Are you in an established long-term relationship (LTR(E)) and posted to the Falkland Islands or Cyprus? If so, you may be eligible to be part of a new pilot which runs until 31 March 2025 which will enable you and your family to access SFA in these locations.
AM I ENTITLED?
- You must be a UK Regular or Full Time Reserve Service (Full Commitment).
- Have an assignment, whether current or new, which must be designated as accompanied.
- You must have a registered LTR(E) on JPA and more than six months left on your assignment order.
- Your partner and children must meet the relevant supportability requirements for the specific site before permission will be given.
- If you are dual serving, and both are assigned to the same pilot location, you will be able to apply.
CAN I APPLY?
- If you are newly assigned to either of the locations or a newly registered LTR(E), with an accommodation required-by date from now until 31 March 2025, you can apply.
WHAT AM I ENTITLED TO?
- Allocations for LTR(E) personnel will be in line with current entitlements i.e. rank-based for officers and needs-based for other ranks.
- There is no entitlement to SSFA – if no SFA at entitlement is available, then one up or down will be considered.
- There is no entitlement to transitional protection when you return to the UK should the Modernised Accommodation Offer policy be live at that point.
- Entitlement will continue until the end of the pilot period or the qualifying assignment end date, whichever is later.
VISAS
The MOD definition of a long-term relationship differs to the Home Office definition and therefore if your LTR(E) partner is not a UK passport holder, you must show that you have lived together for at least two years to be eligible for a visa as a partner of a serving person.
The Home Office will expect evidence of this cohabitation. If you are not married and you cannot evidence that you have lived together for two years, then under current rules you will not meet the definition of a partner and will consequently not be eligible for a visa under armed forces immigration rules. There is no discretion to overlook this requirement. You will not be eligible for SFA unless you have a visa under armed forces immigration rules.
OVERSEAS STATUS
- SBA Cyprus – ‘on-island’ status will be provided by a Sovereign Base Area Administration (SBAA) status card for service personnel, their long-term partner and any service-recognised children. This will grant status and access to SBA-delivered medical and health provisions.
- The Falkland Islands – there are no visa requirements for service personnel or their family to live on the island. Entitled residency will grant status and access to defence-provided medical and health provisions. For a working visa, the local process should be followed once on the island.
CAN I CLAIM ANY ALLOWANCES DURING THE PILOT?
- A specific package of allowances has been created for the pilot locations which you can claim during the pilot only.
- The serving person will need to contact the J1 branch and request a temporary change to PstatCat 1/1s on JPA for the duration of your time on the pilot.
- This will allow you to claim certain allowances, however, it will not entitle you to Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) or Longer Separation Allowance (LSA). For more details, contact your unit admin team.
Main photo: Legendary bridge of lovers, Cyprus. Image: Adobe.com