Military veterans who receive war pensions or compensation for injuries received during their service sometimes get less in means-tested benefits after their service.

While the picture varies from council to council, in Swindon the local authority does reduce payments after six months or a year in some specific circumstances.

But that's not the case for civilian public servants who are compensated after suffering an injury at work.

Conservative councillor Lawrence Elliot, who was the authority’s Armed Forces Champion until May 2023, thinks this is unfair - and that Swindon Borough Council should not deduct money from benefits for veterans if they receive a war pension or compensation.

READ MORE: Former soldier 'couldn't put gas on for two years' after cut

He has put forward a motion to council which  urges the council’s leader to “simplify and standardise the complicated criteria by supporting the Royal British Legion’s ‘Credit Their Service’ campaign, and achieve fairness for those in our armed forces community by using discretionary powers to exempt all compensation awards for illness or injury acquired in service from any befits calculations.”

Those benefits include housing benefit, council tax payments or reductions, discretionary housing payments, and disabled facilities grants.

Cllr Elliot told t Adver: “Those that serve and have served keep us safe and deserve our gratitude.

“When I found out that many were not being treated fairly by local authorities with regard to compensation awards for injury or illness acquired in service, I felt that we should raise awareness of this injustice.

“Civilian compensation awards are not usually treated as income in benefit means tests but councils are not obliged to do the same for military compensation awarded to personnel for pain and loss endured in their careers.

“This can leave those from the service community far worse off than their civilian counterparts. That cannot be right or fair.

“Aside from serving in a war zone and the horror that may entail, many veterans are injured in the normal course of their duties resulting in them having to be medically discharged.

“Some are deafened by the relentless noise of aircraft, sustain hot and cold weather injuries, including hypothermia and frostbite whilst on exercise, are injured by blast or firearms incidents, can be involved in collisions involving military vehicles, and of course, many leave service with post-traumatic stress disorder.

He added: “We have a large service community who have chosen to live here and we should do right by them as they have done right by us.

“We must send the clear message to both serving personnel and veterans that Swindon respects and values you and will treat you fairly.”

The motion should be put to the full council at its next meeting starting at 7pm on Thursday, July 25. Members of the public are entitled to attend.