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<p>The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) provides compensation for members and
former members of the Armed Forces who suffer injury or illness as a result of service
from 6 April 2005. Where a discrete mental health disorder is present, a separate
award may be payable. The AFCS is tariff based and awards for mental health disorders
and does not depend on precise diagnosis but effect on function.<br><br>The legislation
requires that mental disorders are diagnosed by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist
at consultant Grade. Each claimed injury or illness (including mental illness) is
investigated to determine if it was predominantly caused by service. If so, it will
be matched against the descriptors and corresponding awards in the Tariff. <br><br>The
AFCS was preceded by the War Pensions Scheme (WPS), which provides no fault compensation
to former service personnel and their dependants for injuries and death as a result
of service. All decisions are certified by a Medical Adviser and once entitlement
has been established, the war pensioner's degree of disablement due to service is
assessed – normally as part of the medical certification process. The method of assessment
is on an individual basis by comparison of the disabled person with a person of the
same age and sex. <br><br>Members of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) 05, with
a recognised diagnosis, will be entitled to an ill-health pension or a tax-free pension
lump sum or both, providing they have completed two years qualifying service. The
ill-health categories are split into three ill-health award levels and these are allocated
by reference to the same tariff levels that are used for the AFCS. Trained lay decision-makers
consider each case and will decide on the level of the award as per AFCS. <br><br>The
AFCS05 was preceded by the AFPS75 which included provision of an occupational entitlement
to a Service Invaliding Pension (SIP) calculated on length of reckonable service and
the substantive rank held at discharge. Members with at least two years qualifying
service have an entitlement to an ill-health award.<br><br>If the condition occurred
before 6 April 2005 and is considered under the WPS to have been caused by service
in the Armed Forces, and the degree of disability assessed as 20% or more, an additional
entitlement under the provisions of the Armed Forces Attributable Benefit Scheme (AFAB)
will also be considered. AFAB provides a minimum level of income and provides a top-up
to the SIP.</p>
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