Providing financial medical and community aid to alleviate hardship and distress among Gurkha ex-servicemen of the British Crown
Welfare Pensions
A welfare pension is provided to 9,000 Gurkha soldiers or their widows who do not qualify for an Army pension and have no other form of income. On the death of an old soldier, his entitlement is transferred in full to his widow.
Some Gurkhas do have a small subsistence farms, but their yields are small, leaving them vulnerable to starvation when the harvest season ends. Others are simply too poor to own land or too elderly to fend for themselves. The welfare pension is often all that stands between a Gurkha and destitution.
To collect their welfare pension some Gurkhas face a two or three day journey by foot over rugged and remote landscapes to reach their local Area Welfare Centre. Others too frail to walk are carried by Hill porters
What is a welfare pension?
A welfare pension is an allowance collected by the welfare pensioner four times a year. The monthly welfare pension is 4,500 Nepalese Rupees (about £40). The rate is calculated annually using a 'shopping basket' of basic goods such as rice, simple vegetables, cooking oil and simple toiletries. Whilst modest in our terms, it provides just enough to buy rations for the month and the occasional luxury.Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a welfare pension from the Trust, Gurkhas must have served with the Brigade or be the widow of an ex-serviceman. They must also be living in poverty and distress and not be eligible for an Army pension.Enhancements
With an average age of around 85, the Trust's welfare pensioners are in the very twilight of their lives. The Trust is committed to doing more to make their final days as comfortable as possible.
Initiatives include:
- A winter fuel allowance of around £10 per pensioner. This payment ensures pensioners do not have to choose between staying warm or eating. Blankets are also distributed to the most needy.
- Wind up torches and radios for each pensioner. With no electricity in most villages and many old pensioners housebound, the torch and radio offer some relief from the isolation and difficulties of rural life.
- Porterage allowance. With no roads or public transport, the oldest and most frail must be carried to their local AWC to receive their welfare pension. The Trust reimburses any porterage costs.
- Residential Home Project. Combining the best of western geriatric care with an eastern philosophy of respect for the elderly, the Residential Homes will provide a secure, comfortable home for the most lonely and vulnerable. The first home opened in Spring 2010. The next home is due to open in Spring 2013.
- Expanded enhancement programme. Current projects being proposed include:
A warden scheme
A 'district nurse' programme
Increased patrol doctors
Funeral allowances, to defray the financial burden on a Gurkha widow or his family.
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