PRESS RELEASE : New online Armed Forces compensation service goes live [November 2022]

Veterans UK, part of Defence Business Services (DBS), has launched a new online claim service to help people to access injury and illness compensation more easily. Veterans UK is responsible for administering compensation and pensions schemes for both serving personnel, veterans and their families. The new service is part of our commitment to modernising the services we provide to the Defence community and is the first step in the digitalisation of DBS’s Compensation Schemes. Before launching the service, the Veterans Modernisation Team had to successfully complete a Cabinet Office Beta Assessment and provide evidence to show they had met a 14-point service standard.

How will the new online service help customers?

Although the paper claim form can still be used if customers prefer, the online service has been developed entirely using a ‘user needs’ approach, identifying what users want and need and providing a digital solution. It has the following added benefits for customers:

• The online form takes less time to complete in comparison to the paper form
• The online form is more intuitive, meaning it only asks questions relevant to the individuals claim and is based on previous questions
• Individuals can submit multiple claims on one application
• There is an option to save progress and take a break
• It allows individuals easily upload supporting documents relevant to their claim
• The online form can be accessed via any internet device, including phones

Tom Stewart, AH Veterans Modernisation at DBS said:

Our digital transformation and business innovation is fundamentally raising and meeting our customers’ elevated expectations. This vital work elevates the business to a new level of effectiveness, heralding a new culture which is now fundamentally and profoundly changing our people and our processes. The services that the team have developed are agile, enhance the reputation of DBS but most importantly, they are demonstrably improving customer service.

The Project

The Project began in 2019 following a review of the current, mostly paper based, approaches to delivering our services and how digital enhancements could improve our customer experience. The online claim service was one of several initiatives, all of which have been completed including:

• reviewing and re-writing the Veterans UK web pages on GOV.UK
• providing voice to text software for our staff
• new iPhone technology for our Welfare Staff
• introducing file barcoding and scanning/tracking service

DBS passed an Alpha assessment in July 2020 and have recently completed the Beta Assessment which has involved producing 120 slides of evidence, a four-hour interview with an independent panel outside of DBS and giving evidence to illustrate responses. This has been a challenging assessment process, but it ensures important Government transaction services are fit for purpose and DBS are delighted to have passed all required stages to be able to officially launch the digital form. This achievement would not have been possible without the many DBS teams and individuals involved. Special thanks are also given to the charities and 1400 customers who volunteered to help.

The online claims service, the first of our modernised services, is now live. We will be continuing to modernise more of our services and will keep you informed of these improvements as they develop, via the Veterans UK GOV.UK page. You can also follow us on Facebook @modveteransuk and Twitter @VeteransUK_MOD.