Charities have called on the Prime Minister to ensure that LGBT veterans who suffered historical mistreatment in the armed forces receive adequate compensation, in an open letter published on Wednesday.
Survivors of the so-called 'gay ban' endured days of sometimes brutal interrogation when it was discovered they were gay, and many were dismissed from the forces, lost job opportunities and were shunned by families and friends.
The independent Etherton review, which examined the experience of LGBT veterans who served before 2000, recommended a total compensation cap of £50 million. The open letter argues this cap could lead to “inadequate and unacceptably low” payments, with the average payout estimated at £12,500.
Signatories include the chief executives of Fighting with Pride, Help for Heroes, the Royal British Legion, Stonewall and Age UK. Craig Jones, campaign director of Fighting with Pride, said the funding “fails to take account of the shocking treatment inflicted”, while James Needham of Help for Heroes said the proposed sum “isn’t enough to make up for the damage done to their lives”.
Veterans minister Al Carns has vowed that a financial redress scheme will be launched in January next year, calling the treatment of LGBT veterans “completely and utterly unacceptable”. However, charities are disappointed that a promised parliamentary debate may not happen before the scheme begins.
