Armed Forces Week: Dozens of disabled veterans living in Eastwood and Kimberley
More than 1,000 disabled veterans were living in Broxtowe borough in 2021, figures show.
This week is Armed Forces Week – a chance to show support for serving and retired military personnel.
Figures from the 2021 census of England and Wales provide rich detail of the living conditions of veterans across England and Wales.
Office for National Statistics data shows 1,284 veterans were classified as disabled under the Equalities Act in Broxtowe borough – defined as a physical or mental impairment that hinders their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.
This represents 34 per cent of the 3,730 veterans living in the area when the census was carried out in March 2021.
Higher rates of disability may be explained by the older age profile of former servicepeople, given many will have been conscripted through national service, which ended in 1960.
In Broxtowe, 56 per cent of veterans were aged 65 or older, compared with 22 per cent among the wider population of the area.
Angela Kitching, a director at the Royal British Legion, said: “With more than half a million disabled veterans in England and Wales alone, it is crucial people in the Armed Forces community who have served and sacrificed for their country receive help and support.
“The Government needs to ensure it prioritises funding for social care and provides tailored care for veterans with illness or injury, so they can have the best possible quality of life.”
The figures further show among all former military personnel, 103 were suffering from deprivation in their housing conditions – defined by the ONS as an overcrowded or shared household, or lacking central heating.
Ms Kitching said the RBL has seen “significant” demand for housing support, providing help to 1,700 veterans in the last year.
Across England and Wales, there were 567,000 disabled veterans as of 2021, representing just under a third of all former servicepeople.
A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "We are committed to ensuring our veterans are supported throughout every stage in their lives.”
More than 80,000 former servicepeople were suffering from deprivation according to the ONS, including nearly 25,000 living without central heating. Analysis of the figures show more than 4 per cent of veterans live in housing classed as 'deprived', compared with nearly 11 per cent among the general population.