The Deputy Prime Minister is seeking to appoint a National Veterans’ Commissioner (NVC). This role will cover England and any veterans matters which are reserved to the UK Government and are not in the remit of the Devolved Administrations. The Armed Forces have a long and important tradition both in England and throughout the UK, and we are exceptionally proud of all our veterans. Our ex-service personnel and their families deserve recognition, support and respect throughout the duration of their service and beyond. The recruitment of an NVC, which supersedes the Independent Veterans Advisor (IVA), is another important step forward in supporting the Armed Forces community in England, and part of meeting the UK Government’s ambition of making the United Kingdom the best place in the world to be a veteran.
Role description
- Listen to and understand the issues and barriers affecting veterans and their families, and use the information to influence improvement in services;
- Be open and accessible to the real life experiences of individual veterans;
- Promote the positive contribution of veterans in England, including their support for communities, the skills and experiences they bring to careers and enriching our society;
- Help coordinate a better understanding of the veteran community, by engaging with relevant stakeholders and gathering evidence on the experiences of those who have previously served in the Armed Forces and their families;
- Provide independent advice to Ministers on veterans lived experiences, interests and needs, including suggestions for enhancements based on an understanding and evidence of veterans interactions with statutory, public, private and charitable services;
- Encourage collaboration and coordination between all those working to support the veteran community that will build upon and complement the work of the UK Government, public, private & charity sectors, key stakeholders and academia; Work with the Minister for Veterans Affairs (Min VA) and key stakeholders to recognise areas of need in service provision and identify the means to address those needs;
- Advocate for improvement, where appropriate, in coordination and integration across services to facilitate better communication and outcomes;
- Build the profile of veterans and promote wider recognition of the skills, experiences and talents of veterans, and the valued contributions they make to communities and employers;
- Recognise that Armed Forces and veterans’ families also require support, including during periods of transition;
- Develop a programme of activities and communication to support the above responsibilities
