As public awareness of the difficulties faced by ex-military personnel increases, more funding is made available to help you find work or encourage employers to take you on.

Funding can come in a variety of forms and from a variety of sources. However, we have found the best stuff to access, and where you can find it.

What Does ‘Funding’ Mean in This Context for Ex-Forces Members?

The best source of funding for ex-service personnel comes from non-government organisations, particularly charities like the Royal British Legion. The RBL provides financial support to ex-military personnel and their families, with no restrictions regarding rank or duration of service.

Although the government allocates a significant amount of funding towards encouraging ex-military recruitment, a lot of the government funding is distributed to charities such as the Royal British Legion. On 25 June, the government announced that 100 UK Armed Forces charities would receive £6 million in financial support.

As such, a lot of the funding available to ex-military personnel does not come in the form of a direct payment, but through free services or advice. One charity that provides this sort of support is the RFEA.

General Funding

The Royal British Legion offers a wide range of funding that is not necessarily applicable to employment. That includes disability benefits, assistance in accessing equipment, grants for projects, temporary crisis support and funding for training or education.

Travel Funds

If you are unemployed or under-employed, where you are undervalued in your current occupation, the Royal British Legion can offer you a grant of up to £1,000. This can help cover training, travel, accommodation or equipment costs. Additionally, if you have any related difficulties, such as needing to look after children or consider medical difficulties, you may be considered for this grant.

To see more details, go to the Royal British Legion employment grants page.

Training or License Grant

The RBL also offer a licences grant that funds any costs required to acquire a license. This grant is good because it doesn’t just cover finding new work. The license grant will also help you get a license to remain in your current role, should it expand to require a license. The grant has a maximum cap of £250 and is a one-time payment. This means that you cannot re-apply for the grant if the license requires upkeep costs.

If you would like to read more, go to the Royal British Legion employment grants page.

Disability Grant

If you have acquired a disability in or out of service, there are a number of grants and funding available to you. The most common funding is Access to Work, which will cover any costs incurred by the employer when they make the workplace accessible to you.

This means you can confidently apply to any workplace knowing that the employer is not disincentivised due to any associated costs. Furthermore, they would be breaking the law if they were to refuse you employment on the basis of your disability, unless it prevented you from carrying out the role proficiently.

For more information and guidance about disabilities, head to our site dedicated to disabled employment, Careers with Disabilities.

If you are considering accessing these grants, you may have to demonstrate that you are applying for jobs. For advice on applying to jobs see our guidance on highlighting your transferable skillset, tips for job applications and writing your CV.