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| Gay ban veterans to get up to £70K in compensation | |
| (1 day later) | |
| Stephen Close lived for three decades as a convicted sex offender before his pardon in 2013 | Stephen Close lived for three decades as a convicted sex offender before his pardon in 2013 |
| LGBT veterans who were dismissed from the armed forces for being gay will be eligible to receive up to £70,000 in compensation, the government has said. | |
| The Ministry of Defence said the move followed extensive engagement with LGBT veterans and campaigners. | The Ministry of Defence said the move followed extensive engagement with LGBT veterans and campaigners. |
| Veterans can apply to have their rank restored and discharge reason amended. The total amount available to affected personnel will be increased from a proposed £50m to £75m. | |
| Defence Secretary John Healey called the wrongs faced by LGBT service members a "moral stain on our nation" in an apology to the House of Commons. | |
| Applications will open on Friday for LGBT veterans who were dismissed or discharged because of their sexual orientation or gender identity to receive £50,000. | Applications will open on Friday for LGBT veterans who were dismissed or discharged because of their sexual orientation or gender identity to receive £50,000. |
| Additional payments of up to £20,000 will also be available for those negatively impacted by the ban on LGBT personnel between 1967 and 2000. | Additional payments of up to £20,000 will also be available for those negatively impacted by the ban on LGBT personnel between 1967 and 2000. |
| This is aimed at those who suffered harassment, invasive investigations and those who were sent to prison. | This is aimed at those who suffered harassment, invasive investigations and those who were sent to prison. |
| The exact amount of additional compensation will be decided by an independent panel. | The exact amount of additional compensation will be decided by an independent panel. |
| All payments will be exempt from income tax and will not affect means-tested benefits. | All payments will be exempt from income tax and will not affect means-tested benefits. |
| Healey said veterans who suffered mistreatment in the armed forces under the "gay ban" can expect to be paid compensation "soon into the new year". | |
| He told the commons: "On behalf of the Government, I want to apologise without reservation for the pain and the injustice caused during this dark chapter of our armed forces history". | |
| Under the plans, LGBT veterans would have "any blame or dishonour" stricken from their service records, Healey said. | |
| Homosexuality started being decriminalised in the UK in 1967 but a ban continued in the armed forces until 2000. | Homosexuality started being decriminalised in the UK in 1967 but a ban continued in the armed forces until 2000. |
| Those who were or were perceived to be gay were often subjected to lengthy investigations before being discharged from the military. | Those who were or were perceived to be gay were often subjected to lengthy investigations before being discharged from the military. |
| 'Constant struggle' | 'Constant struggle' |
| Stephen Close, who joined the army when he was 18, said he will be hoping for some financial compensation. | Stephen Close, who joined the army when he was 18, said he will be hoping for some financial compensation. |
| Mr Close was convicted of the sexual offence of gross indecency after kissing another man while stationed in Berlin in the 1980s. | Mr Close was convicted of the sexual offence of gross indecency after kissing another man while stationed in Berlin in the 1980s. |
| He lived as a convicted sex offender for 30 years before being pardoned in 2013. | He lived as a convicted sex offender for 30 years before being pardoned in 2013. |
| "Because of my criminal record, I've had to go from job to job. I've built no pension whatsoever. I've no savings. I've never been on holiday. I don't think I've ever had anything new. It's just been a constant struggle all my life", Mr Close told the BBC. | "Because of my criminal record, I've had to go from job to job. I've built no pension whatsoever. I've no savings. I've never been on holiday. I don't think I've ever had anything new. It's just been a constant struggle all my life", Mr Close told the BBC. |
| Stephen Close was sent to military prison after officers found out he had kissed another man | Stephen Close was sent to military prison after officers found out he had kissed another man |
| "Mentally, it's been absolutely terrible. I've suffered for many years with depression, anxiety, I have panic attacks", Mr Close added. | "Mentally, it's been absolutely terrible. I've suffered for many years with depression, anxiety, I have panic attacks", Mr Close added. |
| Despite that, he said he is still "proud" to have served his country. | Despite that, he said he is still "proud" to have served his country. |
| A National Audit Office report found that up to 4,000 veterans are expected to be eligible for compensation. | A National Audit Office report found that up to 4,000 veterans are expected to be eligible for compensation. |
| The LGBT Veterans Independent Review, led by Britain's first openly gay judge, Lord Etherton, revealed decades of bullying, assaults and expulsions of LGBT servicemen and women - often leaving them without income or pensions. | The LGBT Veterans Independent Review, led by Britain's first openly gay judge, Lord Etherton, revealed decades of bullying, assaults and expulsions of LGBT servicemen and women - often leaving them without income or pensions. |
| On the report's release, the then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologised in Parliament, calling the ban "an appalling failure" of the British state. | On the report's release, the then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak apologised in Parliament, calling the ban "an appalling failure" of the British state. |
| The government says the £75m available is significantly above the level recommended in the Etherton Review. | The government says the £75m available is significantly above the level recommended in the Etherton Review. |
| Veterans will be able to join the scheme from Friday 13 December. | Veterans will be able to join the scheme from Friday 13 December. |