Peer Advice Services UK

23/10/2026

When did independence become a privilege?

Channel 4's “The Experiment”, presented by Sophie Morgan and Mat Fraser, is difficult, emotional and deeply disturbing viewing.

But it is also essential.

The programme explores how the language used to justify the persecution of disabled people during one of history's darkest periods can be repackaged to sound compassionate and reasonable.

At PAS UK, we believe its message demands serious attention.

Every day, we support people rebuilding their lives following spinal cord injury, amputation, trauma and disability.

We see what independence really requires.

Accessible transport. Appropriate equipment. Financial security. Rehabilitation. Peer support. The freedom to participate in everyday life.

These are not perks or privileges.

They are foundations of dignity and independence.

Yet too often, discussions about disability focus on cost, dependency and whether support is affordable, rather than the lives, opportunities and independence at stake.

There is nothing wrong with scrutinising public policy or spending.

But there is something profoundly wrong when disabled people are made to feel like a burden simply for needing support.

And there is something equally concerning when disabled people become reluctant to speak publicly for fear of abuse and hostility.

We must challenge language that fuels resentment, misinformation and discrimination.

We must listen to disabled people, not simply talk about them.

And we must never lose sight of the human beings behind the headlines and statistics.

Our thanks to Sophie Morgan, Mat Fraser, Channel 4 and everyone involved in bringing this important programme to our screens.

“Disabled people's dignity, independence and right to participate fully in society should never be up for debate”.

We strongly encourage everyone to watch “The Experiment” and reflect on its message.

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-experiment

Sophie Morgan and Mat Fraser open an experimental residential home with a dark secret

10/10/2026

Set-up is underway.

Tonight marks PAS UK’s first fundraiser, organised by promotions

A shared event supporting PAS UK, JJ's Memorial Fund and other Armed Forces community causes.

Veterans. Civilians. Community. Fundraising with purpose.

Tonight is about more than fundraising. It is about building support around people affected by life-changing injury, disability and trauma, and making sure practical help is there when it is needed.

Not just words.
Not just awareness.
Action.

A huge thank you to boxing promotions for bringing this together.

Here’s to a brilliant night.

05/08/2026

Proud, but not surprised, to see Dáve Brock's story being shared.

Dave’s journey says so much about resilience, service, injury, recovery and the power of the right support at the right time.

At PAS UK, we are incredibly proud to have Dave as our Armed Forces Peer. He brings lived experience, military humour, honesty and practical understanding into the room with veterans and families who are facing life-changing injury, amputation, rehabilitation and the uncertainty that can come with rebuilding life.

Our work alongside the Veterans’ Orthopaedic Service at RJAH matters because this is where clinical expertise, lived experience and peer support can meet.

That combination is powerful.

Not distant signposting.
Not generic support.
Real people, with real experience, supporting others when it matters most.

Dave now uses his own journey to help others move forward, and his commitment to becoming a physiotherapist shows exactly the kind of person he is.

A huge thank you to the Veterans' Orthopaedic Service for the work they continue to do for veterans, and to Bolt Burdon Kemp's Military team: Solicitors for the Armed Forces for supporting PAS UK’s Armed Forces peer support work.

Veteran-led. Practical. Present where it matters.

24/07/2026

Some words mean a lot.

Julie recently sent us this about the support Eddie, our Midlands Peer, has provided to her teenage son following a spinal cord injury.

That support began at the Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries and has continued after discharge.

Because life after spinal cord injury does not rebuild itself in one moment.

It takes time.
Trust.
Humour.
Consistency.
Honest advice.
And people who understand.

That is what Eddie brings.

Not distant signposting.
Not a one-off conversation.

Real peer support, for the person and the family around them.

We are incredibly proud of Eddie and the` difference he continues to make.

Thank you to Stewarts for supporting Eddie Williams Midlands Peer role and helping PAS UK continue this vital work.

Thank you, Julie, for allowing us to share this.

PAS UK. Practical support. Real relationships. Lasting impact.

23/07/2026

This is what practical support looks like.

PAS UK recently handed over a lightweight wheelchair to Mark, a spinal cord injured veteran, funded through the PAS UK Wheelchair Fund.

For someone living with spinal cord injury, the right chair can mean less pain, less fatigue, more independence and more control over daily life.

That matters.

This is not awareness from a distance.
This is not signposting and hoping for the best.
This is direct support that helps someone move forward.

