Abstract: This independent review into HMG-led veteran welfare services was commissioned in March 2023 as a joint Ministry of Defence (MOD) / Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) initiative. Its aim was to provide an independent review of the effectiveness and efficiency of government delivered (primarily by the MOD) veteran welfare services and make recommendations for improving these where necessary. Seven bodies were in scope of the review, some of which had recently been subject to individual internal and / or external reviews, but not as part of a broader, more holistic review of the overall welfare services for veterans' package. The full terms of reference can be found at Annex A. The veteran welfare system is a complex ecosystem, built up over the last century, with services bolted on over time, often to meet specific needs at a given time and with little consideration, it appears, of the overall coherence of the system. There are a significant number of statutory and non-statutory bodies – both third sector and private enterprises – providing varying types and degrees of support, from signposting veterans (and in some cases serving personnel) to individual advocacy. Consequently, few individuals working within it fully understand the full scope of the system and its connections and interfaces, and it can feel almost impenetrable for those outside the system seeking support. Nevertheless, significant changes have been made over the last decade to improving government’s understanding of the welfare needs of- and services available to- veterans, not least with the creation of the Office for Veterans’ Affairs, within the Cabinet Office, in 2019 and the publication of the government’s ‘Strategy for our Veterans’ and associated Veteran Strategy Action Plan (VSAP) (gov.uk). Moreover, data on the number of veterans in the UK is improving, with a specific Census 2021 veteran question, and an inaugural Office for National Statistics (ONS) / OVA Veterans Survey in late 2022 / early 2023, the results of which are expected later in 2023. The 2021 Census data estimates that there are 1.85 million veterans in England and Wales (ONS.gov.uk), representing around 3.8% of the population aged 16 years and over. This was the first census that asked about veteran status, although it is important to note that the question was not asked in Northern Ireland and the Scottish 2022 Census data is not available at the time of this report. These figures do not take into account veterans’ families, which would likely more than double the number of people, who may either directly or indirectly be impacted by the Strategy, Action Plan and welfare services offered.