Go to content

Focus on compensation for veterans

Report | 11-02-2025

Military personnel jeopardise their health when deployed on national and international peacekeeping and security missions. These missions expose them to physical and psychological harm, including the risk of post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD). The Ministry of Defence’s Full Compensation Regulation (RVS) allows veterans to claim compensation for such harm suffered. 

Processing of RVS claims takes longer than promised and is traumatic for veterans

In 60% of cases, the Minister of Defence is failing to meet the aim to process all RVS claims within two years. 

The graph shows the length of time taken to process veterans’ claims. An explanation and the underlying data can be found in the notes and the accompanying table below the graph.
The Minister of Defence aims to process all RVS claims within two years. The Court of Audit’s focus investigation shows that only 40% of cases are processed within this period, while 60% of cases take longer than two years. However, cases can regularly take five years – and exceptionally even eight years – to complete.

Veterans claiming compensation find the RVS procedure complex and protracted, and often a cause of additional stress. Between 80% and 90% of veterans applying for RVS compensation are suffering from psychological complaints. This can make it difficult for them to understand letters and forms.

Ministry of Defence has structural shortage of legally trained staff and no case monitoring system

Our investigation found there to be a structural shortage of legally trained staff in the Ministry of Defence’s Legal Affairs Department. According to the ministry’s personal injury lawyers, this impacts on the services provided to veterans, including on the extent of personal contact. Similarly, the ministry does not have a system in place for monitoring RVS claims. This means that lawyers have to record each step manually, which makes the process both prone to error and labour-intensive. 

Time-consuming use of external experts

External experts, including medical advisers, are regularly involved in determining harm suffered. Their expertise may be requested by veterans themselves or by the ministry if opinions on the compensation due differ. The experts most commonly engaged (in 70% of cases) by the ministry or by veterans are medical advisers. Cases involving such advisers can easily take a year longer to complete than otherwise. In 10% of RVS claims, the ministry also seeks advice from other external parties, such as occupational health consultants. This, too, results in longer processing times.

Phase 2 in the compensation procedure

Phase 2 in the compensation procedure is shown in the diagram. Full details can be found in the notes below the diagram.
Phase 2 is when the amount of RVS compensation is determined. This is generally the longest phase, taking between 1 and 3 years to complete. It starts with the letter setting out the basic principles. This is followed by a home visit. Additional external advice is often then requested, either by the veteran or by the Ministry of Defence. This may be medical advice, but also advice from an occupational health consultant. The veteran and the Ministry of Defence then have to negotiate the exact compensation payable.

Why our focus investigation?

The Ombudsman for Veterans concluded in 2021 that the Ministry of Defence was taking a long time to process compensation claims (Ombudsman for Veterans, 2021). Claiming compensation was also found to be complex and to cause stress for many veterans. The Central Government Audit Service (ADR) reached a similar conclusion in 2022, describing the process as traumatic for veterans (ADR, 2022). Little seems to have changed since 2021 and 2022 as, in 2024, the Ombudsman for Veterans was still receiving complaints about the RVS and the time taken to process claims. 

The Minister of Defence aims to process all RVS claims within two years (Ministry of Defence, 2021a). The purpose of this focus investigation was to find out whether this aim is being achieved and to establish the average time taken to handle RVS claims. No properly substantiated figures were previously available. We also examined the time taken to complete the various phases involved in claiming compensation. One of the reasons for this was to improve the extent to which veterans yet to submit a claim were prepared for what to expect.

Conclusions of investigation by Ombudsman for Veterans

Interviews conducted by the Ombudsman for Veterans showed that veterans continue to regard the procedure as lacking transparency and taking too long. According to the Ombudsman, cooperation between the Ministry of Defence and veterans’ representatives was seen as less than optimal and focusing too little on individual veteran needs. 

Collaboration between Netherlands Court of Audit and Ombudsman for Veterans

Alongside the focus investigation conducted by the Court of Audit, the Ombudsman for Veterans investigated the follow-up to earlier recommendations on how the RVS should operate. Compensation paid by the Minister of Defence between 2016 and 2024, along with charges, legal fees and the costs of medical and other experts, totalled €469 million. The investigation by the Ombudsman was based on complaints by veterans, while the Court of Audit investigated how central government policy translated into practice and specific services provided. In this way, the two High Councils of State are contributing to improving government performance and effectiveness.

Do you have any feedback on this audit?

We welcome all feedback on our audits and investigations. What do you think about our report? If you have any questions or need further information, mail us at feedback@rekenkamer.nl. We read all emails carefully and treat them in confidence.

Attachments