Our offer to the Armed Forces community
We have one of the highest populations of veterans in London and we are committed to supporting the Armed Forces community.
Re-integration and employment
If you have left the Armed Forces within the last five years, you and your spouse are guaranteed an interview for a job we have advertised if you meet the minimum criteria set out in the job description and person specification. See our current vacancies page.
OIf you are a member of our staff and a reservist or cadet force volunteer, we offer a flexible leave policy to help with military commitments, including an additional ten days of paid annual leave to attend training.
We also offer free English and Maths courses to current and former Armed Forces staff. View the courses offered through Lewisham’s Adult Education Service.
These are some of the measures which have helped us to earn a Gold Award through the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Scheme.
HM Armed Forces Veteran Card
An online process for applying for an HM Armed Forces Veteran Card is now available. The purpose of this card is to prove you served in the Armed Forces, making it easier and quicker to apply for support.
Applicants who served in the Regular or Reserves of the Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, or the Royal Marines, and can meet documentary requirements, such as a National Insurance Number, are eligible for a card.
All Service Leavers since December 2018 should have been provided with a Veteran Card as part of their discharge process. If you left the Armed Forces before this, you can apply for an HM Armed Forces Veteran Card.
Housing
You can apply for council housing if you are serving or have left the Armed Forces within the last five years, or if you are required to leave your property after your partner has died through service. You can also apply if you suffer from serious injury, illness or disability attributable to reserve forces service.
In addition, we offer some accommodation through the Veterans Nomination Scheme.
A hotline for veterans at risk of homelessness will remain open over Christmas and New Year. As always, the Op FORTITUDE team will be on hand to provide support and advice for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness. If you or someone you know could benefit from their expertise, please get in touch:
- call free on 0800 9520774 or;
- submit a referral form
- find further support
Health and wellbeing
We are commissioning additional spaces for therapy for former forces personnel who have returned from service in the last five years through the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Service.
School admissions
We prioritise school place applications for the children of full-time service personnel under the exceptional medical or social criteria of Lewisham’s School Admissions Policy.
If your child is in Key Stage 1, where specific law about class size applies, they can be placed as an exception, in line with the School Admissions Code.
Help with the cost of living
Find out what help we can offer and what other support is available:
Op COURAGE
Op Courage is an NHS service supported by trained professionals who are from, or have experience of working with, the Armed Forces community. This service can help if you’re finding life difficult after leaving the military. Working together with Armed Forces charities, Op COURAGE will help you get the right type of specialist care, support and treatment for your specific needs. This video provides more information.