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A-Z Index A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | ZArmy Benevolent Fund (ABF) The ABF is the Army’s national charity that looks after the welfare of Army, ex-Army personnel and their families. Working alongside Regimental and Corps Benevolent Funds, and in co-operation with other service charities, the ABF primarily offers financial support to cases in “real need”. Help is usually given to individuals in the form of an ABF grant to supplement whatever the Regiment or Corps is able to provide. For further information visit www.armybenfund.org Army Families Federation (AFF) The AFF is a registered charity that represents the views and concerns of Army families through a network of co-ordinators and representatives. With offices worldwide they receive calls every day from people seeking advice on issues such as marriage breakdowns and posting problems. The AFF also relays concerns through the Service Families Task Force so they can be raised with the Ministry of Defence and other government departments at Ministerial level. The AFF is recognised as the army’s representative and is often consulted by politicians and the media on issues regarding army families. Visit www.aff.org.uk Armynet ArmyNet is a secure website that’s been developed by the army for army people. Each registered user is given a unique user ID and password to enable them to access unclassified but sensitive information including pay statements, welfare instructions and forms. Every user has their own free armymail.mod.uk account that can be accessed even whey are on leave or away from their duty station. Regiments and Corps can also construct their own pages and communities on the site after a period of training that takes about 2 hours to complete. e-mail : admin@armymail.mod.uk The web address for individuals wishing to register on ArmyNet is Army Welfare Service The Army Welfare Service offers professional and confidential support to Army personnel and their families from its base at HQ Land and through AWS staff and volunteers at other locations in the UK and overseas. Visit www.army.mod.uk/aws Benenden Healthcare Society The Benenden Healthcare Society is now offering membership to the armed forces and their families. As a not-for-profit organisation, Benenden already has around a million members in the UK public secotr who pay £1.10 per person per week. Full details of the services offered are at www.benenden.org.uk British Forces Post Office (BFPO) The British Forces Post Office provides a mail service to all British Forces locations around the world. A free aerogramme known as a ‘bluey’ can be used to and from all operational areas and there is also a free online message service known as the ‘e-bluey’. To access the services visit their website at www.bfpo.mod.uk For customer services phone +44 (0)8457 697 978 Career Transition Partnership (CTP) CTP is run by Right Management Consultants under contract to the MOD
and provides a full support service for service leavers. To find out if they can help you, visit their website at ww.ctp.org.uk CEAS The Children’s Education Advisory offers information and advice to service parents on many aspects of education including service schools overseas, boarding schools, admissions, appeals and special needs. A team of 12 full-time advisers is based at Upavon in Wiltshire. 0044 (0)1980 618 244 or military 94344 8244. Contacts: enquiries.ceas@gtnet.gov.uk Child Support Agency (CSA) On 24th July 2006 it was announced that a new organisation would replace the Child Support Agency. Details of the plans and their effect on existing child support arrangements are on the CSA website. www.csa.gov.uk Child Trust Fund The Child Trust Fund is a savings and investment account for children. Every child born after 31st August 2002 receives a government voucher for £250 to be invested in a tax free savings account until they are 18 years old. Children in some low income families can receive a £500 voucher. Parents and relatives can add to the account by up to £1200 each year. Full details from www.childtrustfund.gov.uk Combat Stress (Ex-services Mental Welfare Society) Combat Stress offers care and assistance to ex-service men and women who are suffering mental stress as a result of traumatic experiences. Welfare Officers help up to 5,000 clients in their own home and can also help prepare claims for War Disablement Pensions. Short term residential care is also offered with skilled clinicians offering anxiety management, one to one occupational therapy and post traumatic stress education. For enquiries call +44 (0)1372 841600 or visit www.combatstress.com Compensation The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme covers injury, illness or death after 5th April 2005 caused mainly by regular or reserve service. Compensation is paid on a tariff basis with a minimum lump sum payment of £1000 for minor injuries up to a maximum of £300,000 and a guaranteed income payment in some cases. Where injury or illness leads a medical discharge, an award will be made automatically but in other cases it is up to the individual to submit a claim. A 36 page booklet MMP 125 on the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme is sent to everyone who serves in the armed forces. Copies of this booklet and further details are available from unit administration offices and from the Veterans Agency www.veteransagency.mod.uk Confidential Support Line There is a freephone helpline and email service available to all members of the armed forces and their families. Run by SSAFA Forces Help, the Confidential Support Line is open 7 days a week between 10.30am and 10.30pm (UK time). The trained staff are able to take calls and advise on all situations and difficulties related to service life. All calls are completely confidential. The freephone numbers are:
There is also a call-back worldwide service for anywhere in the world: +44 1980 630 854. For more information, visit www.ssafa.org.uk Debt Problems Free confidential and professional advice for all service personnel is available from:
Defence Discount Directory The Defence Discount Directory is now available online at www.forcesdiscounts-mod.co.uk E-Bluey The E-Bluey is an online version of the British Forces aerogramme known as the ‘Bluey’. Anyone with access to a PC can log onto the BFPO Website and register as an E-Bluey user. Messages are sent in confidence, printed and delivered locally, either overseas or in the UK, and can now include digital photos. In addition there is a 2 way messaging service to twenty four operational areas around the world. You can also send flowers, cards and chocolates using the E-Bluey system. For more information, visit www.bfpo.mod.uk Family Escort Service SSAFA Forces Help offers a Family Escort Service to service families who need help with their travel arrangements in the UK. Volunteers meet families who are travelling to and from the UK, as well as assisting a parent who has had to make a journey with children without the use of a car. In some cases SSAFA may even be able to provide transport for the family. For more information on the Family Escort Service call SSAFA on +44 (0)207 403 8783, or visit their website www.ssafa.org.uk Home Start Home Start, the UK’s leading family support organisation, is established in more than 320 communities across the country and also works with the British Forces in both Germany and Cyprus. The trained volunteers offer emotional and practical support to families with young children when a parent is left to cope on their own during an enforced period of separation. For more information visit www.home-start.org.uk Or call:
