Apply for an HM Armed Forces Veteran Card

An HM Armed Forces Veteran Card is a way to prove that you served in the UK armed forces. The card can make it quicker and easier to apply for support as a veteran.

It’s free to apply HERE

You can currently only apply for a Veteran Card if you have a UK address. Veterans who do not have a UK address will be able to apply later this year.​​

NHS England: Help us to ensure veterans receive the very best healthcare support in 2024

In 2019, NHS England commissioned the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to develop and introduce the Veteran Friendly Practice Accreditation scheme, a free support programme designed to help GP practices in England to deliver the best care and treatment to patients who have served in the UK Armed Forces. Since then, over 2,760 practices have signed up.

To help encourage more practices to sign up, the Royal College of General Practitioners, NHS England and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs are working together to increase awareness of veterans’ healthcare needs and any challenges that prevent people who’ve served in the Armed Forces from seeking help from their GP.

More Support for Service Leavers Transitioning to Civilian Life

Personnel leaving the military are to receive more support for finding jobs in civilian life thanks to a new contract between the Ministry of Defence and Reed.

More support for service leavers transitioning to civilian life - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

New Accommodation Offer: New Accompanied Established Long Term Relationship overseas pilot now live

A new pilot launched today will give Service personnel in registered Long Term Established Relationships (LTR(E)s) greater access to subsidised accommodation abroad. This is another positive step in modernising Defence accommodation policy abroad and our commitment to improve the offer to Service personnel.

The way people live is changing, and Defence’s UK accommodation policy is starting to reflect this. As a result, a disparity between UK and overseas policy has emerged. This overseas pilot, which initially runs from 22 January 2024 to 31 March 2025, aims to tackle this and will give Service personnel in an LTR(E) the opportunity to serve accompanied in the Falkland Islands and Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas using Service Family Accommodation on the same basis as those who are cohabiting or married.

New Accommodation Offer Update: Draft JSP Now Available

Whilst the New Accommodation Offer policy will not come into effect until 11 March 2024, the draft of the new JSP 464 'Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations' is being shared with Service personnel now so that they have access to detailed policy information to help inform any future accommodation decisions they may be making. The JSP will be re-issued as 'live' policy on 11 March 2024 to replace the current version of JSP 464.

Parts 1 to 8 of the draft JSP are available on Gov.uk. Parts 9 to 11 will cover Forces Help to Buy, the Combined Accommodation Assessment System for SFA and Four-Tier Grading for SLA – these are not being released now as the policy remains the same as under the current regulations. Part 12 will cover the complaints processes which will be published when the new policy comes into effect.

Link to Draft JSP: Draft tri-service accommodation regulations (TSARs) (JSP 464) - March 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Link to New Accommodation Offer SWAY: New Accommodation Offer Update release 19 Jan 2024 (cloud.microsoft)

Blind Veterans UK - Volunteer with us

Blind Veterans Uk - Our volunteers are vital to the work that we do. You could make a huge difference to a blind veteran's life by volunteering with us.

For more information please visit: www.blindveterans.org.uk/volunteer

New guidance for school governors and trustees on supporting Service children

To help schools and trusts to better understand the educational related challenges that Service children may face, and to help them thrive in education, the National Governance Association (NGA) has issued new guidance for school governing boards and trustees. The NGA created this guidance in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence – who provide statutory guidance for schools on the Armed Forces Covenant Duty – and the Service Children’s Progression (SCiP) Alliance.

The guidance:  NGA Information Sheet
* Outlines the education-related disadvantages that can arise for Service children and the potential impact of parental deployment, separation and family mobility.

* Explains the role of governing boards in allocating school funding to meet the needs of Service children and has questions for boards to ask and consider. * Explores how the SCiP Alliance’s Thriving Lives Toolkit can be used as a self-assessment tool by schools to monitor and improve their practice and support for Service children.

* References the Armed Forces Covenant Duty, and which education functions of a school are in scope. If you are a Service parent who sits on a school governing board or trust, read and share this new guidance with the board.

Point of contact: Armed Forces Families & Safeguarding - Education Policy Team:
People-affs-education-mailbox@mod.gov.uk 

Your voice counts – AFCAS 2024

As we enter 2024, the opportunity to get involved in AFCAS is almost at its end. Don’t miss the chance to voice your thoughts.

Complete the annual survey to help Defence achieve its goal of improving the daily lives for members of the Armed Forces and their families. Every response counts.

Everyone can have their say, whether in the selected sample or not!

- If you have been selected to complete AFCAS, you will have been sent an email containing information on how to access the survey.

- If you aren’t in the sample, you can still make your voice heard by completing the shorter survey.

- Don’t miss your chance to tell Defence what is going well and where we can improve.

- The valuable feedback you provide will go a long way in supporting the lives of our serving personnel and their families.

- Completing the AFCAS Survey allows a safe space for you to share your thoughts and opinions on what you feel most positively about as well as what you feel needs changing.

Defence Medical Welfare Services

Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service

 

Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service

After serving in the Armed Forces, some people find it hard to adjust to civvy street. If you’re struggling with your mental health and wellbeing, Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service is here to help.

Op COURAGE is an NHS service in England that’s been developed with people who’ve served in the Armed Forces and experienced mental ill-health. Every member of staff within the service is either from the Armed Forces or has experience of working with the military community. In partnership with Armed Forces charities and NHS services, the staff at Op COURAGE provide specialist care, support and treatment for those due to leave the military, reservists and those who’ve served. Since its launch in 2017, the service has helped nearly 30,000 veterans.

Easier registration and claims process for Wraparound Childcare (WAC)

From 19 February 2024 the way that personnel register and claim WAC funding is changing. The process will be fully integrated within JPA and will be much simpler to use.

​· Personnel that are currently registered will receive an email from the WAC team explaining what this means for them.

· Personnel that haven't yet registered but may be eligible should note that registrations will freeze from 31 January 2024 until the switch over on 19 February 2024.

· Personnel that register between 19 February and 31 March 2024 will be able to backdate their registration to 1 February 2024, subject to eligibility.

Where can you find further information?

· Read the FAQs or visit the Defence Childcare Information Page on defnet or Defence Connect.

· Visit the Discover My Benefits webpage or contact the HIVE, and Army Families Federation information sites.

· Look out for more updates, on defnet and Defence Connect.

· If you have any further questions you can email the WAC team at PEOPLE-AFFS-WAC-FRO-mailbox@mod.gov.uk