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Support for veterans

There is support available for veterans and their families in Havering. This page contains information about the Havering armed forces covenant, looking after your wellbeing and mental health, and getting a house and job.

Support for your wellbeing

Armed Forces Community Programme

Three soldiers in uniform walk hand-in-hand with a woman and a young boy along a path, A large Union Jack flag is painted on a wall in the background.

Havering Mind's Armed Forces Community Programme is a dedicated mental health and wellbeing support programme for the Armed Forces community (including service personnel, veterans, reservist, cadet force adult volunteers, their partners and children in Havering.

The service takes place in the St George's Hub and offers group and one-to-one wellbeing support.

Find out more about the Armed Forces Community Programme

Forces Connect App

A man sits at a cluttered desk, smiling as he looks at his red phone. He wears a black and white jacket, and the room has bright natural light coming through a window in the background.

Download the Forces Connect from the Apple App Store and GooglePlay. It gives you information about services that support veterans and services members with mental health, jobs, education, family, housing and more.

Download from the Google Play Store - Forces Connect – Apps on Google Play

Download from the Apple App Store - Forces Connect on the App Store

Havering Armed Forces Champion

Support relating to benefits, pensions, jobs, courses and assisting with barriers to work and signposting regarding mental and physical health issues/conditions.

Mick is the East London district Armed Forces Champion and covers the London Borough of Havering. Please get in contact using londonandessex.armedforceschampions@dwp.gov.uk

Veterans Gateway

A man and a woman sit at a desk writing on a sheet of paper. They have a laptop and a calculator open.

Visit the Veterans Gateway website

Veterans Virtual Cafe

Laptop on wooden table showing a video conference, with a green coffee mug beside it.

The NHS runs online groups where veterans of all ages can join in and chat.

Find out more

Op Restore

This service helps veterans who have physical health problems caused by their time in the armed forces.

Find out more

Support for your mental health

Op COURAGE - the veterans mental health and wellbeing service

This NHS service supports people leaving the military, reservists, veterans, and their families.

Find out more about Op COURAGE

Togetherall

An online mental health services that offers support from trained counsellors, safe forums to connect with others and free tools to help your mental health.

All veterans, services members, reservists, and their families can use it anytime.

Go to the Togetherall website

Combat stress

A free mental health helpline for veterans and their families.

Call: 0800 1381619 (open 24/7)
Text: 07537 173683
Email: helpline@combatstress.org.uk

Go to the Combat Stress website

The Armed Forces Covenant

The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the UK to treat people who serve or have served in the military-and their families-fairly. It helps make sure they get equal access to public services like healthcare, housing, and education.

The Covenant supports:

Serving members
Reservists

Veterans

Partners, children, and carers

A group of people, including the mayor in a red ceremonial robe and chain, stand outside the Havering Town Hall building. Some wear formal attire, one person holds a ceremonial staff, and others wear badges or lanyards.

Havering Council and NHS North East London has signed the Covenant and are proud to support the Armed Forces community.

Register with a GP

Person using a digital blood pressure monitor showing a reading of 50, with health pamphlets and stress-relief items on a green table.

Some GP practices in Havering are Veteran Aware. This means staff understand the needs of veterans and can offer better support.

Tell your GP practice that you are a member of the armed forces / a veteran so they can support you properly.

Find out more about GP practices

Help with housing

Veterans Aid - Advice if a former member of the Armed Forces is homeless or at risk of homelessness.

OpFORTITUDE - Op FORTITUDE is funded by The Armed Forces Covenant Fund to deliver a centralised referral pathway into veteran supported housing. This includes working with individual veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness and supporting them into suitable accommodation or maintaining their current home.