He promised a better deal for veterans (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Britain’s wounded war heroes will be put at the front of the queue for NHS treatment and housing under a Reform UK government.
The party’s new defence man, Angus MacIntyre, vowed to this paper that he’d deliver a better deal for veterans “from day one”.
That would include priority on medical care for the rest of their lives, and much greater support on housing for them and their families.
In an exclusive interview with the Express, the 40-year military veteran laid bare the shameful treatment of injured troops who are left languishing on waiting lists.
He told how one soldier, left in agony after being blown up in Afghanistan, now faces a five-year wait for a new hip.
Mr MacIntyre said: “They saved his legs and arms, but they were smashed to pieces and he’s been rebuilt slowly, in constant pain.”
That British hero had “one hip replacement […] and a shoulder joint replacement” but had been left “on a five-year waiting list for a hip with no priority.”
He fumed: “Somebody like that should be at the front of the queue for the rest of their lives, period, done.
“I’m not going to pick on certain groups, but there will be people less worthy of a place at the front of the queue than an individual like that. So something is wrong.”
Mr MacIntyre, who served with the Parachute Regiment before joining the RAF Regiment, said Reform would tear up and rewrite the rulebook on veterans’ care.
He said: “We will look at the Armed Forces Covenant and the whole package – what else can we do for the serving cohort, and what can we do better for veterans?”
The Armed Forces Covenant already promises veterans priority NHS care for conditions linked to their service, subject to clinical need.
But campaigners have long warned that too many former troops are slipping through the cracks.
Mr MacIntyre said Reform could look to America’s Veterans Administration as a model.
He said: “You hear criticism of how long the VA takes, but the Americans have a million men and women under arms, including the Space Force and the Coast Guard.
“We don’t need an organisation on that scale, but we certainly need something better.”
The hardened veteran also revealed how he had to step in personally to stop a young serviceman and his family being turfed into a shelter.
Angus served himself from 1986 (Image: @AngusReform)
He said: “In 2006 or 2007 I was discharging a young man from my own organisation – him, his wife and two children – and he was offered no place on a housing list in Newcastle, where he wanted to go.
“He was told he’d go into a shelter until he got a place. We cut him a deal: he got a posting for two years where he could take his family, which probably saved him and his marriage.”
He warned: “But we can’t always do that. There will be people with families who are discharged into very unsatisfactory situations, and that’s got to stop.”
Mr MacIntyre said he was covering the entire defence brief for Reform, backed by “a huge network of volunteers, unpaid, who bring huge levels of experience”.
Nigel Farage’s Defence Man Vows British War Heroes Will Be a Priority for the NHS
British military veterans who have suffered life-changing injuries while serving their country could receive greater protection and priority access to healthcare under a proposed Reform UK policy. Angus MacIntyre, Nigel Farage’s newly appointed defence spokesman, has promised that wounded British war heroes will receive a better deal under a Reform UK government, including priority treatment through the National Health Service (NHS) and improved housing support for veterans and their families. His comments have reignited the debate about how Britain should recognise the sacrifices made by members of the Armed Forces and whether existing support arrangements are sufficient to meet their needs.
In an interview published on 12 November 2026, MacIntyre expressed concern about the treatment of former soldiers who continue to suffer from serious physical injuries long after leaving military service. He argued that individuals who have risked their lives defending Britain should not be forced to endure lengthy waiting periods for essential medical treatment. One particularly concerning example involved a former soldier who had been seriously injured in an explosion during operations in Afghanistan. Although doctors had saved his arms and legs, he continued to experience severe pain and required further joint replacement surgery. According to MacIntyre, the veteran had already undergone a hip replacement and shoulder joint replacement but was facing a further five-year wait for another hip operation. MacIntyre argued that someone who had made such sacrifices for the country should receive priority medical treatment for the rest of their life.
The issue is particularly important because many military veterans experience long-term health problems resulting from their service. These can include serious physical injuries, chronic pain, mobility difficulties, hearing loss and psychological conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Some veterans require repeated operations, specialist rehabilitation and long-term medical supervision. Others struggle to access suitable housing because their disabilities make ordinary accommodation difficult or impossible to manage. For these individuals, the transition from military service to civilian life can involve significant financial, physical and emotional challenges.
MacIntyre believes that the Government should recognise these difficulties through a more comprehensive system of support. He has promised that, if Reform UK enters government, the party will review the Armed Forces Covenant and examine what additional assistance can be provided to serving personnel and former members of the military. The Armed Forces Covenant is an important commitment between the nation, the Government and the Armed Forces community. Its central principle is that those who serve or have served their country, together with their families, should not face disadvantages because of their military service.
