Afghan interpreter’s compensation claim rejected over address evidence

Former Afghan interpreter Rafi Hottak has been told his claim for compensation under a UK government scheme is invalid because the Ministry of Defence did not accept his council tax bill as proof of address. The decision affects a man who was seriously injured while serving alongside British troops and raises questions about how the scheme handles claims from people who supported UK forces.

Hottak was wounded in a 2007 Taliban bombing that killed Captain John McDermid; he needed 160 stitches and was told his injuries and trauma would be lifelong. He later worked as a supervisor of interpreters in Kabul, faced threats, and was granted sanctuary in Britain in 2011, where he now works as an accountant. For his compensation application, submitted in June, he also provided his British passport and UK driving licence, but the article does not include the MOD’s response to his appeal or explain what happened next.