Useful Information
How to apply for a Veterans ID card.
Benefits
The Veterans ID Card, which is free, provides a convenient way for veterans to verify their service in the Armed Forces. This card grants access to a wide range of support services and discounts.
Before You Start
Before beginning your application, ensure you have the following information and documents ready:
- Service Number
- National Insurance Number (used during your service)
- Approximate Service Dates (start and end years)
- Digital Passport-Style Photo (head and shoulders)
Your National Insurance Number can be found on tax-related documents such as your P60 or an old payslip. If you do not have these documents, you can obtain a letter with your National Insurance Number by visiting this link.
https://www.gov.uk/find-national-insurance-number
How to Apply
There are two ways to apply for the ID card:
- Online Application
- Visit the government website below to prove your identity:
- An email address
- A UK/Jersey passport with a biometric chip
- Access to a phone with a working camera
- Postal Application
- If you are unable to apply online or are applying on behalf of someone else, contact the Veterans UK Helpline who will send you a postal form to complete and provide assistance if required:
- Email: veterans-uk@mod.gov.uk
- Telephone: 0808 1914 218 (Mon-Fri 0800 to 1600)
Application Process
Once you have proven your identity, start the application process by visiting the link below and follow these steps:
https://apply-for-a-veterans-card.service.gov.uk/
- Screen One: Do you have a UK address? YES
- Screen Two: Did you serve in HM Forces? YES
- Screen Three: Select your last Service Branch
- Screen Four: Click Continue
- Screen Five: Click Continue to GOV.UK One Login
- Screen Six: If you already have a GOV.UK login, click Sign In. If not, click the green button to Create your GOV.UK One Login.
The next screen will guide you through the application process, asking for your email address and the password you created.
Conclusion
Obtaining your Veterans ID Card is a straightforward process that provides valuable proof of your service and access to various benefits. Whether you apply online or by post, ensure you have all necessary information and documents ready to streamline your application. If you encounter any issues, the Veterans UK Helpline is available to assist you.
How to claim your Armed Forces Pension.
How to top up your UK Pension.
HMRC have announced that the deadline has been extended again to 5 April 2025 from 31 July 2023
To get a full pension you need 35 years’ worth of contributions, a full pension is currently £203.85 per week or £10,636.60 a year. If you have 2 full years of contributions, you can apply to buy back any missing years to as far back as 2006/2007 to date, the cost is generally around £163 a year for class 2. You can also buy years going forward once a year every April until you reach 67 or 35 years of contributions depending on which comes first.
If you haven’t brought the years 2006/2007 to 2016/2017 by 5 April 2025 these will be lost forever as they are closing the loophole. It takes about 12 months for HMRC to process your application, however if your application is with HMRC before the deadline and they process it after the deadline they have said they will honour them.
What I do, is I fill in your application and do your appeals letter and we meet up for you to sign them and then you need to send it off. At the same time we meet, I also help you set up your gateway account which shows us your UK pension history to date with HMRC, you will need your passport for this and a smartphone. As soon as HMRC writes to you, I ask that you contact me straight away and scan me a copy of their letter so I can make sure the figures they are quoting are correct.
I charge a one-off flat fee of £75 and that covers everything from start until you send your payment to HMRC for buying back any qualifying years that are open to you.
If you want to proceed all you have to do is answer the 12 questions below, once I have your answers, I complete your application form and your appeals letter for. We arrange a time for me to meet you at the Santander Cafe and set up your gateway account. As long as HMRC have received before the 5 April 2025 deadline they will honour them.
A lot of people who have accessed their Gateway accounts notice that it’s going to cost over £800 a year to buy back. This is because everyone’s Gateway account is defaulted to Class 3, we are claiming class 2 which is around £163. Since January 2023 to date I have completed over 1900 applications. Nearly everyone one that has come back has been accepted as class 2.
Below are the 12 questions, which I will require you to answer. however, I will send these in an email to you, once you have made contact with me.
1) Your date of birth
2) Your full Jersey address
3) On what day did you leave the UK
4) What day did you last pay contributions?
5) Name and address of your last UK employer
6) National insurance number
7) Are you married if so, the date you got married
8) What was your maiden name?
9) If divorced, what date did you get divorced?
10) Your full name
11) Contact number, needs to be during working hours in case HMRC needs to call you, very, very rare.
12) Your work history from 6 April 2006 to date, or if you arrived after that date then from then to date. (This means your Jersey history only, not your UK history) Please don’t send me your CV. I don’t need to know the address or the position you held, I do need to know the dates and name of the employer.
Kind regards
Andy Diggle BSc, Pg Dip, MAAT, CAT
ASJ Accounting Solutions Jersey
Email: – asjersey2020@gmail.com
Mobile: – 07700329529
Office: – (01534) 863845
