BENEVOLENCE

To ensure our Veterans are supported, we partner with other larger organisations to assess their needs and make sure help is given to those in need. Grants are made to those who served in the Campaign and their dependents who are in financial need due to sickness and/or old age, to help with nursing and residential care home fees, for home improvements and personal aids.

The key to BSMF’s existence is the emotional attachment it has with the Veterans of the Forgotten Army. There are many other organisations that offer benevolence: what is important to our people is they are represented by their own who understand what they went through and have pledged it will never be forgotten.

Celebrating with our Veterans! To reach 100 years old is a remarkable achievement in itself and even more so for our Veterans who went through so much at an early stage of their lives. We are honoured to help to be a small part of their celebration and engage with them and their families.

Benevolence

The Memorial Fund’s connected charity, the Burma Star Association, has distributed over £3 million to help Burma Star holders and their spouse/widow/widower throughout the United Kingdom and war time Allied countries since it was established. All requests for benevolence support should be directed to the Burma Star Association.

How the Association can provide assistance

  • Residential and care home fees and care home costs;
  • Respite placements to cover hospitalisation of the carer;
  • Contribution to the costs of wheelchairs and electronic scooters (EPVs);
  • Contribution to the costs of mobility aids, riser/recliner chairs, profiling beds and stair lifts;
  • Communication aids like Care Call, life line pendant, help with travelling expenses for hospital visits;
  • Contribution to the cost of miscellaneous alterations and home repairs – bath lifts or low-level showers, entrance alterations required because of mobility or disability, central heating/boiler repairs, window and door repairs or replacements;
  • Personal aids;
  • Household items (washing machine, refrigerator or furniture);
  • Sundry debts (utility bills etc.).

The Association’s criteria for support

  • You do not have more than £10,000 in savings – this includes investments, ISAs and Premium bonds, etc (it does not however include the value of the home).
  • You are prepared to allow a caseworker to visit you in your home to complete an application form.  You may of course have a family member present during the meeting.
  • Where an application is for a home improvement grant (DFG), towards a bathroom conversion or a stair lift that has been refused by a local council, please keep all of the correspondence as it will assist in the assessment process. If you are struggling with energy bills, please have the latest bill available.

The focus of the Association is to provide help and assistance to people who wish to remain in their own homes.  Applications for assistance towards the cost of an item that you have already purchased are not accepted.  Making a decision in most cases only takes a week or so and therefore if the item is required urgently then please contact the Benevolence Secretary at the Burma Star Association prior to purchase.