Armed forces support

Useful information, resources and links to help the armed forces and veteran community, including their families and widow(er)s.

The Armed Forces Support team provides support to the armed forces community within Northumberland.

Northumberland is one of the leading Local Authorities in providing support to our Armed Forces community. 

Our Armed Forces Support team provides support to the armed forces community within Northumberland. We have two dedicated case workers, Jonny Harrison and Ellen Harland both who are veterans themselves and understand the challenges facing service leavers and veterans. 
 
Northumberland County Council signed the Armed Forces Covenant in 2012 and reaffirmed our commitment in 2021 to ensure that serving and former members of the armed forces, veterans and their families are treated fairly and are not disadvantaged as a result of their service, by signing a new Armed Forces Covenant.  

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The Armed Forces & Veterans Outreach Service supports all members of the Armed Forces community.

This includes those who are currently serving or have left (regardless of how long ago) including family members, spouses and partners. 

We have services across the whole of Northumberland to help you with:

  • housing
  • homelessness
  • benefits and debt advice
  • employment, including referrals to health services. 

If you are within your last 12 months of service or a veteran and you feel like you are at risk of homelessness or need general housing advice, please contact one of our experienced Armed Forces Case Workers: 

Jonny Harrison 

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Ellen Harland 

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Links to services that can offer support and advice.

Housing 

 

Benefits and Debt Advice 

 

Health and Social Care 

 

Employment and Training 

 

 

Useful Resorces For (ex) Service Personnel 

In 2018 Northumberland County Council was recognised as one of the best in the UK for supporting members of the Armed Forces.

The authority was awarded a gold award by the Ministry of Defence Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme.   

The scheme rewards and recognises UK employers and organisations that show outstanding support to the armed forces community. Back then, the council was one of just nine local authorities across the whole of the UK to receive the coveted gold award which must be revalidated every 5 years.  

We are immensely proud that our gold award has been revalidated for a further 5 years.

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Our Armed Forces Forum has been operational for over ten years now and this acts as a forum for improving communication and co-ordination / sharing best practice and as the mechanism to annually review the actions taken by the council and partners to implement the Armed Forces Covenant in Northumberland.

The Forum helps raise the profile of our armed forces community as a group with a unique identity and set of needs and issues as well as increasing awareness of the range of support available to them 

Forum members include:   

  • Councillor Jeff Watson, Chairperson and Armed Forces Champion  
  • Lieutenant Colonel Tom Palmer, Co-Chair of the Armed Forces Forum  
  • Councillor Gordon Castle, Vice Chair of the Armed Forces Forum and Veterans’ Champion  

 

For further information about the Armed Forces Forum please contact:

Jackie Roll, Lead Officer for Armed Forces Support   

 

Nichola Turnbull, Admin Support   

 

 

 

We are here for you. Find out how to contact the Armed Forces Support Team

You can email us: armedforcesqueries@northumberland.gov.uk

So we can help you please provide us with:
  • Your name
  • Contact number 
  • Email address 
  • How we can support you

A member of the team will then be in touch.