How

Veterans Welfare Service Northern Ireland (VWS NI) provides one-to-one support to getveterans, help

Iftheir you’refamilies and dependants through a veterannetwork of theWelfare UKManagers armedacross forcesNorthern livingIreland. inWe Northernwork Ireland,with getthe inRoyal touchNavy, withthe British Army, the Royal Air Force, the Office of Veterans WelfareAffairs, Local Authorities, Voluntary Organisations and Service NorthernCharities Irelandto (promote independence and maintain dignity. This page provides information about the services VWS NI) provides to findveterans, outtheir aboutfamilies and dependents - and other stakeholders in the veterans’ community.

Welfare

On-going need to reduce the detrimental effects of military service on the veterans’ community has led to the provision of welfare staff based in Field Teams throughout Northern Ireland who provide emotional and moral support youand can get.signpost/facilitate access to specialist expertise from across a wide range of statutory bodies and charities, including benevolence funding.

Medical

A memberspecific ofmedical theresponse teamfor will:timely Physiotherapy and Psychiatric/Psychological Interventions is available to eligible veterans to counter physical and mental conditions caused by or made worse by military service.

• ask

  Engagement aboutis theby situation

• identifyspecialist, trusted medical service providers with experience in the typetreatment of assistanceex-service needed
• ensurepersonnel youand, arein providedcertain withcircumstances, appropriatetheir advicefamilies. and/orWhen practicaltreatment helpis towardsrequested, meetingthe thesepotential needs

client’s eligibility to use the service is confirmed and the VWS NI Medical Service provider will then invite the client for a clinical assessment to determine their suitability for treatment.

FurtherOnce informationthe canclient and therapist have together agreed that benefit could be foundgained at Veteransfrom Welfarethe Servicerange Northernof Ireland.medical services on offer, treatment will commence. All initial assessments for Psychiatric/Psychological therapy take place in Belfast with subsequent treatment offered closer to the client’s home.

How

Clients weseeking canPhysiotherapy help

will be initially assessed at Holywood – albeit those living outside the Greater Belfast area may be offered subsequent treatment closer to their home.

WelfareMedical services eligibility

WelfareAll staffUK Armed Forces Veterans domiciled in NI and RoI, whose presenting conditions are availableattributable to or exacerbated by their time in service are eligible for support subject to appropriate eligibility criteria in keeping with the veteranArmed communityForces acrossCovenant. NorthernIn Ireland.

Thesecertain professionalscircumstances provide– adetermined rangeby ofVWS welfareNI services,- suchimmediate as:family members may also be eligible for medical interventions when in relation to the eligible Veterans’ presenting condition or service.

• supporting

  Psychiatric/Psychological veteransassessment withand medical,(where financialapplicable) subsequent treatment is available to eligible UK Armed Forces Veterans - and emotionalin issuescertain circumstances their family and dependents - whose presenting condition is Service related. This service is available by various means including Face to Face, by telephone or through an IT based platform. All contracted clinicians are fully accredited, security cleared, and the interaction is conducted with complete confidentiality.

• providing

  Physiotherapy practicalis helpavailable withto processes,eligible suchUK asArmed makingForces applicationsVeterans in NI whose presenting condition is Service related or compensationexacerbated claimsby their Service Eligibility may be extended to the carer of the eligible veteran if their presenting condition is of a direct result of caring for the veteran.

TheThis VWSservice NI canis helpnot veteransa accessreplacement specialistfor expertisethe fromNHS/HSC aand wideproof range of organisations,non-availability from statutory bodiesservices andmay charities.be required particularly for Physiotherapy.

Benevolence Funds

HealthcareThe Ulster Defence Regiment

SpecialistThe healthcareBenevolent isFund availableexists to eligiblehelp veteransthose whoformer aremembers managing physicalof the Regiment and mentaltheir conditionsdependants thatwho haveare beenin causedneed, by,because orof madesickness, worsedisability, by,accident, militaryinfirmity, service. poverty or other adversity.

TherapiesAll areapplications deliveredand bysupporting specialist,documentation trustedare medicalaccepted servicewithout providers withprejudice, experienceand indecisions, while at the treatmentabsolute discretion of ex-servicethe personnelUDR and,Benevolent in certainFund circumstances,Trustees, theirare families. Whenbased treatmenton isneed requested,being adequately demonstrated, and eligibilitythe confirmed,type the of assistance requested being permitted under the Benevolent Fund Trust Deed.

An application submitted through VWS NI’s medicalwill servicebe providerprocessed willby conductthe anBenevolent initialFund assessmentOffice with youthe todecision determineand theany suitabilityrelevant ofpaperwork treatment. Anybeing subsequentreturned treatmentto sessionsVWS willNI beto deliveredenable locallythem whereto possible.advise the applicant accordingly.

AdvocacyThe servicesRoyal Irish Regiment Benevolent Fund

VWSThe NI willRoyal advocateIrish Benevolent Fund was established as a charitable trust in 1992 on behalfthe formation of the Regiment. The aim is to render aid, financial or otherwise, to soldiers and veterans, their widows and/or dependants who are in need or in financial difficulties.

This fund is managed by several Trustees who are either still serving, retired or closely associated with the Royal Irish Regiment and its antecedent formations. All former soldiers of the Royal Irish Regiment or any of its predecessor, whether General Service, Home Service or Territorial Army/Reservist, together with their dependants, are eligible for assistance. This might include helping veterans to improve their chances of success in civilian employment, to provide opportunities for veterans to keep in touch through organised activities and to foster and further the well-being of the Regiment.

The Trustees have a legal duty of care to ensure that the fund is managed prudently and effectively in meeting its charitable objectives and with due consideration of its long-term viability. To ensure that applications for help are properly processed staff from Regimental Headquarters the Royal Irish Regiment will assess need. An application for support may then be submitted to the Trustees, who will exercise discretion granted to them under the terms of the Trust Deed in deciding whether the application meets the fund’s charitable objectives. Support provided by the fund is then administered by RHQ R IRISH for the Trustees. Applications for benevolent support should be submitted to RHQ R IRISH directly.

Signposting

VWS NI can signpost/facilitate access to a range of partnerof partner organisations and statutory bodies. OurStrong teamsrelationships have establishedbeen strongforged relationships with various military charitiescharities, andwelfare third-sectoragencies and organisations thatwhich may be able to help in areas outsideareas the outside the VWS NI’s immediate remit. 

immediate remit. Our trained and experienced caseworkers willcan advise and assistand assist in this process.

Respite Apartments

The allocation of apartments is administered by VWS NI using eligibility/priority criteria agreed by the Trustees of the Benevolent Fund. All completed applications should be sent to the relevant Field Team. Please note, you must have served in the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) to be eligible to apply.

Respite Apartment Application Form

Ringhaddy House Respite Application Form

MS Word Document, 37.2 KB

Ringhaddy House Respite Application Form - Accessible Version

ODT, 29.1 KB

This file is in an OpenDocument format

Contact us

The Headquarters of VWS NI is situated in Holywood Co Down with a further four field teams located in Coleraine, Portadown, Enniskillen and Holywood.

Regional Field Teams

A member of the team will:

A member of the team will conduct a Holistic Assessment of a client’s needs and provide the necessary advice, guidance and support to enable and empower the client to address their queries/issues as appropriate.

Search the Roll of Honour

You can search the Roll of Honour database for UDR,UDR, R Irish (HS), R Irish (GS), Rangers and Regimental TA members and ex-members who were killed during Operation Banner, 1969 to 2007.

Search the Roll of Honour