For immediate support in an emergency
- Call 999 if your life is in danger
- Go to A&E in an emergency
You can also contact
The Samaritans on freephone 116123 (24 hours) or email jo@samaritans.org.
Combat Stress 24/7 on 0800 1381619 or email helpline@combatstress.org.uk.
Operation Courage – free NHS mental health service for ex-military personnel, reservists and service leavers. Please call 0300 365 2000 (option 4).
Operation Nova – delivered by the forces employment charity and commissioned by NHS England, provides support for veterans who are in contact with the justice system, enabling them to access the services they need.
Operation Restore – the veterans physical health and wellbeing service in an NHS service that provides specialist care and treatment to veterans who have physical health problems as a result of their time in the armed forces.
Army Benevolent Fund (The Soldiers' Charity)
ABF offers a lifetime of support to soldiers and former soldiers from the British Army and their immediate families including includes housing, education, training, and employment.
Support is offered to very young serving families to cope with a sudden bereavement or traumatic loss and providing wide-ranging support to wounded soldiers.
The charity also supports older veterans and their widows or widowers when they find themselves lonely or isolated.
Army Families Federation
The Army Families Federation (AFF) is the independent voice of Army families and works to improve the quality of life for Army families around the world.
AFF is independent of the Army and offers confidential advice.
Army Personnel Recovery Units
The Defence Recovery Capability is a Ministry of Defence lead initiative managed in partnership with Help for Heroes and The Royal British Legion.
It is designed to ensure wounded, injured and sick service personnel receive co-ordinated support such as medical care, welfare, housing, education, reskilling, work placements, employment issues and opportunities.
Association of Service Drop In Centres
The Association of Service Drop-In Centres (ASDIC) represents and links veterans’ Drop-Ins across the country.
Sometimes called Hubs or Centres, Drop-Ins offer a variety of welfare and mental health support, together with comradeship and a sense of well-being, to the ex-military community and their families, and ASDIC helps them to enhance the service they can provide and make them more accessible.
Blema
Blesma, The Limbless charity aims to support limbless veterans to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
Blind Veterans
Blind Veterans offers a range of support to blind ex-service men and women helping them to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
Careers Transition Partnership (CTP)
Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is the main service providing support for those transitioning regarding employment and training, they also operate as an intermediary service for employers wishing to hire service leavers.
The local resettlement centre is based at HMS Nelson, Portsmouth.
Eligibility for categories of services provided depend on length of service and include career advice together with various training courses and workshops.
Combat Stress
Combat Stress provide specialist treatment and support for veterans from every service and conflict, focusing on those with complex mental health issues, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression.
They also have a 24hr helpline 0800 138 1619 that is available to all veterans and their families for confidential support.
Fighting With Pride
Fighting with Pride supports the health and wellbeing of LGBT+ Veterans, service personnel and their families – in particular those most impacted by the ban on LGBT+ personnel service in the armed forces prior to January 2000.
Forces Connect South East
A two-year MOD Armed Forces Covenant Funded Programme aimed at making it easier for servicemen and women and their families, as well as reservists and veterans, to access public sector services including healthcare, housing, schools, financial advice and support to find jobs.
Forces Online
Forces Online is a cross-border veteran's charity looking after Armed Forces Veterans and their families across the whole of the UK.
FS (Forces Support)
A national bereavement and Veteran support charity which ensures parents, widows and children of families bereaved through a military death can access practical support throughout the UK.
Haig Housing
Haig Housing is the leading housing provider for ex-Service personnel in the UK.
The charity owns over 1,500 properties across 50 locations.
The Trust endeavours to help eligible Veterans in housing need, whether they are transitioning into civilian life or are simply in need of a helping hand.
Help For Heroes
Help and support for veterans of the Armed Forces or currently serving, their families and loved ones, whatever the illness or injury. Help for Heroes assist with empowerment to regain purpose and have a positive impact on society.
Support covers injury, illness, mental health and wellbeing, recovery programme courses, welfare and financial support and career recovery and support.
The nearest Recovery Centre is based in Tedworth House, Tidworth.
