A ’forgotten generation’ of working age veterans, who have approached SSAFA, the armed forces charity, for help, is surviving on an average annual household income of just £13,800. Suffering from long-term physical and mental health problems they say they feel let down by their country. 

Living in fear of debt, they are experiencing depression as a result of their circumstances with many believing they have been disadvantaged by their military service and feel poorly treated when they leave the Forces compared with veterans in the USA.

These are the conclusions of a major new research report by SSAFA, which surveyed nearly 1,000 veterans from across the UK who had been helped by the charity.

SSAFA is calling for:

Welfare screening of potentially vulnerable servicemen and women before they leave the forces.

A new government funded mentoring scheme to support vulnerable veterans for at least their first year as a civilian.

The Ministry of Defence to improve its discharge processes to ensure that the service records of veterans are shared with the appropriate health and welfare professionals.

In Cornwall, the charity saw the number of home visits to the Armed Forces community carried out by its local volunteers, rise by 133% between 2014 and 2015. 

SSAFA Cornwall branch has divisions in East Cornwall, Mid Cornwall and West Cornwall with its network of volunteers supporting serving personnel, reservists, veterans and their families in the county.