The UK Government will today announce measures to help Armed Forces' veterans recover from mental health problems caused by their active service.

The move comes just weeks after a review of mental health among the military, which showed veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were suffering a mounting toll of post-traumatic stress, alcoholism and family breakdown.

Derek Twigg, the Veterans Minister, is due to announce six pilot community health schemes, one in Scotland, tailored specifically to help veterans. They will run for two years and, if successful, will be rolled out across the UK.

A Ministry of Defence source told The Herald that the plan was to "beef up" mental health provision for veterans, and added: "We are trying to make sure we give them the treatment and care they need."

Conditions that will be targeted and which exacerbate mental health conditions include anxiety, depression, alcohol and drug abuse as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Alan Johnson, Westminster's Health Secretary, is due to announce an extension of NHS "priority treatment" to all veterans whose ill health is related to their Armed Forces service. At present, priority care is given to veterans where their need is deemed the same as a civilian.

To access such a priority service, the veteran has to have a war pension. However, Mr Johnson is due to say that the priority service will be extended to those veterans who, for whatever reason, do not have a war pension.

Two weeks ago, the UK Government announced it would put forward a white paper on the welfare and personal support to Britain's Armed Forces. These new measures are regarded as part of the drive to improve the nation's duty of care to those who serve on its behalf.

"We are trying to improve the care for veterans across government departments to give a comprehensive package of support. We are aware we have a duty of care and we are determined to deliver on it," added the source.

In August, the mental health study by King's College, London, of 5500 personnel focused on the 20% deployed for more than 13 months over a three-year period between 2001 and 2006.

It found those who were in this category were more likely to have had symptoms of PTSD and problems at home during and after deployment.

One in four had "severe" alcohol problems compared with one in 10 of those deployed for less than five months.

PTSD was found in 5.2% of those deployed above the 13-month limit, compared with 3% of those who spent less than five months in conflict zones.

The report was published in the context of claims of overstretch in the Armed Forces and found almost nine out of 10 of those who had been deployed in the previous three years had spent time in Iraq.

At the time, Mr Twigg accepted the Armed Forces were stretched but denied they were overstretched.

He noted: "We recognise mental illness as a serious and disabling condition and we want to ensure that our people have the best possible mental health support."