Ministry of Pensions and successors: War Pensions, Registered Files (GEN Series)...

This series contains files of correspondence and papers relating to the administration of war pensions and allowance schemes in the United Kingdom and overseas by the Ministry of Pensions and its successors.

The majority of the files relate to the consideration, award and payment of pensions and allowances owing from the South African War, 1899 to 1902, the First World War, and the Second World War, including the various Personal Injuries (Civilians) Schemes.

Other files deal with the establishment, organization and changing functions of the ministry, and its medical and children's services; the formulation of instruments governing the grant of pensions and allowances, and the constitution and working of the Statutory Committee of the Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation, the Special Grants Committee, the local War Pensions Committees and the Pensions Appeal Tribunals.

The files in this series are from the registered GEN ('general') series. Some files are referenced with the prefixes listed below, which indicate the subject matter of the file concerned:

• AW - Awards;
• E - Establishment Branch;
• F - Finance;
• G - General;
• LA - Local Authorities;
• MS - Medical Services;
• NSG - National Service Grants;
• SG - Special Grants;
• WEL - Welfare Services;
• WF - Welfare Foods;
• WSG - War Service Grants.

Please note that pieces 4500-4999 are Numbers not used.

• Department of Health and Social Security, War Pensions and Industrial Injuries Division, 1971-1973
• Department of Health and Social Security, War Pensions Department, 1968-1971
• Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, War Pensions Branch, 1953-1966
• Ministry of Pensions, Awards Division, 1917-1944
• Ministry of Pensions, Awards Division, 1951-1952
• Ministry of Pensions, Awards Division (Blackpool), 1949-1951
• Ministry of Pensions, General Administration Division, 1917-1944
• Ministry of Pensions, General Division, 1944-1949
• Ministry of Pensions, Great War, Civilian and Mercantile Awards Division, 1944-1949
• Ministry of Pensions, New Services Awards Division, 1944-1949
• Ministry of Pensions, Pensions Division, Awards, 1952-1953
• Ministry of Pensions, Pensions Policy and General Division, 1949-1953
• Ministry of Pensions, Rehabilitation and Welfare and London Awards Division, 1949-1951
• Ministry of Social Security, War Pensions Department, 1966-1968

From 1970 Department of Health and Social Security

Topics

Conflict

Pay and pensions

Children

Armed Forces (General Administration)

Operations, battles and campaigns

The British war pensions scheme pays compensation in the form of pensions and allowances to men and women disabled, or to the dependants of those killed as a result of service in the Forces in the 1914-1918 war (and some earlier engagements) or since 2 September 1939. The responsible legislation stems from the War Pensions Act 1921; the Royal warrant (for the Army), the Order in Council (for the Navy) and the Order by Her Majesty (for the Air Force) are the relevant pensions instruments. There is similar legislation for civilians, merchant seamen and civil defence workers injured as a result of enemy action or for the dependants of those killed by such action.