Retired Major General Nick Welch, 57, has been stripped of his MBE after being convicted of fraudulently claiming £48,000 in private school fees. The court heard that an investigation was launched following two complaints against him.
Welch falsely claimed to live in London rather than near his children's boarding schools in Dorset to illegally obtain the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) between December 2015 and February 2017. The CEA is designed to allow children to remain at the same schools while their serving parent is posted to different locations, with the spouse accompanying them.
Prosecutors argued that Welch's wife, Charlotte, spent most of her time at a cottage in Blandford Forum, Dorset, close to the schools, rather than at their stated military accommodation in Putney, London. Lieutenant Colonel Elizabeth James-Park, commanding officer of the Joint Service Administration Unit, testified that she was alerted to a concern about the 'lack of occupancy' of the London accommodation in February 2017, noting it was the second allegation against Welch.
In an email read to Bulford Military Court, Welch sought guidance on CEA compliance, stating he was 'keen to remain within the regulations.' His barrister, Sarah Jones QC, previously described the CEA rules as a 'mess.' The court found Welch guilty, leading to the forfeiture of his MBE.
