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Autumn Statement: Jeremy Hunt announces £10m for veterans mental health services

Frank Rands

Alex Walters

22nd November 2023 at 4:24pm

Watch: Chancellor Jeremy Hunt delivered his Autumn Statement in the House of Commons.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced £10 million of funding to support veterans’ mental health services in his Autumn Statement.

Jeremy Hunt also announced the Government will extend National Insurance relief for employers of eligible veterans for another year.

This announcement followed Mr Hunt telling the House of Commons, that a “disciplined approach to public spending” will continue to allow the Government to meet its Nato commitment to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence and thus also allowing them to support veterans further.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “We also support a group of people to whom we owe our freedom, our brave veterans. 

“I will extend national insurance relief for employers of eligible veterans for a further year and provide £10 million to support the Veterans’ Places, Pathways and People programme.”

Veterans minister Johnny Mercer was thanked during Mr Hunt’s speech, for continuing to champion the veterans.

“And I thank our excellent veterans minister for championing their cause,” Mr Hunt said, which received a unanimous hear, hear of support from the house.

‘Transforming what it means to be a veteran in the UK’

Mr Mercer expressed his delight at the autumn statement announcements of funding into veterans services, but reiterated that there still was “more to do”.

The veterans minister on X, formerly known as Twitter said: “The Autumn Statement was today..one of the two major financial moments of the year.

“Proud to be in a Government that continues to invest record levels of funding into Veterans services.

“More to do, but we’re transforming what it means to be a veteran in the UK today”.

The Veterans’ Places, Pathways and People programme, funded through the Veterans’ Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund, will look to provide grants for the sustainable provision of places of safety and pathways of support across the UK.

Ten grants of up to £800,000 will be awarded through this programme to portfolios of projects, which will work regionally to develop better, more joined-up lasting support for local veterans with mental health needs.