Dáve Brock our Armed Forces Peer, was there for the handover, bringing veteran-led support rooted in lived experience, trust and practical action.

We are proud to have Bolt Burdon Kemp's Military team: Solicitors for the Armed Forces supporting our Armed Forces peer support work, helping us ensure veterans and their families receive practical support from people who understand.

Thank you to Bromakin Wheelchairs for their support with the chair and handover.

PAS UK. Veteran-led. Practical support. Real outcomes.

10/07/2026

A brilliant evening last night at the DMRC Benevolent Fund Summer Soirée at DMRC Stanford Hall.

Thank you to the DMRC Benevolent Fund for hosting such a fantastic event, and to the Royal Marines Association Concert Band, who were excellent.

The work of the DMRC Benevolent Fund matters because rehabilitation is about more than clinical recovery.

It is also about morale, normality, confidence, connection and giving people moments that remind them life is still there to be lived.

Our founder, Lee, knows from his own rehabilitation journey at Headley Court how important those things can be. The trips, activities, shared moments and morale built during rehabilitation stay with you long after discharge. More than 20 years on, that still matters.

That is why it was a privilege for PAS UK to attend and support an evening focused on helping those going through Defence Medical Rehabilitation at Stanford Hall.

We are also grateful to Bolt Burdon Kemp's Military team: Solicitors for the Armed Forces for helping make the connection, and for their continued support of PAS UK’s Armed Forces peer support work.

Supporting the Armed Forces community takes more than words.

It takes people, partnerships and practical action.

Thank you to the DMRC Benevolent Fund for a superb evening and for the difference you continue to make.

29/06/2026

🌟 Support with Your PIP Application 🌟

We know the PIP application process can feel overwhelming. The form is lengthy, the questions can be complex, and it can be difficult to know exactly what information is needed.

That's where we can help.

Our team can guide you through the application process step by step, helping you provide the information needed to support your claim and giving you the best chance of a successful outcome.

Don't let the paperwork become a barrier to accessing the financial support you may be entitled to. Let us help make the process clearer and less stressful.

Find out more about our Application Stage Package:
https://peeradviceservicesuk.org/product/support-with-application-stage/

27/06/2026

Today, on Armed Forces Day, we honour and thank all those who serve, past and present, for their dedication, courage and sacrifice.

At Peer Advice Services UK, we are proud to support members of the Armed Forces community. Through peer support, advocacy and guidance, we help individuals affected by disability, life-changing injuries and personal challenges access the support they need.

Whether serving in the military or adapting to life beyond service, no one should have to face challenges alone.

Together, we can build stronger, more connected communities through support, understanding and resilience.

Thank you to everyone who serves, in every way, every day.

26/06/2026

The uniform may come off, but the Armed Forces connection does not disappear.

This is Dave, our Armed Forces Peer, visiting Chris, an Army veteran, in hospital.

At PAS UK, Armed Forces peer support is veteran-led and veteran-delivered.

It is built on trust, lived experience and practical action.

We support serving personnel, veterans and families affected by spinal cord injury, amputation, trauma, disability and life-changing injury.

Because when life changes, people need more than signposting.

They need support from people who understand.

With thanks to Bolt Burdon Kemp's Military team: Solicitors for the Armed Forces for supporting our Armed Forces peer support work.

Veteran-led. Veteran-delivered. There when it matters.

25/06/2026

Some support is spoken about.

Some support turns up.

This Armed Forces Week, we are highlighting the work being delivered by PAS UK’s Armed Forces Peer Support service.

This photo is of Dave, our Armed Forces Peer, visiting Rob, an RAF veteran, at the Midlands Centre for Spinal Cord Injury at RJAH.

It captures what PAS UK exists to do.

One veteran standing alongside another.
In the spinal centre.
At the point where life has changed.
With lived experience, practical guidance and belief in what is still possible.

Our Armed Forces work is veteran-led and veteran-delivered. It is shaped by real experience of service, injury, rehabilitation, medical discharge, disability, trauma and the long process of rebuilding life.

We support serving personnel, veterans and families affected by spinal cord injury, amputation, trauma, disability and life-changing injury.

Not from a distance.

In the room.
On the phone.
At the hospital.
With the family.
Beside the person who needs support.

We are proud to have the support of Bolt Burdon Kemp's Military team: Solicitors for the Armed Forces, whose backing is helping PAS UK strengthen this vital work across the Armed Forces community.

This is lived experience in action.

This is PAS UK.