As an RAF widow your children could be eligible for help.  Assistance with school fees is subject to means testing and is mainly awarded for boarding school fees, though in some instances assistance is provided with private day school fees if the surviving parent or guardian can demonstrate that the local state school provision cannot meet the child’s educational needs or if the child is experiencing significant social/family problems and struggling to survive in the state education system.   Exceptionally, help towards the cost of pre-prep and nursery school fees may be granted where circumstances show that this would be in the best interest of the family.

Although means tested, help is not limited to those on low incomes.  Even widows/widowers earning £50,000 a year could be eligible for help with boarding school fees, though depending on their particular financial circumstances they could be asked to make a parental contribution of between £Nil and £10,000 a year.

Irrespective of whether assistance has been given towards primary or secondary education, any child whose parent died whilst serving in the RAF is entitled to a grant of £1,500 a year whilst they are studying for a first degree.  This grant is not means tested and can be awarded for a maximum of four years.

Applications for assistance are considered by the Fund’s Education Committee which also sets the level of parental contribution towards the fees for the following academic year.  If you would like to find out more or discuss a possible application please contact Hilary Richardson, Head of General Welfare at the RAF Benevolent Fund:

Direct dial: 020 7307 3347      E-mail: hilary.richardson@rafbf.org.uk

RAF Pensions

AFPAA (G) Pensions Division
Mail Point 480
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow
G2 8EX

Pay and pensions enquiry service
t: 0800 085 3600 or 0141 224 3600
e: JPAC@spva.mod.uk or pensionshelp@spva.mod.uk

Sutherland House
Russell Way
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 1UH

t: 0845 121 2514

For specific enquiries about the payment of your Forces Family Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme benefits. If you are remarrying you need to write to both Norcross, regarding the War Widow Pension, and Glasgow, regarding the Forces Family Pension.

“In April 2007, the MOD officially launched the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, aimed at improving personnel, pensions, welfare and support services to members of the Armed Forces and veterans.”

When contacting, please have your National Insurance number to hand.

t: 0800 169 2277 (8.30am to 4pn, Mon-Fri)
w: www.veterans-uk.info/welfare/contact

68 South Lambeth Road
London
SW8 1RL

t: 0207 820 9988
w: www.forpen.org

“We exist to ensure that serving and retired members of the Armed Forces, their widows, widowers, surviving partners, civil partners and dependents receive the pension to which they are entitled and which they deserve.”

t: 0845 790 9090 (24 hours)
w: www.samaritans.org.uk

“We provide support for the serving men and women in today’s Armed Forces and for those who have served – even if it was only for a single day.”

SSAFA Forces Help
19 Queen Elizabeth Street
London
SE1 2LP

t: 0845 130 0975
e: info@ssafa.org.uk

36 Danbury Street
Islington
London
N1 8JU

t: 0207 354 2395
w: www.ncwgb.org

An umbrella organisation for many women’s groups. Also holds local meetings. NCW respond to all proposed changes of legislation on behalf of women.

117 Loughborough Road
Leicester
LE4 5ND

t: 01162 665 224
w: www.rafa.org.uk

The headquarters can put you in touch with your nearest RAFA Welfare Officer. Their war pensions Welfare Officer can advise on war pension matters.

w: www.citizensadvice.org.uk

53 North Street
Bristol
BS3 1EN

t: 0845 120 3785 (National Office)
t: 0845 123 2304 (Helpline)
www: www.tcf.org.uk

TCF is a charitable organsiation of bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents dedicated to the support and care of other bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents who have suffered the death of a child.

PO Box 800
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 1RG

t: 0844 477 9400 (Helpline)
e: helpline@cruse.org.uk
w: www.cruse.org.uk

“Cruse Bereavement Care exists to promote the well-being of bereaved people and to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss. Services are free to bereaved people. The organisation provides support and offers information, advice, education and training services.”

