Cost-of-living crisis could hinder plans to help veterans, ministers warned

The cost-of-living crisis may hinder plans to make things better for veterans, ministers have been warned.

Scotland’s Veterans Commissioner Susie Hamilton said she has a “serious concern” about the impact the current economic situation will have on former members of the Armed Forces.

Ms Hamilton said: “The crisis could see increasing numbers of veterans facing homelessness or unable to afford sufficient food or keep a home warm.”

She spoke out as she published the latest assessment of progress towards meeting 16 separate recommendations to ministers with the goal of improving support for Scotland’s 250,000 veterans and their families.

The commissioner said the situation was “currently a positive picture overall”, with “significant steps” having been made to meeting some of the goals.

However, she said there were “stubborn challenges” that remain when it comes to meeting “a small number” of the recommendations.

Ms Hamilton said she intends to “take a very close look” at these in the year ahead.

She added: “I do have a serious concern over the impact of the cost-of-living crisis.

“Not only over the risk that we could see some actions de-prioritised or even set aside completely, but also over the impact of spending cuts to public and third-sector services, and greater numbers of people, including our veterans, living in poverty.”