News releases
Armed Forces Covenant
The Forces Pension Society welcomes the Government’s recognition of the unique nature of military service in the announcement about the Armed Forces Covenant, and strongly endorses the broad initiative to support the well being and appropriate special treatment for members of the Armed Forces, dependent families and veterans.
The principle of no disadvantage for the Armed Forces is good, and we look forward to working in cooperation with the Government in developing any future Armed Forces pension scheme. We also look forward to cooperating on overcoming areas of disadvantage suffered by certain groups of Armed Forces pensioners. We assume the scope of the Covenant will embrace this to ensure the legitimate aspirations of Service people are met.
In later life the only tangible benefit from a career in the Armed Forces is the pension. The Government has recognised that the Armed Forces are different from the remainder of the public sector by virtue of their unlimited liability of service. That implies acknowledgement of no obligation to require similar terms and conditions in pension rules to the rest of the public sector. On that encouraging basis we will pursue our campaigns to improve the conditions for those Service pensioners we believe are especially disadvantaged.
Captain Malcolm Farrow OBE RN
Assistant General Secretary
Forces Pension Society
16 May 2011