Naval Families Federation
Naval Families Federation works with and supports serving sailors, marines and their families with schooling, housing, finances, a posting overseas, relationships, health and future plans.
RAFBF (Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund)
The RAF Benevolent Fund is the RAF’s leading welfare charity. They support all serving and former members of the RAF as well as their partners and dependent children.
They also support reservists, those who completed National Service, widows and widowers and former members of the Royal Observer Corps.
RAF Families Federation
RAF Families Federation supports individuals and their families transitioning from HM Armed Forces with advice and support in all areas, including support to gain financial assistance from relevant organisations - housing advice, advice on welfare, money and debt management, addiction and mental health issues.
RBLI - Royal British Legion Industries
RBLI run LifeWorks, a fully funded support service to help veterans looking to either move into sustainable employment, training or education, housing support is also offered.
RFEA (Royal Forces Employment Charity)
The RFEA provides support veterans with employment and training opportunities, housing, healthcare irrespective of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving.
Advice and guidance is also available for spouses and partners of serving and ex-service personnel.
Ripple Pond
Ripple Pond is a UK wide self-help support network for the adult family members of physically or emotionally injured service personnel and veterans.
Royal Naval Benevolent Trust
RNBT offers support to serving and former Royal Naval ratings and Royal Marines other ranks, which includes reservists, partners and children.
Royal Navy
A list of partnership veteran support organisations.
Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity
The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity support sailors, marines and their families for life.
Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP)
A two-year MOD armed forces covenant funded programme aimed at making it easier for servicemen and women and their families, as well as reservists and veterans, to access public sector services including healthcare, housing, schools, financial advice and support to find jobs.
SSAFA
SSAFA support the transition from the Forces to Civvy Street including housing, finances, signposting, mental wellbeing, and disability support.
Supporting Wounded Veterans
Supporting Wounded Veterans provide six comprehensive pathways including sporting events, mentoring, pain management and employment to enable former UK servicemen and women, physically or mentally wounded, to move forward from rehabilitation to employment.
The Veterans Outreach Service (based at Maritime Club, Portsmouth)
A combination of public, private and charity sectors offering one-stop assistance pro bono to Armed Forces veterans, merchant navy in hostilities and their families needing help following military service.
This includes legal, housing, financial, employment help and mental health support from psychiatrists, psychologists and counsellors.
Agencies include The Royal British Legion (TRBL), SSAFA, Combat Stress and a mix of locally based charities.
Thorney Island Aldershot HIVE, Connaught Community Centre, Alanbrooke Road, Aldershot Hants, GU11 2NX
The HIVE operates from a central location, covering Aldershot, Marchwood, Thorney and surrounding areas but any service personnel can contact this service for help and support and will be referred if necessary. Gosport, Fareham and Portsmouth areas are covered by the Royal Navy Welfare Team.
The HIVE information service manages blogs for service leavers and veterans and includes information about employment opportunities, accommodation (military and civilian options), resettlement courses and housing briefings.
For further information please contact - aldershothive@armymail.mod.uk.
Veterans Gateway
The first point of contact for Veterans seeking support, this organisation puts Veterans and families in touch with the organisations best placed to help with the information, advice and support they need - from healthcare and housing to employability, finances, personal relationships and more.
Veterans In Need
Veterans In Need covers almost every topic requested by those in need of help and assistance by members of the armed forces, veterans, families and members of the community.
Veterans Transition Review
The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) delivers free resettlement services to all eligible ranks of the armed forces with the aim of making the transition from military to civilian life as smooth and successful as possible.
Veterans Welfare Service
This service enhances the quality of life for veterans and beneficiaries of Veterans UK and includes pensions, compensation schemes, and all their dependents.
They enable the seamless transition from service to civilian life, assist bereaved families or respond to life events that present welfare needs.
Walking With The Wounded
Walking With the Wounded ‘WWTW’ deliver employment, mental health, care coordination and volunteering programmes in collaboration with the NHS to get those who served, and their families, whether mentally, socially or physically wounded, back on their feet and making a positive contribution once more.