UK Position On Gulf War Syndrome
Whilst we acknowledge that the phrase "Gulf War Syndrome" has become quite widespread in popular usage, the overwhelming consensus of the scientific and medical community is that there are too many different symptoms reported for this ill-health to be characterised as a syndrome in medical terms. The Government was pleased to note that a Pensions Appeal Tribunal (PAT) in 2005 supported our position on this issue.
The PAT also stated that Gulf War Syndrome was a "useful umbrella term" to cover accepted conditions which are causally linked to the 1990/1991 Gulf Conflict. A Written Statement was published in the House of Commons on 24 November 2005 (Official Report, Column 128WS – 129WS) welcoming this development. We hope that the use of the umbrella term will address the known concern of some Gulf veterans that we have not recognised a link between their ill-health and the 1990/1991 Gulf Conflict. We hope that this will help to provide an element of closure for those who have sought some acknowledgment that their ill-health is connected to their Gulf service.
The umbrella term is considered routinely when a claim for Gulf War Syndrome, Gulf War illness or a similar claimed condition is received. Any resultant decision to apply, or not apply, the term to any accepted disablement carries a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal, War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Chamber.