The Ministry of Defence has issued a final call to veterans who were dismissed, discharged or otherwise affected by the ban on LGBT personnel serving in HM Armed Forces. In a press release published on 3 September 2026, Defence said there were 100 days left to apply for financial recognition, with the application window closing at 11:59pm on 12 December 2026. (gov.uk)
The deadline marks the closing phase of a scheme created after the LGBT Veterans Independent Review, chaired by Lord Etherton, examined the treatment of personnel affected by the ban between 1967 and 2000. The review was published on 19 July 2023, and the government published its formal response on 13 December 2023 before announcing the financial recognition scheme on 12 December 2024. (gov.uk)
According to Ministry of Defence guidance, the financial scheme is open to those who served in HM Armed Forces between 27 July 1967 and 12 January 2000 and were directly affected by the ban. The main payment for those dismissed or administratively discharged is £50,000, while a separate impact payment can add between £1,000 and £20,000 for harms such as investigations, harassment or disciplinary action, taking the maximum award to £70,000. (gov.uk) The same guidance states that the scheme is a recognition payment route rather than a compensation scheme, and that it sits separately from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme and the War Pension Scheme. (gov.uk)
Applications can be made through Defence Gateway or by post, and the official campaign material says formal evidence is not required at the outset, although fuller detail will assist caseworkers. Ministry of Defence guidance also says applicants must consent to officials accessing service records, and that applications from people who are terminally ill are prioritised. (valour.campaign.gov.uk) The government has also signposted practical help from the Royal British Legion, Fighting With Pride and the Veterans Welfare Service. That support is likely to matter for veterans who have delayed applying because the process can require them to revisit service records and difficult personal history. (gov.uk)
The policy offer is wider than cash payments. Separate Ministry of Defence guidance says eligible veterans, and in some cases a person of sufficient interest acting for a deceased veteran, may seek non-financial restorative measures including letters of apology from Service Chiefs, replacement berets or cap badges, the Etherton Ribbon, a written reproduction of the Prime Minister’s 19 July 2023 apology, corrected or replacement discharge papers, publication of former officers’ service details in The Gazette, restoration of rank in service records and the option of a service ceremony. Applicants for those measures should be contacted by Defence within six months. (gov.uk)
In the 3 September press release, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting described the ban as a source of lasting harm and urged eligible veterans and community organisations to spread the word before the deadline. The same release carried a statement from Minister for Equalities Simon Lightwood, who said the policy was a shameful part of the country’s history and should not be repeated. (gov.uk) The Ministry of Defence also used the case of Jean, a former physical training instructor in the Women’s Royal Army Corps, whose career ended after an investigation under the ban. Defence said Jean had since applied for restorative measures and was encouraging others to come forward, describing the process as difficult but helpful in beginning to speak about what happened. (gov.uk)
The closing push comes after the Ministry of Defence published scheme data showing 1,696 individual applicants, 2,145 case decisions and £57.808 million paid as at 24 August 2026. Separate government FAQs say ministers cannot identify every affected veteran proactively because of the passage of time and incomplete records, which helps explain why the current phase is centred on outreach rather than automatic awards. (gov.uk) For veterans, charities and advisers, the immediate administrative point is straightforward: the financial recognition window shuts at 11:59pm on 12 December 2026. After that point, Ministry of Defence guidance says no new applications will be accepted, although existing cases will continue through the process under the scheme rules. (gov.uk)