LGBTQ+ veterans urged to claim financial recognition over historic ban

There are just five months remaining for LGBTQ+ veterans who experienced discrimination due to the historic ban on homosexuality in the UK Armed Forces to apply for financial recognition.

The LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme, led by the Ministry of Defence, provides compensation for former service personnel affected by the ban, which was in effect from 1967 until January 2000.

'From the day I joined, I was living a double life'

Veterans' campaigner Carl Austin-Behan OBE DL has been speaking with Hits Radio Pride, emphasising the importance of checking eligibility and submitting applications before the deadline.

His journey is one marked by bravery, resilience, and advocacy, having himself faced dismissal from the Royal Air Force back in the 1990s due to his sexuality.

His notable career began in the Royal Air Force in 1991, where he served as a firefighter and displayed immense courage in rescuing a pilot from a burning aircraft, and his actions earned him several accolades, including the Good Show Award for Bravery, The Royal Human Society Bronze Award, and a mention in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

However, his career in the RAF took an unexpected turn in 1997 when he was dismissed after his sexuality became public knowledge during a period when being homosexual was not permitted in the British Armed Forces.

"From the day I joined in 1991, I was living a double life," Carl told Hits Radio Pride.

"I was pretending to be straight with the lads when we went out, but when I came back to Manchester, that's when I'd disappear for a few hours.

"It was a case of going out there and finding myself, when I had to constantly pretend to be someone that I wasn't.

"When the Air Force found out that I was gay, at the age of 25, I was then taken under investigation, was asked if I had homosexual tendencies, and burst into tears, which answered the question for them.

"I was asked if I knew that it was illegal to be gay and serve in the Armed Forces, and was given just a quarter of an hour to get off camp, not allowed to say goodbye to everyone, I lost my pension, and had my award taken from me.

"After six and half years, I was basically thrown out with nowhere to go - but I was lucky, in a way, because I was told I could go to prison for six months, but others did, and what saved me was my record of exemplary service.

"When I got out of the camp gates, I remember sitting in a layby, just crying, for hours on end - wondering what to do.

"I ended up sofa surfing, but with people I didn't really know too, as I'd lost a lot of my straight friends that I had because I came back in shame for being kicked out of the Air Force."

'The impact was no different from the Post Office scandal'

Carl went on to achieve significant milestones that contributed to his advocacy for the LGBT community, and in 2001, Carl Austin-Behan was crowned Mr Gay UK, a title that further propelled his efforts to promote the achievements and contributions of the LGBT community.

And his commitment to advocacy and public service led to him becoming Manchester's first openly gay Lord Mayor, where he used his position to champion the rights and visibility of the LGBT community.

For the past six years, he's been the ambassador for the charity Fighting with Pride, campaigning to right the injustices of the people who served under the so-called 'gay ban', between 1967 and 2000.

One of the things they'd been pushing for was a review of the experience of LGBTQ+ veterans - which is sowed the seed for what became the Financial Recognition Scheme, which has been open since the end of 2024, offering a payment to those who had been directly impacted from the armed forces.

Carl said: "Based off the MoD's own records, we reckon around one thousand people are yet to come forward for the scheme, and our question is, why aren't they trying to find them, as opposed to making this a case of people who were affected coming forward themselves?

"That's exactly why we're pushing now to make sure as many people as possible get the chance to apply for the Financial Recognition Scheme.

"Without sounding crass, the impact for a lot of people was no different from the Post Office scandal.

"People were ostracised, they lost their jobs, they were made to leave what they were doing, they could have gone to prison, and even some of them were put on the sex offenders' register.

"With my work as one of the founding members of Fighting with Pride, I've managed to meet a lot of veterans who were like me, and felt like they were the only one going through this.

"And all of this was never about the armed forces, because they were only following strict instruction that was laid out by then.

"Through my advocacy work, I know of at least six people to have come forward, who have never spoken about it, and have now received the financial recognition they deserve.

"Having these conversations is really important, and so my message is, please share the message about the Financial Recognition Scheme, because there are still people out there who need to know about it, and need to make sure they get the money they deserve."

'We’re putting our hearts and souls into the Battle for Lost Veterans'

Peter Gibson, Fighting With Pride CEO, said: “We know there are more veterans owed justice. Today is a clarion call to them – come forward. We know many felt so shunned and hurt by their brutal treatment that they have distanced themselves from both the military and LGBTQ+ communities. We understand.”

“As the only LGBTQ+ specific armed forces charity, we will help anyone impacted by the gay ban to apply for what is rightfully yours. We’re determined to restore pride and dignity in service. As time marches on it’s more important than ever that every LGBTQ+ Veteran comes forward. Every one of them is a Veteran and deserves the right to describe themselves as such.”

“Fighting With Pride will not rest until every single LGBTQ+ Veteran is back on the journey home into the Armed forces family. Rest assured, we’re putting our hearts and souls into the Battle for Lost Veterans. We also appeal to anyone in your network – Who do you know who served and suffered under the ‘gay ban’? We must marshal the whole veteran community to help us find everyone. We can be contacted via our Fighting With Pride website.”

Simon Blake, Stonewall CEO, said: “The ban on LGBTQ+ people serving in the British Military who simply wanted to serve their country had their military careers ruined and experienced long lasting and profound harm throughout their lives.”

“We are supporting Fighting with Pride’s Battle for Lost Veterans campaign to help veterans secure the justice they deserve. There are just six months left for veterans to access financial reparation.”

“We can all help those affected access justice: speak to your networks, have conversations with your friends and family, and ask them to raise awareness and support people to access the scheme.”

“We can all help ensure that veterans affected by the ban receive the recognition they have waited far too long for.”

Application Details and Support

Eligible former service members may apply for a range of financial restorative measures worth up to £70,000.

The scheme offers up to £50,000 for those dismissed solely due to their sexuality, with an additional £20,000 recognising the hardships of serving under the ban.

You can find application assistance on the Fighting With Pride website or contact Veterans UK Freephone at 0808 191 4218.

MoD Response

The Ministry of Defence tell us that there are no reliable statistics concerning the overall number of service personnel impacted by the Ban, but is actively collaborating with local authorities, health services and military charities to enhance awareness of the schemes available to affected veterans.

To date, over 1,500 applicants have accessed the Financial Recognition Scheme.

As of 22/06/26, 1,839 decisions have been made, with a value of £54,336,500.

An MOD spokesperson said: “We deeply regret the treatment of LGBT serving personnel between 1967 and 2000 which was wholly unacceptable and is not representative of Defence today.

“We are committed to righting these wrongs through tangible actions, including through the LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme and Non-Financial Restorative Measures for those affected.

"We are working hard to make sure eligible veterans know these schemes are available to them, through collaborating with local councils, the NHS, and other organisations and charities."

The LGBT Financial Recognition Scheme will stop accepting applications on 12 December 2026 at 2359 hrs, providing a vital opportunity for those affected by past discrimination in the armed forces to secure recognition and financial reparations.

There are more details on the GOV.UK website.

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