Vulnerable veterans urged to come forward for support

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, is launching its ‘Got Your Back’ campaign on 24 October to encourage vulnerable veterans of working-age in Greater Manchester, to come forward for help.

SSAFA’s Greater Manchester branch is one of the charity’s 92 volunteer-run, local branches across the globe, 6 of which are in the North West region. The Greater Manchester branch has supported 185 people so far this year, but SSAFA believes and there are many local veterans who would benefit from, but are not asking for help. The Greater Manchester branch covers a wide area and has divisions in Manchester City, Bury and Bolton, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan and Atherton.

While most Service leavers make a successful transition to civilian life, some younger veterans are experiencing serious social and financial difficulties and are reliant on food banks while others have ended up homeless or in prison. SSAFA reports that some of the most common needs of those vulnerable veterans who live in Greater Manchester include – urgent debt support, essential food and groceries and clothing, home mobility adaptations for those who have been injured in service and training costs to help them back into work.

SSAFA exists to help all veterans and their families; its recent research identified a cohort of working-age veterans (aged 16-64 years) who are living in considerable hardship. Amongst this cohort, over half (54%) said they did not have enough money for essential items and more than four out of ten said they could not afford daily living expenses. However, too often these individuals and their families are either too proud to ask for help or don’t know where to turn, or both.

Greater Manchester veterans and their families who are in need, can contact SSAFA’s Forcesline which is confidential and free of the chain of command, either by freephone on 0800 731 4880 or via www.ssafa.org.uk/gotyourback.

The charity is also asking members of the public who may be concerned about a veteran to encourage them to contact SSAFA Forcesline for help.