Thousands of Armed Forces Veterans are owed a Service pension.
According to the Forces Pension Society, around 8,000 Armed Forces Veterans have not claimed their Preserved Pension which is owed to them. This from the Veterans Gateway:
Unclaimed Service Pensions
If you served in the Armed Forces after April 1975, you could have an unclaimed pension. AFPS 75 pensions earned before April 2005 are payable at age 60.
To claim your preserved pension, go to the Veterans UK website and fill in AFPS Form 8. You will not receive the pension automatically - you will have to make a claim. You should send the form off around 6 months before your pension is due. If you have passed the due date you can still claim using the same form.
Am I owed a pension?
Initially, individuals had to serve for five years and be at least age 26 to qualify. From April 1988, qualification period reduced to two years paid service from age 18 (21 for Officers). The only veterans who will never receive pensions are:
Those who left before April 1975 without an immediate pension.
Those who only served for a very short time.
How much will I get?
Your pension will increase annually with inflation from age 55, and you may be eligible for a tax-free lump sum when you claim.
For example:
Someone who left service in April 1978 with a preserved pension of £800 would now have a preserved pension of over £4,000 and a lump sum of over £12,000.
Someone who left in April 1982 with a preserved pension of £1,100 would now have a preserved pension of about £3,500 and a preserved pension lump sum of almost £10,500.
Someone who left in April 1985 with a preserved pension of £1,500 would now have a preserved pension of just over £4,000 and a preserved pension lump sum of just over £12,000.
For advice on any aspect of your Service pension, please contact the Forces Pension Society.
The official Armed Forces Pensions website is here.