FiMT - Research on military veterans and the welfare system

Are you a UK Armed Forces veteran? Are you currently receiving Universal Credit? Would you be willing to talk about your experiences of the benefits system?

What is the research about?

The UK benefits system has undergone a huge change with the introduction of Universal Credit. We are currently undertaking research to understand how Armed Forces Service Leavers are experiencing navigating this transformed system. The research is part of a bigger project called Sanctions, Support and Service Leavers.

We would like to speak to UK Armed Forces Veterans (or full-time reservists) who are living in England and are currently in receipt of Universal Credit. *

It doesn’t matter when you served or how long for. Our research is about your experiences of claiming Universal Credit, any support you may have received, or any support you feel is needed. We are keen to speak to individuals, and if possible, their families, to understand the wider impact. The project aims to provide recommendations for better and more effective services in the future for those who have served in the Armed Forces community.

*Please note - if you have previously spoken to us in another part of the wider project you aren’t eligible for this study.

How do I take part?

Just contact us (details at the bottom of the flyer). The interview will take place at a time/date suitable for you. Because of COVID-19 we are conducting interviews by phone, Zoom, MS Teams or Skype at the moment.

We will record the interview with your permission. Each interview will last about an hour. You do not have to talk about anything you don't want to, and you can withdraw from the research at any time.

Everything you say will be treated in confidence. Your name will not be used in any published reports and we will not pass your details on to anybody else.

We hope to interview people three times, with around 9-12 months in between each interview. We will also keep you informed about the research findings.

Who is doing the research?

The research is funded by an independent charity, the Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) and is being conducted by independent researchers from the University of Salford, the University of Central Lancashire and the University of York.

Will I get paid?

You won’t be paid but as a thank you for taking part you will receive a £20 shopping voucher for individual interviews and £40 for family interviews, which we can send or email to you.

Want more information?

If you want to ask any questions about the research or know more about taking part, please contact the researcher: Phil Martin on 07901 573 285 or by email at (p.martin5@salford.ac.uk) The project is led by Professor Lisa Scullion at the University of Salford.