. The grant will be used to provide neuro-physiotherapy, neuro-rehabilitation assistance and specialist equipment such as EyeGaze.
EyeGaze allows those with physical difficulties to control a computer through eye movement alone, and is in some cases wounded veterans’ only way to interact with the outside world.
Mel Waters, CEO of Help for Heroes said:
“These Veterans are among the most inspirational and driven of our society. But it is a sad reality that their wounds and injuries are so severe that until now their needs could not be met because they were so complex. We are pleased that these needs have finally been recognised. However, these individuals and their families will need support long after our 3-year programme ends. We consider it out duty to ensure the government understands more about wounded veterans’ needs so that they can use this time to develop a package of support truly fit for purpose. It’s the very least our wounded Veterans deserve.”
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For further information, please email Robyn.Staveley@helpforheroes.org.uk or call 020 7337 9823
Notes to editors
During the three-year programme, Help for Heroes will gather an extensive evidence-based knowledge of the full range of support needed of VSI-BI veterans and their loved ones.
The programme would provide the following for VSI-BI veterans:
- Access to Help for Heroes Recovery Centres nationally
- Specialist welfare support from highly skilled and dedicated Key Workers
- Psychological support to assist VSI-BI veterans to build resilience in managing their life-changing and life-limiting circumstances
- Specialist clinical support
- Tailored educational and vocational opportunities
- Financial support towards additional carer costs, travel assistance and specialist equipment
- Participation in recovery programmes with fellow veterans to regain a true sense of belonging
- Peer to peer fellowship support
For every injured veteran there is an injured family, we will support the family with:
- Psychological wellbeing support to build resilience and coping mechanisms within the family
- Access peer to peer support through our Family Fellowship network
- Highly skilled and dedicated Family and Welfare Key Workers
Of the £973m given to charities in Libor grants since 2012, Help for Heroes has received an allocation of £5.7m to date, excluding the latest announcement.
For more information about Help for Heroes, please visit www.helpforheroes.org.uk
About Help for Heroes:
Help for Heroes supports those with injuries and illnesses sustained while serving in the British Armed Forces. No matter when someone served, we give them the support they need to lead active, independent and fulfilling lives. Our specialist teams focus on the five key areas of an individual’s life: medical, mind, body, spirit and family. We provide support to the whole family to help them all cope with the challenges they face.
Long-term recovery is more than repairing damaged bodies and minds; it’s about rebuilding lives.