Under existing arrangements, veterans are already entitled to priority access to NHS treatment for medical conditions associated with their military service, subject to clinical need. This means that the proposed Reform UK policy would need to address the gap between existing commitments and the practical experience of veterans attempting to obtain treatment. The central question is whether the current system is being implemented consistently and whether additional administrative or medical resources are required to ensure that former service personnel receive appropriate care.
One of MacIntyre’s main proposals is to examine the possibility of creating a more effective veterans’ healthcare structure, potentially drawing lessons from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The American Veterans Affairs system provides healthcare and other services specifically for eligible former members of the US military. Although the system has faced criticism over waiting times and administrative difficulties, MacIntyre believes that Britain could learn from its approach without necessarily establishing an organisation of the same scale. He argues that a more coordinated system could improve access to specialist treatment, rehabilitation and long-term support.
Housing is another major concern raised by the Reform defence spokesman. MacIntyre described an experience from his military career in which a young serviceman leaving the Armed Forces was unable to secure suitable accommodation for himself, his wife and their two children. The family had been told that they might have to live in a shelter while waiting for permanent housing. MacIntyre intervened and arranged a different military posting that allowed the serviceman to remain in employment and keep his family together. He believes that no former soldier and their family should face the prospect of homelessness simply because they have completed their military service.
The housing difficulties experienced by some veterans are closely connected to the challenges of leaving the Armed Forces. Military personnel may spend many years living in service accommodation and moving between different locations. When they eventually leave the military, they may have limited savings, uncertain employment prospects and little time to establish permanent housing arrangements. Those who also suffer from disabilities or serious injuries can face additional obstacles, particularly when they require adapted accommodation with wheelchair access, suitable bathrooms or other specialist facilities.
MacIntyre’s own military background has influenced his views on these issues. He began his military career in 1986, joining the 17th/21st Lancers before later serving in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and transferring to the RAF Regiment in 1999. During approximately four decades of service, he undertook operational duties in countries including Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as assignments in Liberia and Somalia. He also worked at the Pentagon and NATO headquarters in Brussels, where he was involved in international security matters and cooperation relating to Ukraine. His appointment as Reform UK’s defence spokesman followed his decision to leave his military career and enter politics.
Nigel Farage has presented MacIntyre’s appointment as evidence that Reform UK wants to bring people with substantial professional and practical experience into its senior political team. The party has repeatedly argued that Britain’s Armed Forces have experienced years of underinvestment and that military personnel have not received sufficient recognition or support. Reform has also indicated that it wants to increase defence expenditure to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product by 2035, with greater investment in military equipment, operational readiness and personnel.
However, improving veterans’ healthcare would require more than political promises. The NHS already operates under considerable pressure, with millions of patients waiting for treatment and hospitals facing challenges involving staffing, funding and access to specialist services. Introducing additional priority arrangements for veterans would therefore require careful planning to ensure that eligible former service personnel receive appropriate treatment while clinical urgency remains the fundamental principle guiding medical decisions. The Government would also need to clarify how priority would work in practice, which medical conditions would qualify and how disputes about eligibility would be resolved.
There is also an important distinction between providing priority treatment for injuries caused by military service and giving every veteran automatic priority for all NHS procedures. Existing arrangements focus on health conditions attributable to military service and require consideration of clinical need. Any wider proposal would need to explain whether it intended to strengthen these existing provisions or introduce a substantially different entitlement. Without clear details about funding, staffing and eligibility, it is difficult to determine how the proposed policy would operate.
Nevertheless, the debate highlights an important responsibility shared by governments and society. Military personnel accept considerable risks when serving overseas and protecting national security. When they return home with permanent injuries, their need for medical treatment and suitable accommodation does not disappear simply because their military careers have ended. Their families may also experience significant financial and emotional pressures while providing long-term care and support.
Ultimately, Angus MacIntyre’s promise to make British war heroes a priority for NHS treatment and housing has brought renewed attention to the challenges facing military veterans. His proposals include reviewing the Armed Forces Covenant, improving access to specialist healthcare, examining international veterans’ support systems and strengthening housing assistance for former service personnel and their families. However, turning these commitments into practical improvements will require detailed policies, adequate funding and cooperation between the NHS, the Ministry of Defence and local authorities. The central issue is not simply what political parties promise during interviews, but whether veterans who have sacrificed so much for Britain can receive timely medical care, secure housing and the long-term support they need. For many former members of the Armed Forces, these are not political luxuries but essential conditions for rebuilding their lives after military service.