About Forces Online
Forces Online was created by veterans, for veterans, with a simple belief: accessing support should not be complicated, time-consuming, or dependent on navigating multiple organisations before finding the right help.
Drawing on both military service and lived experience, our team understands the challenges that veterans, serving personnel, and their families can face. We also understand how difficult it can be to identify the right support service at the right time.
Since our launch, Forces Online has grown into a nationwide support network operating across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Through our Welfare Support Service, Veterans VirtualHub, Membership Platform, community partnerships, and extensive network of support organisations, we provide a practical and person-centred approach to supporting the Armed Forces community.
More Than a Directory
Many organisations provide valuable information and signposting services. Forces Online takes this a step further.
Rather than simply directing individuals towards support organisations, we work alongside them throughout their journey. Our team helps identify needs, explore available options, make referrals where appropriate, and remain engaged throughout the process.
We recognise that every veteran's circumstances are unique. For that reason, our approach is based on personal engagement rather than automated pathways or self-service systems.
In addition to providing our own veteran-led services, we work closely with a wide range of local and national organisations, ensuring that individuals are connected to the most appropriate support available. Whether support is delivered directly by Forces Online or through one of our trusted partners, our priority is always achieving the best outcome for the individual.
Veteran-Led Support
Our organisation is operated by veterans who understand military life and the transition to civilian life. Many members of our team have faced their own challenges and have first-hand experience of accessing support services.
This experience allows us to offer practical guidance, empathy, and understanding while helping individuals navigate what can often be a complex support landscape.
We believe that veterans often respond best to those who understand their experiences. This shared understanding helps us build trust, encourage engagement, and support individuals in accessing the help they need.
Welfare Support Service
Our dedicated Welfare Support Service provides assistance to veterans, serving personnel, family members, and dependants who may be facing challenges in their lives.
Working alongside our extensive network of charities, statutory agencies, local authorities, healthcare providers, and community organisations, we help individuals access support relating to welfare, housing, health and wellbeing, employment, finances, family matters, and many other areas.
Where possible, we provide direct support ourselves. Where specialist assistance is required, we ensure individuals are connected to the most appropriate local or national organisation and remain available to offer guidance throughout the process.
The Veterans VirtualHub
Established in 2020, the Veterans VirtualHub serves as the operational heart of Forces Online.
The VirtualHub provides a free online environment where veterans, serving personnel, family members, and support organisations can connect directly with experienced volunteers and welfare personnel. The platform offers private meeting rooms, social spaces, screen-sharing facilities, and direct access to support, all without the need for appointments or travel.
By combining technology with human interaction, we are able to support individuals regardless of their location while maintaining the personal approach that is often missing from traditional online services.
The VirtualHub also provides opportunities for veterans to connect socially, share experiences, access peer support, and become part of a wider Armed Forces community.
Membership and Employer Support
Forces Online also operates a dedicated membership platform designed to support veterans, organisations, and employers.
Our membership services help employers better understand the value veterans bring to the workplace while providing guidance and support when veteran employees may require additional assistance. Through information sharing, networking opportunities, resources, and access to the wider Forces Online community, we help strengthen the relationship between employers and the Armed Forces community.
Members also benefit from access to news, information, community engagement opportunities, and services designed to promote wellbeing, inclusion, and ongoing support.
Building Connections
Forces Online works closely with charities, community groups, local authorities, healthcare providers, employers, and other organisations supporting the Armed Forces community.
Our aim is not to replace existing services but to help people find, access, and engage with them more effectively. Through collaboration and partnership working, we help ensure that veterans and their families receive the support they need when they need it most.
By combining our own veteran-led services with an extensive network of trusted organisations, we are able to provide a joined-up approach that places the individual at the centre of everything we do.
Our Commitment
At Forces Online, we believe that support should be accessible, responsive, and centred around the individual.
Whether someone requires welfare assistance, guidance, social connection, practical support, employment advice, or simply a listening ear, our commitment remains the same: to ensure that no member of the Armed Forces community feels isolated, overlooked, or unsupported.
We may not have every answer, but we will always do our utmost to help find one.