The Army Dependants Trust is a charity which provides discretionary grants to dependants of service personnel who die whilst in service, whatever the cause, nature or location of death. The Trust aims to relieve financial hardship in the immediate period following a death. Dependants may receive up to £15000 to help with funeral expenses, travel or repatriation costs, or simply to provide peace of mind during the most difficult of circumstances.
The Trust has fulfilled its purpose for nearly 200 years.
The original Widows Fund was created in India in 1820 for the purpose of relieving distress of widows and children of deceased officers. Membership was confined to British Service Officers of the Indian Army. It was always well supported by the British Army in India and in the earlier years it was the custom for every officer to subscribe whether married or single. The Fund had a difficult time for the first 40 years and received annual donations from the East India Company. From 1860 however, it prospered and by 1920 (after 100 years of existence) 30m rupees had been paid in benefits, and assets stood at over 4m rupees. Yet the highest recorded membership was only 867.
When the British element of the Indian Army was disbanded in 1948, the Fund was wound up and its assets of £100,000 offered to the British Army. The offer was made on condition that the money be used to set up a fund with similar aims and rules for British Army Officers serving outside the United Kingdom. The offer was accepted; the conditions absorbed in a Trust Deed, and the Military Widows Fund established that same year.
Efforts made to extend the Military Widows Fund to officers serving in the United Kingdom were repeatedly thwarted by the terms of the Trust Deed. Consequently, on 1 January 1965, the Army Officers’ Widows Fund was created with the object of providing a similar Fund for families of members who died in the United Kingdom. The Army Officers’ Widows Fund was successful, with membership quickly rising to over 10,000 and assets exceeding £28,000 in three years. This success resulted in the Charity Commissioners giving approval for the amalgamation of the two Funds in January 1969.
The Soldiers’ Widows Fund (SWF) started with a donation of £15,000 by the Army Kinema Corporation (now SSVC) on 20 February 1964. This was followed by a further donation of £10,000 some four years later on 11 July 1968 to start a similar fund for unmarried soldiers called the Single Soldiers’ Dependants Fund (SSDF).
With the increase of female officers in the Army, it was agreed by the Charity Commission that the Trust Deed could be amended to allow widowers to benefit from the Fund. The Funds were renamed Widows and Widowers Funds on 1 January 1991.
With the formation of Headquarters Adjutant General (Personnel and Training Command) in Upavon, Trustees established one office to administer officer and soldier membership details and rationalised Funds by amalgamating the Army Officers’ Widows and Widowers Fund and the Army Officers’ Dependants Funds into one Fund, known as the Army Officers’ Dependants Fund. At the same time a similar amalgamation was carried out for the Soldiers’ Widows and Widowers Fund and the Single Soldiers Dependants Fund to be known as The Soldiers’ Dependants Fund. These two new Funds became effective from 1 Jan 98.
The Gulf War of 1990/91 and the Bosnia deployment saw an increase in Territorial and Reserve personnel deployed on active service who, under the terms of the Trust Deed were not allowed to be members. From 1 Apr 97 membership was extended to allow officers and soldiers of the Regular Army Reserve and Territorial Army to become members for the duration of that called-out service only. Membership was also extended to full time (permanent cadre) members of the Royal Irish Regiment’s Home Service component.
Membership was extended to NRPS officers and soldiers from 1 Nov 98; and further extended to all Gurkha officers and soldiers, in the British Army ORBAT, from 1 Jan 99.
Retired officers employed by the Ministry of Defence, such as RO’s employed under the RO scheme, and ACO’s, were allowed to re-join for the duration of their RO service, provided they were members when serving with the Regular Army. Following the demise of the RO Scheme in Apr 2004, membership for Retired Officers was terminated. Those who were members at that time were given ‘Reserved Rights’ until eventual retirement from the Civil Service.
The Army Officers’ Dependants Fund and The Soldiers’ Dependants Fund merged into one Fund on 1 January 2000, known as The Army Dependants’ Trust (ADT).
In January 2015, membership was extended to most members of the Army Reserve and awards would be made irrespective of whether the Reservist died on or off duty.
At the Board meeting in Dec 17, Trustees extended membership, at no cost, to all ex-Army Regulars who have a Regular Reserve (RR) liability, for the period of their liability, provided that they were members of the ADT during their Regular service and that they complete their Annual Reporting Letter as required during their RR liability.
Historically, grants started at £350 (SWF) and had risen to £600 by the time SSDF started in 1968. Grants have increased over the years and from January 2004 until May 2012, a common award of £10,000 for all members was applied; this was increased to £12,000 in May 2012; and to £15,000 in May 2015. In recent years the ADT makes up to 100 awards each year.
