About Us

Who we are

As the Army’s national charity, the welfare of soldiers, former soldiers, and their immediate families has always been at the heart of everything we do. Our founding purpose has remained the same since 1944: to ensure that every soldier, past, present, and future, can avoid hardship and live with independence and dignity.

Army Benevolent Fund is one of the largest funders in the sector. We stand at the forefront of support, last year supporting 70,000 members of the Army family in 45 countries across the globe; and funding 74 other charities and organisations delivering specialist services.

We are here to support the Army family through all of life’s challenges, including bereavement, injury, getting back to work, elderly care, and much, much more.

Last year we spent £9M supporting 70,000 members of the Army family

The youngest person we supported was THREE MONTHS OLD, the eldest was 103

We funded 74 OTHER CHARITIES and organisations to support the Army family

We supported the British Army family in 45 COUNTRIES last year

Around 12% OF THE GRANTS we made to other charities benefitted the serving Army

We spent around £60,000 A WEEK on grants to individuals

Helping Army families

We are committed to supporting the immediate families of those who have served their country.

Our help comes in many forms, including supporting bereaved Army children and widowed spouses; funding respite holiday breaks for service families; funding hospital accommodation for the families of wounded serving soldiers. We also fund numerous other charities and organisations who deliver specialist services to help Army families on our behalf.

Sergeant Nugent’s daughter, Elsie, was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy in early life. As she grew, James and his wife struggled to lift Elsie, resulting in back injuries. Our £12,000 grant helped fund a house extension, mobility equipment and a ramp. Now Elsie has a safe comfortable living space, and enhanced quality of life.

Former WRAC soldier Dorothy came to The Bridge for Heroes after her husband died. She says: “It was a life saver, being able to sit around and talk to fellow veterans and others. This charity is a big part of my life.”

Mental wellbeing

We promote and enable better mental and physical wellbeing so that soldiers, former soldiers, and their immediate families can lead healthy and fulfilling lives. We provide wide-ranging assistance to ensure that soldiers past and present, including those with complex mental health needs, can access specialist treatment.

Our £250,000 grant to COMBAT STRESS enables life-changing support for veterans with complex mental health conditions, including PTSD.

Our £20,000 grant to THE BRIDGE FOR HEROES funded its health and wellbeing support for former soldiers and their families.

Training & education

Most soldiers transition into civilian employment smoothly; but, for some, leaving the Army is a daunting experience. We are here to support those who need help finding rewarding civilian careers.

Our support includes those soldiers who have been wounded, are injured or sick and have had to leave the Army through no fault of their own.

We provided £27,000 to Mission Motorsport to support its Race, Retrain and Recover programme, reaching around 850 former soldiers, and helping them find job opportunities in the automotive sector.

After being deployed to Afghanistan, Matt was injured when he risked his life to save his Platoon. He was medically discharged in 2022 and had to have a below knee amputation. We provided £1,000 towards the cost of an electrical adjustable bed to aid his recovery.

Independent living

From home adaptations for injured veterans to specialist equipment for disabled children in Army families, we provide grants to help people lead independent lives.

We also give grants to leading charities across the UK that support members of the Army family with physical disabilities.

Housing

We work hard to ensure that members of our Army family can live in safe and comfortable homes.

We are on hand with individual grants for housing needs and fund a range of housing providers that offer accommodation to former soldiers and their families across the UK.

Steven served in the Royal Horse Artillery before a back injury ended his Army career, and he ended up homeless. He was referred to Launchpad, a homeless charity based in Newcastle that we proudly fund. Steven has now adopted Zena, a rescue dog, and is enjoying life again.

We provided £100,000 to Royal Star & Garter towards their Wellbeing Programme, focused on mind, body and spirit, and providing opportunities for residents to try new things.

Care for the elderly

We provide support for soldiers, for life. A cornerstone of our activity is ensuring that elderly former soldiers and their families have the care they need, long after service has ended.

From funding leading UK specialist care homes to supporting financial assistance to Commonwealth former soldiers in 45 countries around the world, we are here to provide lifelong support for those who have served their country.

Financial highlights

We could not annually assist more than 70,000 members of the Army family without our fantastic supporters.

We are extremely grateful to every person and organisation that makes our grant-making possible.

Income for 2022/23 totalled £11.4M, which represents a small increase compared with the previous year. Total charitable expenditure, at £9M, represents an increase of 7% on the previous year.

We are delighted to have been able to continue making a significant difference to the Army family and are steadfast in our commitment to be there for soldiers, for life.

For information about our finances search: Army Benevolent Fund publications.

Get involved

There are a lot of ways you can support soldiers, past and present, and their families.

DONATE

Give a one-off donation or a regular gift and help us provide ongoing support.

LEGACIES

Help safeguard the future by leaving a gift in your will.

LIVE EVENTS

From skydives to dinners, there are lots of ways to get involved.

VIRTUAL EVENTS

Support the Army family from your own home with our virtual events.

ONLINE SHOP

Explore our range of gifts, clothing, and accessories.

VOLUNTEER

Help out at one of our fundraising events or join a county committee.

To get started, visit: armybenevolentfund.org