Charities supporting military veterans who were present at Britain’s nuclear bomb tests in the Pacific around 70 years ago are being urged to apply for a £200,000 fund set by the UK government.

Applicants can bid for up to £70,000 to support the victims of the tests and their families.

The nuclear test veterans were service personnel serving in Australia and the South Pacific between 1952 and 1967.

Families of the veterans say they were used as human “guinea pigs” to test exposure to the bombs.

More than 20,000 military veterans were present during the testing. A study in 2017/18 found that more than half (55%) of those present at the tests had now died, amid concerns exposure to radiation had caused cancer.

“To this day the nuclear deterrent remains the cornerstone of our defence and that is substantially due to the service and contribution of the brilliant nuclear test veterans,” said military veterans minister Johnny Mercer.

“It is only right that we support and recognise the experiences of our nuclear test veterans, so future generations can learn from their experiences.”

He added that the funding “kickstarts that process, and I look forward to seeing the fantastic projects put forward by our third sector partners”.

The deadline for applications is 10 March.

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