Veterans and current members of the UK Armed Forces who have suffered noise-induced hearing loss now have further time to submit claims under the Government’s High Court-sanctioned compensation scheme.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has agreed to extend the cut-off date for claims to 31 July 2026, subject to final approval by the High Court. This follows a series of “test case” hearings, held to establish parameters for thousands of other claims still to be resolved.

During those hearings, legal representatives for the MoD indicated to the court that the total cost of compensation for noise-induced hearing loss claims could amount to as much as £50 billion.

It is estimated that at least 70,000 serving personnel and veterans may be eligible to seek compensation for hearing damage that occurred during military service. To date, more than 6,700 claims have been successfully paid out.

Amy veteran Gavin Cooper, and now the founder of Claims Bible, explained:

“We are pleased the MoD has agreed to this extension, which will allow many thousands of former service personnel to access the compensation they are due without unnecessary legal delays. If you suffer from hearing loss and have not yet made a claim, now is the time to step forward.”

“As a former soldier, this extension is an excellent opportunity to help those suffering with hearing loss and tinnitus, because it doesn’t just affect people during their service but several decades after, and it impacts their daily lives.”

“Being exposed to loud machinery, gunfire and helicopters can have a severe impact on hearing, especially if insufficient training or equipment was not provided to them. The aftermath can be very harrowing, with individuals suffering a lack of employment opportunities and issues with mental health because they have lost their hearing.”

“We need to get veterans and soldiers to claim successfully, and offer some closure and peace of mind for their injuries.”

Cooper also encouraged individuals whose claims were previously turned down under the MoD’s War Pension Scheme or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme to consider applying under the settlement.

While compensation through existing MoD schemes can be modest, the court-based route may include awards for loss of earnings and other financial impacts over time, potentially resulting in significantly higher payouts. Recent settlements include awards of hundreds of thousands of pounds to individual claimants.

The original deadline of 31 January 2026 has been postponed to ensure that the forthcoming judgment from the High Court’s test trials can inform the assessment of all pending claims.

The settlement scheme, first approved by the High Court in July 2024, is intended to simplify the process for eligible claimants. Under the arrangement, the MoD accepted it owed a duty of care in respect of noise-induced hearing loss and has waived certain time-limit defences for cases brought through the scheme.

Claims may still be pursued outside the scheme after 31 July 2026, though alternative routes could be more complex and time-consuming.