Support for the bereaved community – Report by the Scottish Veterans Commissioner

The Scottish Veterans Commissioner has undertaken a short review of support for the Armed Forces bereaved community in Scotland. This review picks up some of the areas outlined in Community and Relationships: Anything but Uniform in respect of the bereaved community and those who support them.

This review has focused on the support available to members of the bereaved community in Scotland, including from the statutory and third sectors. On that basis – and while fully appreciating the crucial role of the Services themselves and of the MoD in the ‘transition’ phase and beyond – this review did not look in detail at the immediate support offered on the death of the service person.

To inform this report the Office of the Scottish Veterans Commissioner has carried out a programme of external engagement with a range of stakeholders, alongside investigation and analysis of relevant research and data. Due consideration has also been given to statutory policy and guidance at both national and local levels. This has included looking at any data available on the armed forces bereaved community (UK and Scotland), reviewing grant/funding programmes in support of this community and looking at sources of direct support available to the bereaved community. This has included considering the extent to which that support is visible and accessible to those who may need it.