Veteran statistics: FOI release

Information requested

R1 - What criteria needs to be met in order for a Scottish citizen to claim “Scottish Veteran Status”?

RFI 1a - Can you point me to where the “Scottish Veteran Status” criteria is published to the public?

RFI 2 - How many citizens within Scotland currently meet the published “Scottish Veteran Status”? (For clarity, I am only interested in citizens with “Scottish Veteran Status” that are resident in Scotland)

RFI 2a - How are the number of Scottish Veterans (within Scotland) tracked and recorded?

RFI 2b - Can you point me to where this “Record of Scottish Veteran Numbers” is published to the public?

RFI 3 - Can I have a copy of your list of registered charitable entities that are specifically classified as “Scottish Veterans Charities”? Please include the registered charity number as well as the charity name.

RFI 3a - From your list of registered “Scottish Veterans Charities”, how many Scottish Veterans in total, are receiving support from “Scottish Veterans Charities”?

RFI 3b - From your list of registered “Scottish Veterans Charities”, how many Scottish Veterans are currently assigned (as of 16 Dec 22) to each charitable entity?

Response

The answers to your questions are shown below.

R1 - What criteria needs to be met in order for a Scottish citizen to claim “Scottish Veteran Status”?

We do not hold this information as there is no ‘Scottish Veteran Status’ and therefore no criteria for such a status.

Veterans are defined by the UK Government as “anyone who has served for at least one day in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces (Regular or Reserve) or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations.”

RFI 1a - Can you point me to where the “Scottish Veteran Status” criteria is published to the public?

There is no ‘Scottish Veteran Status’, and therefore no published criteria.

The definition of veteran status as set out by the UK Government can be found on page two of the following document - Veterans Factsheet 2020 (publishing.service.gov.uk)

RFI 2 - How many citizens within Scotland currently meet the published “Scottish Veteran Status”? (For clarity, I am only interested in citizens with “Scottish Veteran Status” that are resident in Scotland).

As outlined previously, there is no ‘Scottish Veteran Status’ and as such we do not hold the information requested.

The most recent data for the number of veterans of the UK Armed Forces resident in Scotland is 220,000, which was taken from the annual population survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics in 2017.

Scotland's Census 2022 included for the first time a question on previous service in the UK Armed Forces. Census data will help to support a better understanding of the veterans community in Scotland including numbers, location, employment status, housing and other needs such as healthcare and education. The first veterans Census outputs, expected in 2024, will help to inform policy development and targeted support.

RFI 2a - How are the number of Scottish Veterans (within Scotland) tracked and recorded?

We do not hold this information as there is no definition of what a Scottish Veteran is, so they are not tracked or recorded.

In terms of veterans more widely, in addition to the census, we also identified opportunities for more regular data collection on veterans by adding the same Census question to our three major household surveys: Scottish Household Survey, Scottish Health Survey and Scottish Crime and Justice Survey. This will improve considerably our understanding of the profile, circumstances and needs of veterans in Scotland, which in turn will help inform policy and services. Each of the surveys also collate re-contact samples, consisting of those who consent to being included in future research. This will give us the option to utilise this sample to carry out more in-depth research with respondents who identify as veterans.

The Scottish Government also worked with colleagues in ONS, OVA and the devolved administrations to develop the first UK-wide Veterans’ Survey. The online survey is collecting information from veterans of the UK Armed Forces to help us understand current access to and perception of services in addition to veterans’ experiences and circumstances. The survey launched on 10 November 2022 and findings are expected by summer 2023.

RFI 2b - Can you point me to where this “Record of Scottish Veteran Numbers” is published to the public?

There is no record of Scottish Veteran Numbers, as there is no specific status for Scottish Veterans. I have outlined how we are now collecting data on the number of UK veterans resident in Scotland in the answers to RFI2 and RFI 2b above. The 2017 Annual Population Survey conducted by the ONS can be found here - Annual population survey: UK armed forces veterans residing in Great Britain 2017 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

RFI 3 - Can I have a copy of your list of registered charitable entities that are specifically classified as “Scottish Veterans Charities”? Please include the registered charity number as well as the charity name.

There is no classification as a “Scottish Veterans Charity” on the public registry of charities operating in Scotland. As such we do not hold the information requested.

Many charities that support veterans in Scotland also support non-veterans, while some charities operate UK wide rather than in Scotland specifically.

The Office of the Scottish Charity Register (OSCR) maintain the public registry of charities operating in Scotland. The register can be accessed here - OSCR | Register Search. Veterans Scotland play an important role in communicating across, and co-ordinating the response of, the veterans sector in Scotland. They have over a 100 member organisations, a full list of which can be found on their website at Veterans Scotland Members | Veterans Scotland.

RFI 3a - From your list of registered “Scottish Veterans Charities”, how many Scottish Veterans in total, are receiving support from “Scottish Veterans Charities”?

We do not hold this information, for a number of reasons. As explained in RFI 3, we do not hold a register of “Scottish Veterans Charities”. Charities are not required to publish the number of beneficiaries that they support. Charities may also be supporting individuals without knowing they are veterans, if the veteran does not declare themself as such.

RFI 3b - From your list of registered “Scottish Veterans Charities”, how many Scottish Veterans are currently assigned (as of 16 Dec 22) to each charitable entity?

It is not possible to answer this question for the reasons outlines in the responses to RFI3 and RFI 3a.

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