Internet New information for parents and children on internet safety are available at www.ceop.gov.uk with links to video clips on www.thinkuknow.co.uk Learn Direct All service personnel and dependants over 16 are entitled to free training from Learn Direct. Available through Army Learning Centres, it can be accessed online at the Virtual Learning Centre. Information on the 750 courses is at www.learndirect.co.uk. Enrolment is free, but as a forces learner you have to contact your nearest Army Learning Centre or the Virtual Learning Centre. Philip Arundel is the Virtual Navigator based at Tidworth. Further information visit www.virtualnavigator.info Or contact:
Long
Service Advance of Pay (LSAP) Tel:
Salisbury Mil 94331 2575 MoD Oracle MoD Oracle is a website that offers a wide range of information and advice on service life, as well as providing an up to date news service. It’s totally independent of the Ministry of Defence and is run by a team of ex-military and police personnel. MoD Oracle provides in depth information on topics related to life in the forces such as recruitment, re-settlement and career opportunities. They are also able to give essential advice on children’s education, finance and other personal issues. To find out more, visit www.modoracle.com Relate The Relate counselling service is available free of charge to service couples in Germany. You can contact Relate from any military extension in Germany by dialling 181. For general advice on relationship problems the Relate website is www.relate.org. Service couples in other overseas locations can also get help or advice from Unit Welfare Officers, the Army Welfare Service and SSAFA.
The RAFBF has a charitable expenditure of £20 million per year
and provides welfare assistance to serving and ex-service RAF personnel
and their dependants who are in need.
For details on how they could help you, go to www.raf-benfund.org.uk Royal British Legion The Royal British Legion is the UK’s leading charity for people who have served in the Armed Forces. Over the years they have helped tens of thousands of people who have suffered injury or illness as a result of their service as well as offering support to those having difficulties adjusting to civilian life. The RBL has a confidential information helpline for the ex-service community and can advise on a number of issues, including pensions, rehabilitation, employment and resettlement. From overseas: +44 (0)20 7973 7200 The RBL’s benevolent work is ongoing with no need too little or too big. There are many services on offer including:
The RBL has a Vocational Assessment Centre that provides opportunities for disabled ex?service personnel to rehabilitate themselves in order to prepare for training or employment. Advice on small businesses and loans are also available for unemployed ex?service personnel who are in need of financial help to get a business off the ground. Find out how the Royal British Legion could help you via the website:
Service Children’s Education (SCE) Service Children’s Education is based at Wegberg in Germany and provides schooling facilities for children in the following locations:
You can contact SCE via their website www.sceschools.com SPACES (Single Persons Accom Centre for Ex-Services) Based within the welfare complex at Catterick Garrison and run by the English Churches Housing Group (in association with the Joint Service Housing Advice Office), SPACES is an organisation designed to help single ex-service regulars find suitable accommodation when they leave the forces. To see if SPACES could help you visit www.spaces.org.uk SSAFA (Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Families Association) SSAFA is a charity that helps both service and ex-service personnel and families in need. There are more than 7,000 volunteers and professionals who are trained to offer practical help and support. The help on offer includes:
All services are completely confidential. Visit SSAFA’s website: www.ssafa.org.uk Stop Smoking Help and advice on how to give up smoking is available at all forces medical centres. Service personnel are also entitled to free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in the form of patches, gum and lozenges. For more tips on stopping smoking, see: Surplus Quarters (Annington Homes) The sale of surplus married quarters is handled by Annington Homes (the largest private owners of residential properties in the UK). Annington owns more than 57,000 types of property in the UK, most of which are leased back to the MoD for use by the services. Up to half of all properties sold are allocated to Forces buyers who receive special discounts depending on their length of service. By registering with Annington you will receive information on all the latest sales and developments. For more information, visit www.annington.co.uk TOPAS TOPAS is an official personal accident scheme designed to help any MOD employee who may have been involved in an accident whilst at work. TOPAS offers free legal advice and representation throughout all claims pursuits. The time limit for claims under TOPAS is 3 years from the date of the accident. To find out more visit www.topas.org.uk Or call +44 (0)870 998 9000. Veterans Agency The Veterans Agency offers help and advice to veterans and their families. The agency website is expanding all the time and provides links to a wide range of Government services. Some of the issues covered: · War Pensions and the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme You can contact the agency on their UK Freephone number 0800 169 2277 or from overseas, +44 (0) 1253 866043. Or visit the website at: www.veteransagency.mod.uk Victory Services Club The Victory Services Club is marking its 100th anniversary by offering
half price stays to troops returning from operations as part of its
Haven for Heroes initiative. The club is also aiming to raise five million
pounds for improvements to the accommodation. Vocational Training Services The Vocational Training Service programme is a fully funded scheme open to all service personnel and their families in BFG and Cyprus. In partnership with City & Guilds and Pitmans Qualifications, VTS offers free vocational training and support – all you need is enthusiasm to learn. Find out more at www.army.mod.uk/vts/index.htm Voting People in the service community can vote in UK elections only if they are registered with a local authority in the UK. Voting registration info is available from unit registration officers
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