Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

UK LGBT VETERANS – THE FINANCIAL RECOGNITION SCHEME DEADLINE IS FAST APPROACHING

The deadline to apply to the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme is 11:59pm on 12 December 2026.
If you served in HM Armed Forces during the LGBT Ban and believe you were affected by it, please do not assume that you are not eligible and miss the deadline.

There are two separate elements of the Financial Recognition Scheme:
Impact Payment – for veterans who experienced the effects of the Ban during their service, including harassment, bullying, investigations, threats, humiliation, discrimination, punishment and other forms of mistreatment.
Dismissed or Discharged Payment – a separate £50,000 payment for those who meet the Scheme criteria relating to dismissal or administrative discharge because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
You can apply for both if you believe both may apply to you.

Most importantly: DON’T SELF-REJECT.
Please don't decide that you cannot make a claim simply because:
• your Service records are missing or incomplete;
• what happened was never officially recorded;
• the events took place 30, 40 or 50 years ago;
• you have little documentary evidence yourself;
• you were never formally charged or convicted;
• you were told that leaving was your own “choice”;
• you resigned, applied for Premature Voluntary Release (PVR), purchased your discharge or left through another route and are unsure whether you qualify; or
• you simply don't know whether what happened to you falls within the Scheme.
If you have any doubt, seek advice and get your application submitted before the deadline. Let the Scheme decide whether you qualify rather than excluding yourself.

There is help available, and you do not have to work through the process alone.
Fighting With Pride provides support to LGBT+ veterans, including help relating to the Financial Recognition Scheme:
https://www.fightingwithpride.org.uk/

About Turn is also bringing veterans together to share information, experience and support relating to the Ban and the Financial Recognition Scheme:
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=a ... lUSUVTIn19

The MOD's Affected by the Ban – Spread the Word campaign contains information and resources intended to help reach veterans who may still not know about the Scheme:
https://affectedbytheban.campaign.gov.u ... -the-word/

The official LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme, including the application information and Scheme documents, is here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ion-scheme

For some veterans, coming forward means revisiting events they have spent decades trying to put behind them. Others may not even recognise what happened to them as something covered by the Scheme because discrimination, threats, intimidation and mistreatment became so normalised during the Ban.

Some may also have spent decades believing that because they technically “volunteered” to leave, resigned or bought themselves out, what happened to them somehow did not count.

Please do not let uncertainty stop you from applying.

Whatever our individual views about the Scheme, its rules or the level of financial recognition being offered, one thing should unite us:

No veteran who may be entitled to recognition should lose the opportunity simply because they didn't know about the Scheme, weren't sure whether they qualified, or were too afraid to ask.

The deadline is 11:59pm on 12 December 2026.

Please share this post widely — with former colleagues, friends, veterans' associations, regimental groups and anyone else who may have served during the LGBT Ban.

Someone who has never spoken about what happened to them may see your share and realise, perhaps for the first time, that they can come forward.

I've copied your post onto my facebook page with a request that anyone who reads it and is sympathetic to to the situation re-posts it on their own page.

More power to your elbow!

Keith, just seen your response, poorly last few days - many thanks!