Combat Stress, the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health, has launched its new strategy, setting out how it will support members of the Armed Forces community with their mental health needs in the years ahead.
The new strategy sets out the charity’s vision for prevention, early intervention, specialist PTSD treatment and long-term support across the Armed Forces community.
Developed in consultation with sector partners and members of the Armed Forces community, the strategy provides a clear framework for Combat Stress’ priorities and decision-making, ensuring the organisation remains sustainable, effective and focused on delivering the greatest possible impact.
At the heart of the strategy is a clear goal: that the UK’s Armed Forces community has good mental health. To achieve this, the strategy focuses on four key areas:
- Building resilience – strengthening the evidence base around prevention and developing resilience-building approaches that support serving personnel, reservists and veterans, working closely with Defence, employers and partner organisations.
- Earlier diagnosis and intervention – helping more veterans recognise the signs of PTSD and seek support earlier, before reaching crisis point, through greater awareness, education and improved access to support.
- Treatment and recovery – continuing to provide high-quality specialist PTSD treatment while improving accessibility and the overall experience of its services, ensuring veterans feel supported throughout their recovery journey.
- Long-term management – recognising that recovery does not always end when treatment finishes, the charity will expand long-term support through self-help resources, ongoing guidance and partnership working that helps veterans maintain good mental health and quality of life.
The strategy comes at a time when demand for mental health services continues to grow, veterans’ needs are evolving, and the health, defence and charity sectors are experiencing significant change. On top of this, it still takes on average 14 years for veterans to seek support for PTSD after leaving the Armed Forces, often reaching out when their mental health difficulties have become severe and deeply entrenched.
Chloe Mackay, CEO of Combat Stress, said:
“This strategy reflects both the changing needs of the Armed Forces community and our determination to ensure Combat Stress continues to make the greatest possible difference to veterans’ lives.
“Our vision is that our Armed Forces community has good mental health. To achieve this, we must do more than provide treatment alone. We need to help prevent problems where possible, encourage earlier intervention, deliver effective specialist care and support veterans beyond treatment.
“While our approach is evolving, our commitment remains unwavering. Combat Stress will continue to deliver recovery from PTSD, helping veterans to recover and go on to lead fulfilling lives.”
Partnerships will be central to the successful delivery of the strategy. Combat Stress will continue to collaborate with the NHS, Ministry of Defence, military charities, researchers, employers and other organisations to improve outcomes for veterans and their families.
Alongside the launch of the strategy, Combat Stress has also introduced a new website designed to make it easier for veterans, families, supporters and professionals to access information, guidance and support.
The strategy is now publicly available and can be viewed here: www.combatstress.org.uk/strategy-2026
