New payouts for hurt soldiers

Published on Sunday 7 February 2010 21:55

BRITISH troops wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq will benefit from changes to the military's compensation scheme to be announced this week.

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said in July he was bringing forward a review of the controversial Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS).

This followed criticism of the Ministry of Defence for launching a court challenge that could have slashed the payment made to a soldier who was then serving on the frontline in Afghanistan.

Former head of the armed forces Admiral Lord Boyce, who carried out the review, will announce his findings on Wednesday. It is understood that the changes will benefit all wounded troops covered by the AFCS, which was introduced in April 2005.

A defence source said: "There are a number of positive things to come out of the review to make it better for everybody who has been injured."

The MoD went to the Court of Appeal in July to challenge tribunal rulings which increased the payouts to two servicemen who developed medical complications after treatment for their injuries.

The case focused on the levels of payment made to Corporal Anthony Duncan, who at the time of the hearings was on active service in Helmand province in Afghanistan, and Royal Marine Matthew McWilliams.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The MoD welcomes the results of a comprehensive review."