# The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2026

S.I. 2026/272 · made 4 March 2026

This Order amends the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/517)(“the Principal Order”), which provides for benefits to be payable to, or in respect of a person by reason of injury, illness or death caused wholly or partly, by service in the regular or reserve armed forces.

Made under: Armed Forces (Pensions and Compensation) Act 2004 (Section 1)

PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/armed-forces-and-reserve-forces-compensation-scheme-amendment-order-2026/pdf/uksi_20260272_en.pdf; Revised UK Explanatory Memorandum https://openlegislation.uk/armed-forces-and-reserve-forces-compensation-scheme-amendment-order-2026/pdf/uksiem_20260272_en_003.pdf; Revised UK Explanatory Memorandum https://openlegislation.uk/armed-forces-and-reserve-forces-compensation-scheme-amendment-order-2026/pdf/uksiem_20260272_en_002.pdf; UK Explanatory Memorandum https://openlegislation.uk/armed-forces-and-reserve-forces-compensation-scheme-amendment-order-2026/pdf/uksiem_20260272_en_001.pdf

## Introductory text

PENSIONS
Made 4th March 2026
Laid before Parliament 12th March 2026
Coming into force 6th April 2026
The Secretary of State makes this Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 1(2) of the Armed Forces (Pensions and Compensation) Act 2004.

## 1 Citation and commencement

This Order may be cited as the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) (Amendment) Order 2026 and comes into force on 6th April 2026.

## 2 Extent

This Order extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

## 3 Amendment of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011

The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011 is amended in accordance with articles 4 to 10.

## 4 Amendment of Article 2

In article 2 (interpretation)—
(a) omit the definition of “the FTRSPS 2010”;
(b) omit the definition of “the NRPSPS”;
(c) insert, in the appropriate places, the following—
““the FTRS 1997” means the Full-time Reserve Service Pension Scheme 1997, the rules of which are set out in Schedules 1, 2 and 3 to the Reserve Forces (Full-time Reserve Service Pension Scheme 1997) Regulations 2010;”;
““the NRPS 2011” means the Non Regular Permanent Staff Pension Scheme, the rules of which are set out in Schedules 1, 3 and 4 to the Reserve Forces Non Regular Permanent Staff (Pension and Attributable Benefits Schemes) Regulations 2011;”;
(d) in the definition of “ill-health pension”—
(i) for “FTRSPS 2010” substitute “FTRS 1997”;
(ii) for “NRPSPS” substitute “NRPS 2011”.

## 5 Amendment of Article 14

In article 14 (interpretation of Part 3), paragraph 6(b) omit the words from “following” to “paragraph 6(a)”.

## 6 Amendment of Article 24A

In article 24A (award of armed forces independence payment), in paragraph (3), for “£187.45” substitute “£194.60”.

## 7 Amendment of Article 24D

In article 24D (payment of armed forces independence payment in respect of Motability), in paragraph (2), for “£77.05” substitute “£80.00”.

## 8 Amendment of Article 83

In article 83 (additional bereavement grant), in paragraph (5)—
(a) for “FTRSPS 2010” substitute “FTRS 1997”;
(b) for “NRRSPS” substitute “NRPS 2011”.

## 9 Amendment of Schedule 2

(1) Schedule 2 (modifications for reserve forces) is amended in accordance with this article.
(2) In paragraph 4, in paragraph (6)(b) of the substituted article 35—
(a) for “FTRSPS 2010” substitute “FTRS 1997”;
(b) for “NRPSPS” substitute “NRPS 2011”.
(3) In paragraph 5, in paragraph (1)(c) of the substituted article 39—
(a) for “FTRSPS 2010” substitute “FTRS 1997”;
(b) for “NRPSPS” substitute “NRPS 2011”.

## 10 Amendment of Schedule 3

(1) Schedule 3 (the tariff and supplementary awards), Part 1 (descriptors, tariff levels and amounts – “the tariff”) is amended as follows.
(2) In Table 3 (mental disorders) substitute—
“(*) Mental disorders must be diagnosed by a registered mental health professional (doctor, psychologist or nurse) working as part of a multidisciplinary mental health team which is overseen by a named consultant clinical lead.”
for—
“(*) Mental disorders must be diagnosed by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist at consultant grade.”.
(3) In Table 8 (fractures and dislocations) after item 41 insert—
“
41A
13
Fracture of coccyx which has required or is expected to require operative treatment and has caused or is expected to cause significant functional limitation beyond 26 weeks.
”.
(4) For Table 10 (tariff amounts), substitute—
“
Table 10
Tariff Amounts
Column (a)
Level
Column (b)
Amount
1
£674,700
2
£502,496
3
£406,273
4
£310,051
5
£187,100
6
£149,680
7
£96,223
8
£64,148
9
£42,766
10
£28,867
11
£16,572
12
£10,691
13
£6,415
14
£3,207
15
£1,283
”.

## Signature

Louise Sandher-Jones
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Ministry of Defence
4th March 2026

## Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order amends the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces (Compensation Scheme) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/517)(“the Principal Order”), which provides for benefits to be payable to, or in respect of a person by reason of injury, illness or death caused wholly or partly, by service in the regular or reserve armed forces.
Article 4 updates the definitions for the Full Time Reserve Service Pension Scheme 1997 and the Non Regular Permanent Staff Scheme to align with references in other armed forces legislation. Articles 8 and 9 update references to these schemes accordingly.
Article 5 amends article 14(6) of the Principal Order to allow all decisions following reconsideration to satisfy Condition B.
Article 6 amends article 24A of the Principal Order to increase the amount of the allowance known as “the armed forces independent payment” which is designed to provide financial support to cover extra costs that a recipient of that benefit may incur as a result of a relevant injury. That amount is increased to £194.60 per week.
Article 7 amends article 24D of the Principal Order to increase the amount that may be paid in settlement of liabilities due under an agreement between a claimant and Motability in respect of the hire or hire purchase of a vehicle. That amount is increased to £80.00 per week.
Article 10 amends Schedule 3 to the Principal Order by specifying additional medical professionals who may diagnose mental disorders for the purposes of the descriptors in Table 3. It inserts a new descriptor into Table 8, to make one temporary award permanent, and also amends Table 10 to increase the relevant tariff amounts.
A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/272 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/armed-forces-and-reserve-forces-compensation-scheme-amendment-order-2026
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.

