More than 11,000 previously unclaimed Armed Forces pensions have now been brought into payment, after Ministry of Defence tracing and claims work.
The figures show that 11,201 pensions have been paid, with a combined value of £29,446,443. That works out at an average of around £2,630 for each pension.
How the tracing work operates
The Ministry of Defence regularly checks records for deferred pension members whose payments have become due but remain unclaimed. New cases are reviewed each month, and people are contacted when updated details are found.
Armed Forces personnel with enough qualifying service can receive a preserved pension, which becomes payable at either 60 or 65 depending on the scheme. Any arrears are paid from the date the pension first became payable.
The figures were provided by Calvin Bailey, Minister for Veterans and People, in response to a parliamentary question from Ian Roome, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon, about improving communications with people owed unclaimed or deferred pensions.
The MOD is also supporting the Pensions Dashboard programme, which is intended to make it easier for people to find pension entitlements held across different schemes.
Why it matters for Britain
The payments are putting money owed to former service personnel and other eligible pension holders back into their hands. Better tracing and the planned pensions dashboard could also make it easier for people to find benefits they may not realise they have.
