THE government’s pledge to improve compensation for soldiers wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan has been branded a sham after it emerged only 24 claimants from three years of conflict will qualify for the extra money.

The improved payments were promised after the outcry over the treatment of Lance Bombardier Ben Parkinson, who lost both legs when his Land Rover ran over a mine in Afghanistan.

He has benefited from the changes to the compensation scheme with his payout increased from £152,150 to the maximum of £285,000. The changes have, however, been targeted at those most seriously injured, leaving more than 98% of those compensated for their wounds without any improvement in their payouts.

This weekend the Royal British Legion called for an overhaul of what it described as a “disgraceful” scheme. Sue Freeth, the legion’s director of welfare, said: “It’s pretending to be generous when it clearly isn’t.”

Among those who have lost out is Private Jamie Cooper, who at 18 became the youngest British soldier to be wounded in Iraq. He was hit twice by mortar rounds in an attack on his base in Basra in November 2006.

He lost the use of one leg and a hand as well as suffering internal injuries. While in hospital he contracted MRSA, caught C difficile and had bed sores so bad they required surgery.

Then it was discovered he was one of a small number of British soldiers who may have been given contaminated blood. He was awarded £57,587 but will get nothing extra from the changes. He will get a monthly payment equivalent to about 60% of his army pay, but since he was a new recruit that will be just over £9,000 a year.

“The changes they made are just designed to let ministers save face because of the public pressure,” said Cooper’s father, Phil. “The whole of the scheme is about saving money.”

Jamie, now 19, who was serving with the Royal Green Jackets, is still in the army, at the defence rehabilitation centre at Headley Court, in Surrey. But when he leaves he will need a specially modified home.

Phil Cooper, 49, and his wife Caroline spoke to the local authority to see what could be done to their family home in Bristol. “They came round and said this or that would have to be done but that if Jamie moved out within five years we would have to pay it all back,” he said. “We sent them away with a flea in their ear.”

Jamie is determined to be as independent as possible and his parents do not want anything holding him back. They have now moved to a bungalow adapted using their own money.

Lance Corporal Tom Birch was also just 18 when he was severely injured when his Land Rover went over a cliff in Afghanistan. He will see his payment increase from £88,000 to just under £100,000.

Birch suffered serious brain and abdominal injuries and it was initially believed he would not survive. He can no longer speak or walk properly and has severe memory problems.

The former Royal Marine needs assistance to carry out most day-to-day tasks such as shaving, carrying a glass of water, dressing and cooking and needs full-time care.

His mother Gail, 44, has given up work to stay at home in Heanor, Derbyshire, to look after him. His father Steve, 45, said they were immensely proud when he joined the marines. “He was very fit, he used to do Thai boxing, he would go running for miles and never break sweat. We were very proud of him, we still are. But he came home a very different young man.”

Birch, a company director, says the compensation system needs sorting out. “It was like beating your head against a wall trying to get anything out of them once he was out of hospital.

“The support was absolutely terrible. If you get injured it’s absolutely shocking. If you’ve not got a family around there would be nothing. It frightens me just thinking about it.”

Beyond the compensation, the Royal British Legion is critical of the fact the scheme does not provide anything for long-term care, leaving that to the NHS and local authorities.

“It assumes that the state will provide for future care costs,” said Freeth. “But with continuing-care budgets in crisis it is not acceptable to ask injured service personnel to join the queue.”

The scheme was introduced in April 2005 to replace the previous War Pensions Scheme (WPS). Under that, 90% of those applying for payments were successful. Only 35% of those applying to the new scheme get any payment at all.

Government figures show that since the scheme was introduced, around 4,000 people have applied for payments but only 1,385 have been successful.

The reason is that the new scheme shifts the burden onto the claimant to prove that death, injury or more minor harm took place on duty or active service whereas under the WPS it was for the Ministry of Defence to prove it did not.

The MoD said: “The original intention of the scheme was to focus resources on the most seriously injured. This review has helped to achieve that.

“The standard of proof used is the accepted approach of other schemes and no claim should fail where there is reasonable reliable evidence that injury is due to service.”

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