The Personal Finance Society (PFS) has opened its Forces MoneyPlan service to members of Blesma, the armed forces charity for limbless veterans. 

Blesma members will now have access to financial guidance delivered by qualified professional financial advisers across the UK.
 
Forces MoneyPlan is an official pro-bono programme facilitated by the PFS and delivered by their Financial Planners on a voluntary basis. 

The aim of the scheme is to help Forces personnel of affiliated armed forces charities and representative bodies, such as Blesma, identify and understand their financial position based on their specific circumstances. 

Members are then able to make more informed decisions about their financial options, such as how best to plan their long-term finances, managing compensation payments and raising awareness of financial scams. 
  
Keith Richards, chief executive of the Personal Finance Society, said: “I am delighted that we’re joining forces with Blesma to offer financial guidance to their Members via ForcesMoney plan.

“It’s difficult to imagine the trauma that comes from suffering a life-changing injury, such as those experienced by some of our brave forces personnel during their time serving our country. 
 
“Not only can it mean the end of active service but the end of a regular income, bringing with it the need for some serious decisions about financial provision for the future, particularly should this entail managing a compensation lump sum.

“Working with Blesma, we can hopefully ease some of their Members’ concerns around money and finances at a potentially difficult time. 

“We are extremely grateful to our members who give their time and expertise voluntarily in order to help many of our forces heroes.  It’s an honour to be able to give something back to them given the sacrifices they have made for us.”
 
Ian Waller, operations director of Blesma added: “We are delighted to have launched the Forces MoneyPlan whereby qualified Personal Finance Society members provide pro bono financial guidance to sick and injured armed forces personnel and veterans. 

“Blesma has a legacy of campaigning for improved rights for military personnel and we are proud of the long track record we have in seeking and achieving improvements in the War Pension, in the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, and in improvements in prosthetic services so that our members can be as independent as possible.

“We see this partnership with the Personal Finance Society as another way of ensuring that injured forces personnel are fully supported following life in service.”