Armed Forces Independence Payment

Introduced in April 2013, Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) is payable to those who have been assessed under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) as being entitled to a Guaranteed Income Payment of 50% or higher.

It is payable at a rate equivalent to higher rate DLA care component combined with higher rate DLA mobility component (or the enhanced rate of both the daily living and mobility component of the Personal Independence Payment).

AFIP functions as the civilian equivalents do in relation to means-testing, in that it ignored altogether as income and will entitle the recipient to any premiums that depend on receipt of DLA/PIP (including the enhanced disability premium payable only to those in receipt of the PIP Daily Living enhanced component, higher rate DLA care component).

For the purposes of the means-tested benefits, receipt of AFIP should be treated as receipt of the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment at the enhanced rate.

AFIP is part of the AFCS, which was introduced in April 2005. AFIP does not replace Constant Attendance Allowance and War Pensioners Mobility Support as paid under the previous War Pensions scheme.