The Government remains committed to delivering recognition cards to existing veterans. Work is underway to develop the verification system required in order to begin the second phase of the card rollout to those who left service before December 2018. The Office for Veterans’ Affairs has led this work through the initial development phases and the Ministry of Defence has now taken responsibility for the next stage which will further develop and test the service, including with a small community of veterans. We will be engaging with veterans over the coming months to participate in this testing phase.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 31 October 2022 to Question 68602 to the hon. Member for Warrington North (Ms Nichols).

As announced during Armed Forces week, more than £1 million in new money is being invested into a new digital service for veterans, due to be available in 2023. This will make it easier and quicker to demonstrate military service in order to access a range of Government and charity services, and will in turn help ensure that Recognition Cards are given only to those with verified service. The Government remains committed to delivering Veterans’ Recognition Cards and will advise of a timescale for final delivery when this work is complete.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State for Defence, Baroness Goldie DL, on 24 March 2022 to Question HL6901 to the noble Lord, Lord West of Spithead GCB DSC in the House of Lords.

In the Veterans' Strategy Action Plan: 2022-2024 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/veterans-strategy-action-plan-2022-to-2024) the Government committed to exploring the secure, digital verification of veterans' status. This work is underway, and we are currently working with veterans and other stakeholders to ensure any solution meets the needs of all veterans. This will support delivery of the Phase 2 roll out of the Veteran ID cards to existing veterans. The Government is still committed to delivering ID cards but cannot give a timescale for final delivery as this work is in progress.

We are unable to provide a timetable for delivery at this time, but hope to be able to provide an update on this soon.

I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave on 20 September 2021 to Question 47041 to the hon. Member for Portsmouth South (Stephen Morgan).

Exemptions from National Health Service prescriptions charges for veterans have been extended beyond valid war pension exemption certificate holders to Armed Forces Compensation Scheme recipients. If the prescription is not for their accepted disablement there would be a charge if they were under 60 years old, unless there was another exemption in place. No assessment has been made of the effect of the cost of prescriptions on veterans’ mental health.

Exemptions from National Health Service prescriptions charges for veterans have been extended beyond valid war pension exemption certificate holders to Armed Forces Compensation Scheme recipients. If the prescription is not for their accepted disablement there would be a charge if they were under 60 years old, unless there was another exemption in place. No assessment has been made of the effect of the cost of prescriptions on veterans’ mental health.

A Veterans ID card has been automatically issued as standard to all Service leavers from December 2018. 36,091 such cards have been issued up to July 2021.

The Government remains committed to developing an online digital verification tool that will securely and easily allow veterans to verify their service. A delivery date will be confirmed in due course.

A veteran does not require a recognition or ID card to prove their status; there are a number of ways an individual veteran, or service provider, can verify someone’s Service and facilitate access to support or discounts such as the Veterans’ Railcard which was made available in November 2020. In addition, a wide range of benefits and discounts provided by the commercial sector can be accessed via the Defence Discount Service, which veterans are entitled to join and register for the official Veterans’ Discount Card, the Defence Privilege Card.

The Government remains committed to developing an online digital verification tool which will make it as easy as possible for veterans to verify their Service. A delivery date will be confirmed in due course, along with details of the next phase of the Veterans’ ID card roll-out. Closer to the launch date, information will be released at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-veterans-id-cards-rolled-out-to-service-leavers

If veterans are unclear on what they are entitled to, they can contact the Veterans Welfare Service through the gov.uk website (https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/veterans-welfare-service), using the UK freephone number 0808 1914 2 18 (overseas +44 1253 866043) or using veterans-uk@mod.gov.uk

A veteran does not require a recognition or ID card to prove their status; there are a number of ways an individual veteran, or service provider, can verify someone’s Service and facilitate access to support or discounts such as the Veterans’ Railcard which was made available in November 2020. In addition, a wide range of benefits and discounts provided by the commercial sector can be accessed via the Defence Discount Service, which veterans are entitled to join and register for the official Veterans’ Discount Card, the Defence Privilege Card.

The Government remains committed to developing an online digital verification tool which will make it as easy as possible for veterans to verify their Service. A delivery date will be confirmed in due course, along with details of the next phase of the Veterans’ ID card roll-out. Closer to the launch date, information will be released at the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-veterans-id-cards-rolled-out-to-service-leavers

If veterans are unclear on what they are entitled to, they can contact the Veterans Welfare Service through the gov.uk website (https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/veterans-welfare-service), using the UK freephone number 0808 1914 2 18 (overseas +44 1253 866043) or using veterans-uk@mod.gov.uk

It remains the case that officials in the Ministry of Defence continue to work with the Office for Veterans' Affairs within the Cabinet Office to develop ideas on how to build an online digital verification tool so that people can prove they served. Work is progressing but we are unable to confirm a delivery date at this point.

Information on phase two of the Veterans' ID card will be released closer to the launch date at the following website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-veterans-id-cards-rolled-out-to-service-leavers

Officials in the Ministry of Defence continue to work with the Office for Veterans' Affairs within the Cabinet Office to develop ideas on how to build an online digital verification tool so that people can prove they served. Work is progressing but we are unable to confirm a delivery date at this point.

Information on phase two of the Veterans' ID card will be released closer to the launch date at the following website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-veterans-id-cards-rolled-out-to-service-leavers

Our veterans have played a vital role in keeping our country safe and we owe them a duty to ensure they are provided with all the support they need.

The annual Statutory Homeless Release for April 2019 to March 2020 showed that, of the total number of households assessed as owed a homelessness duty, 0.7 per cent had a support need relating to having served in Her Majesty’s armed forces.

The Homelessness Reduction Act requires certain public authorities to refer members of the regular forces in England they consider to be homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days to a local housing authority, with the individual’s consent. A person who is vulnerable as a result of having been a member of Her Majesty’s regular armed forces has a priority need for accommodation.

In line with other identification cards such as passports and the Photo ID driving licence, the Veterans ID card lasts for ten years. Appearances can change, and it is important that Veteran ID cards provide a true likeness of the individual.