Written question asked by Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 10 September 2026. It was answered by Calvin Bailey (Labour) on Tuesday, 15 September 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Veterans: LGBT+ People

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if his Department will consider the potential merits of distributing monies left over in the the £75m LGBT Veterans Financial Recognition Scheme to eligible veterans, amended from the current cap of £50m earmarked for distribution.

Answer: To date, the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme (FRS) has paid out over £58 million to applicants, exceeding the £50 million minimum payout commitment. Defence continues to maximise awareness of the FRS among eligible veterans and encourage applications before the Scheme’s closure on 12 December 2026. The allocation of any unspent funds against the £75 million budget will be considered once the FRS has closed and all applications have been assessed.

Secondary information