Barnet Praised for Fair Treatment of Military Compensation in Benefits Assessment
The London Borough of Barnet has earned high marks on a new interactive map highlighting how councils across England treat military compensation when administering means-tested benefits.
The map, launched by the Royal British Legion as part of its ‘Credit Their Service’ campaign, shows that Barnet fully disregards military compensation when assessing veterans for benefits eligibility. This ensures that veterans and their families do not lose out on vital support due to their service-related compensation.
The map evaluates local authority practices concerning benefits such as council tax support, housing benefit, disabled facilities grants, and discretionary housing payments — all of which are administered at the local level.
The Royal British Legion’s campaign calls for an end to the unfair practice of counting military compensation as income in means-tested benefits, arguing it penalises those who have served.
Barnet’s Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Kamal Gurung, welcomed the recognition and reiterated the borough’s commitment to its military community.
“The council is committed to our Armed Forces community, and it is positive to see that Barnet has scored well on this new interactive map,” he said.
“We are a council that cares for our people, and it is extremely important to us that military and civilian compensation are treated equally.
There is a significant Armed Forces presence in Barnet, and we remain focused on ensuring they and their families receive the support they deserve,” he added.
In November 2021, Barnet reaffirmed its commitment by re-signing the Armed Forces Covenant — a national promise to ensure fair treatment for serving personnel, veterans, and their families.
