Veterans mental health and wellbeing pathway: impact assessment

The Scope of the EQIA

The EQIA process for the Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Pathway considered the pathway’s potential impact on the following groups and protected characteristics: age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation.

The potential impacts were assessed against the three needs of the public sector equality duty to eliminate unlawful discrimination, advancing equality of opportunity and promoting good relations. While not considered as protected characteristics, consideration has also been given to the relationship that veterans have to other parts of the system – care experience, justice and housing/homelessness and this can be found in the Key Findings section of the EQIA. Data has also been provided on how the demographic of veterans may change over time.

Data regarding the protected characteristics was recorded from the following sources and more detail on this can be found in the Key Findings section:

Scotland’s Census (2022) included a section taking into account those living in Scotland who are UK Armed Forces Veterans. It was reported that the total number of veterans living in Scotland is 176,084 which is 3.9% of the general population. The Census took into account the number of veterans regarding Age, Sex, Disability, Race and Religion.

With regard to Sexual orientation, Gender reassignment, Pregnancy and maternity, no specific data was found. However the following provided information on current policy:

We Also Served (May 2021) – Gender (specifically female veterans)

LGBT Veterans Independent Review - GOV.UK provides a full report of the impact that the ban on same-sex relationships had on those serving from 1967 to 2000 – Sexual Orientation

UK Armed Forces Biannual Diversity Statistics (October 2025)– Pregnancy/Maternity

Ministry of Defence (JSP 889) – Gender Re-Assignment

Consultation

The Veterans Mental Health & Wellbeing Pathway Advisory Group was set up to oversee the development of the Veterans Mental Health & Wellbeing Pathway which will operationalise the Veterans Mental Health & Wellbeing National Framework. The group included representatives from the statutory services, academia and the third sector and many members of the group are veterans themselves.

Veterans Link Scotland is a Scottish Government-led lived experience group which is open to veterans from all equality groups. One of the aims of the group was to ensure the views and experiences of veterans inform the development and implementation of the Veterans Mental Health Pathway. Members of Veterans Link Scotland were represented on the governance groups which have been set up to inform the shape of the pathway.

While Veterans Link Scotland was not a formal part of the governance structure for the pathway, it was consulted on key developments. For example, the pathway’s proposed model of delivery and Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing National Framework were shared with the group and feedback was invited. They were instrumental in providing feedback and advice on the peer support worker specification element for the pathway.