199 Borough High Street
London
SE1 1AA

t: 0203 207 2100
t: 0845 772 5725 (general enquiries)
t: 0207 973 7331 (pensions)
w: www.britishlegion.org.uk

t: 0845 302 1444

w: www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Bereaved

c/o 199 Borough High Street
London
SE1 1AA

t: 0845 241 2189
e: info@warwidowsassociation.org.uk

t: 0844 561 6855 (Helpline 9am-9pm)
w: www.uk-sobs.org.uk

t: 0845 450 0355 (Helpline 9am-5pm)
w: www.roadpeace.org.uk

2nd Floor
4 Pinchin Street
London
E1 6DB

t: 0207 709 9090 (Helpline 10am-4pm)
w: www.stjohnshospice.org.uk

‘The Royal Navy Royal Marines Widows’ Association recently formed with the aim of bringing friendship, support, guidance and comfort to those who have experienced the trauma of bereavement.

We have created this website, both as a place to bring together information which we hope you will find useful and to offer our services to you at this difficult time.

www.rnrmwidowsassociation.org

The Army Widows Association was formed by widows in 2004. Our aim is to offer comfort, support and friendship to the widows and widowers of service men and women and help them resolve some of the difficulties they may face after the death of their spouse. www.armywidows.org.uk

Mrs Clare Ellis
Veterans WORLD Editor & Publications WORK
SPVA External Communications Team
Service Personnel & Veterans Agency
Room 6303
Tomlinson House
Norcross
Thornton-Cleveleys
 FY5 3WP

Tel 01253 338816 (direct Line) Ext 68816

Queen Victoria School is fully funded by the Ministry of Defence to provide the continuity and stability which boarding education offers, for the children of UK Armed Forces personnel who are Scottish, have served in Scotland or are/were part of a Scottish Regiment.

QVS is a fully boarding school, coeducational and tri-service. All necessary expenses for each pupil
are met by the Ministry of Defence, and we have a particular mission to care for those families who could not otherwise afford boarding education.

Further information can be obtained from from the Admissions Secretary, Queen
Victoria School, DUNBLANE FK15 0JY, or via the website: www.qvs.org.uk

The podcasts will cover a range of issues including Armed Forces Day and Regional Awareness events. They will also provide updates on issues such as the progress of the roll out of the new Veterans Welfare Centres. The podcasts will also feature interviews with key figures within the Agency, informing listeners of the many services SPVA provides for the armed forces and veterans community.

Senior Media Advisor, Laurie Manton said,

“SPVA prides itself on its communication with the Service and Veterans community. We already produce Veterans WORLD, a quarterly magazine which raises awareness of the help and advice we can offer, and our recently re-vamped Veterans-UK website provides a wealth of information on topics of interest to veterans and the service community. This series of podcasts will help us to reach an even wider audience in a new and exciting way.”

The first podcast is now available on the Veterans-UK website and will be syndicated via iTunes and Youtube.com and other social media sites.

 Overpayment of Pension

Some members have had letters regarding the claw back of over payments of the Forces Family Pension.  Under no circumstances can Paymaster take money from your monthly pension payment without your permission.  If you are contacted regarding an overpayment of pension do ask for full details, with dates and amounts for when the overpayment occurred.  If you have to pay money back you can negotiate the payments on your terms.

To apply in the first instance, or to renew your Rail Card, write to:

Pensions Department, Rail Cards, The Royal British Legion, Haig House’ 199 Borough High Street, London SE1 1AA

When applying for the first time or to renew your card, the cost of the card is £2.50.  Cheques should be made payable to ‘Royal British Legion/railcards AC’.

For further information contact the Royal British Legion Pensions Department on 0203 207 2168 or www.britishlegion.org.uk

Queries regarding your War Widow/ers Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme benefits (AFCS) can be answered by the SPVA at Norcross.

Veterans UK Helpline – 0800 169 2277

Queries about the Forces Family Pension Scheme can be answered by the SPVA Enquiry Service, Glasgow – Tel 0800 085 3600.

Paymaster General – Call for specific queries about the payment of your Forces Family Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme benefits.

If you are remarrying, you need to write to both Norcross (regarding War Widow/ers Pension) and Glasgow (regarding the Forces Family Pension)

The Scholarships are available for young people aged 9 – 25 (which may include a gap year).

Each scholarship is valued at up to £1,500 per annum.

Educational Grants

Grants valued at up to £1000 per annum are available to applicants who meet the qualifying criteria.  Applicants may include mature students seeking full or part time education, people on a re-training programme or those needing funding support for other educational opportunities.

To find out more, call the Royal British Legion Women’s Section on 020 3207 2182.