Veteran's Cards
 

Veterans Card applications now open for those of us who have left some time ago. I’ve just applied .

Veterans can apply for their cards by emailing [email protected], including your name, year of birth, and year they left service. They will then receive an email invitation to apply for their card.

A little more information...

The application and issuance process is still being tested and is not open for the whole veteran community. In particular, applications are only open for UK residents, overseas residents will be able to apply at a later date..

Also, all the negative feedback has been already received, analysed and acted on accordingly therefore thank you for not posting.

UK Government link here
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/h...nd-data-office

The big question that will make them actually useful, is if they will be accepted as a photo ID.

And does 'overseas' include the Channel Islands? No doubt I will find out eventually.

Interesting. I recently tried to apply for a TfL veterans Oyster card, only to be told that a "veteran" requires proof of pension or other retirement payment. The national railcard asks for one day of service! The reason I looked into this was the threat from TfL to cancel London wide travel cards, which I'm sure many of you use. I wrote to TfL and J Mercer, Minister of Vet affairs pointing out the discrepancy, no joy. I understand TfL has rowed back on the travelcard decision, in the meantime I now have and Oyster card with my "Senior" discount added.
PS, this is my sixtieth year gainfully employed on flying machines, started as an LAC on Vulcans, lots of bits in between including BA Flt/eng, pilot, now FI/FE GA/Microlights. Still enjoy it but a recent engine frame change on a CTSW in a cold hangar reminded me of the downsides. Happy Christmas. JT

I sent the read info and got a link . A little bit of a faff but all sent off. Time will tell.

I know nothing about Canada and its link to vets......

But having spent 6+ years of my life on exchange in the USA - 3 with the USN and 3 with the USAF - I can only observe how much better their vets are treated than us pofolk in the UK.

They treat their vets with care, consideration and decent benefits. We are ignored and left to our own devices.

Shameful, really.

Unfortunately the tradition of ignoring veterans in GB goes back hundreds of years so I can't see it changing much anytime soon.

Same goes for the other GB military tradition of fighting the next war with the kit and tactics of the last war- with a few exceptions of course, and we often catch up in the end, or at least just in the nick.

Merry Christmas btw!

Lucifer Morningstar, see post 2:

So perhaps you don't really have anything to worry abooot, eh?

I received one almost 4 years ago. It's in my wallet and apart for using it to get a veteran's discount once or twice (Cotswold Camping) that's it.

So not acceptable as a photo ID then? rather a waste of space, it was one of the main advantages that it could have had when dealing with the bureaucracy that one finds the country over.

I suspect there are some crossed wires on this thread. The item in your wallet is the Defence Discount Service card which provides discount services from a host of retailers and service providers. The new Veteran’s card is an ID and will carry your photo for recognition purposes.
Quoting the government website “Veteran Cards have two primary functions: to ensure that veterans can quickly verify their status to access public and charitable sector support if they need it and to provide a recognition of service in the Armed Forces. The service will officially launch by the end of January 2024”
I presume the DDS card will be obsoleted by the Veteran’s ID card.

I had thought that in the past ‘few’ years , leavers were being issued a Veterans Card, but it is only now that those who didn’t get issued a card on leaving, can now apply.

Sent an email to [email protected] with the requested details, no automatic response acknowledging receipt which is a bit unusual for a Government site ? No requirement for things like sevice number either. Seems a bit sketchy ?

NEO

I suspect the idea of the Veterans Oyster card is to allow free travel to those who meet the criteria (as per TfL website) but are not yet eligible for one of the other options ie 60+ or Freedom Pass.

When the local election ID rules changed, was it this or last year (?), I checked their print outs to see if the Vet's ID was included - it was. I've now applied so I won't need to carry my Driving Licence.

Whilst we wait with bated breath, a standard Oyster Card can be linked with a Veterans Railcard. Just present both to an attendant at any large underground station, wait for a lot of button pushing and hey presto a third off on all Oyster card tickets.

The trick is finding an attendant that knows how to do it, had to ask 2 people at Kings X, the second could not have been more helpful.

I left in May and recieved mine 2 weeks later. It's sitting unused in the envelope it arrived it which includes the pointless veterans badge as well.

I live outside London but visit regularly and am on my second Veterans Oyster card. The criteria for it are either/or for over 60s. From the TFL website:You can get a Veterans Oyster photocard if you:

• Receive ongoing payments under the War Pensions Scheme in your name. This includes widows, widowers and dependants
• Receive Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme in your name. This includes widows, widowers and dependants

Ongoing payments are awarded to service personnel who've sustained a certain level of physical or psychological injury in the line of duty. If you received a one-off gratuity payment instead, you can't get a Veterans Oyster photocard.

You also can't get a Veterans Oyster photocard if you live in a London borough and are eligible for a 60+ London Oyster photocard or Freedom Pass.

On the other hand, the Veterans id card does not appear to have any unique value as the id requirements it may fulfill are already covered by other common documents. I applied for one in anticipation of that changing.

​​​​​​​NEO