EARLY SERVICE LEAVERS

Transcription

1 EARLY SERVICE LEAVERS We know that this may be a worrying time for you. This Guide has been produced to explain some of the procedures and the actions that you must take in order to prepare yourself for civilian life It will also inform you about the ex - Service and civilian welfare agencies which may be able to help you once you have been discharged. This leaflet is not exhaustive but contains information and useful contact details on the following: Pensions Employment Housing Health Ex-Service Organisations The Service Leaver s Pack is on the internet at: ServiceLeaversPack.htm It contains information which may be of use to you now or in the future. Remember, it also contains the proforma should you want to request assistance from the ex-service charities. This RBL website has been brought to your attention and you can refer to it at any time: Log in details for Civvy Street: RFEA ESL website: which you can refer to at any time. You are strongly encouraged to study this leaflet carefully, and to retain it once you have been discharged. If in doubt, contact one of the agencies in this leaflet for advice and help.

2 PENSION If you have any questions on pensions, contact the following in the first instance: Service Personnel & Veterans Agency Helpline: (free) Textphone: Tel (Overseas): Internet: Transferring Pensions If you are leaving the Services you may have earned some pension rights that you can transfer to another pension scheme. Check with SPVA. If you have served for less than 1 year, pension rights will automatically be transferred to the DWP State Second Pension Scheme (SSPS). If you have served for more than 1 but less than 2 years the value of your pension may be transferred to a future employer s pension scheme. Applications to do so must be made within 6 months. Armed Forces Compensation Scheme If you believe that you have an injury or medical condition that you feel was caused, or made worse, by your service in the Armed Forces, you may be able to claim for compensation through the AFCS via the Service Personnel & Veterans Agency (SPVA, Contact details above). Specific Pension advice can be sought from the JPAC Enquiry Centre: EMPLOYMENT As an ex-service person if you are aged under 18 you should contact Connexions. If you are over 18 years old, you should contact JobCentre Plus. You can volunteer to access the New Deal arrangements at your Jobcentre Plus. Remember to tell your Personal Advisor that you are an ex-service person. They will brief you on the details of New Deal and how it affects you.

3 Unemployed? Between 16 and 18? Unwell and cannot work? Working but on a low income? You must be actively seeking work, be capable of and available for work. See a careers officer. Get medical certification. May be eligible for Working Families Tax Credit. Job Seekers Allowance? Contact Jobcentre Plus Contact Connexions, Jobcentre Plus will provide you with an income support / incapacity benefit claim form Contact Jobcentre Plus Useful Employment Contacts: Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)/DELNI For help and assistance on finding work and on any benefits that you may claim. or for ESL in Northern Ireland. When you visit the Jobcentre, make sure you take with you. National Insurance Number. Temporary Discharge Certificate. additional proof of identity (eg: valid passport; original birth, marriage or adoption certificate; building society or bank book; full driving licence). Citizens Advice Bureau Helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice Tel Regular Forces Employment Association (RFEA). Specialist job-finding service. Jobcentre Plus. Job Search and advice. Tel. National: / Local: In the telephone book Connexions

4 HOUSING Occupying Service Family Accommodation? Occupying Service Single Accommodation? You will be issued with a 93 day Notice to Vacate timed to terminate on your last day of service. Then as an Irregular Occupant court action may be taken to move you and you will be charged significantly more for your SFA than you were paying whilst serving. After your last paid day in the Services, you will be issued with a Certificate of Cessation of Entitlement for Single Personnel To Occupy Service Living Accommodation And Impending Homelessness. Your ID Card will be withdrawn and you will be expected to move out. Court action may be taken if you do not and you will be charged significantly more for the accommodation than you were paying whilst serving. Can I get a council house? Can I claim Housing Benefit? Homeless? You must have indefinite leave to remain if recruited from outside the UK. You could be a Priority Need case. This includes households with dependant children, a pregnant woman, or someone who is vulnerable because of illness or disability; however it does not include those who have made themselves homeless intentionally. Check with your Local Authority. Once again, you must have indefinite leave to remain if recruited from outside the UK. Local Authority Assistance. But housing is difficult to get in England and Wales. Useful Housing Contacts: IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ARE LOOKING FOR ADVICE, CONTACT THE JSHAO IN THE FIRST INSTANCE OR CHECK THE FACTSHEETS ON THEIR WEBSITE. Joint Service Housing Advice Office Headquarters Land Command Erskine Barracks Wilton Salisbury SP2 0AG Tel: landpersawsjshaogm@land.mod.uk Fax: Web: Single Persons Accommodation Centre for the Ex Services (SPACES). Regional and Welfare Centre

5 St Aidans Road Catterick Garrison North Yorkshire DL9 3AX Tel: Fax: Web: SSAFA Forces Help Housing Department 19 Queen Elizabeth Street London SE1 2LP Tel: / housing@ssafa.org.uk Veterans Aid Caring for homeless veterans. Tel Web. Home Base: Bishop Creighton House 378 Lillie Road London SW6 7PH Tel: Fax Shelterline: Emergency advice 24 hours a day for anyone in housing difficulty. Tel NOTES:

6 You need to register with your local Doctor You need to register with your local Dentist. Complete the form provided at your nearest General Practitioner (GP) practice. You need to visit your local dentist to see if they will take on NHS patients. HEALTH It will be useful if you know your NHS Medical Number. If you do not, you will still be able to register. It will be useful if you know your NHS Medical Number. If you do not, you will still be able to register. If you are registered disabled. Contact your Local Authority Social Services department for advice and help. Useful Health Numbers: NHS Direct: Drugs: The National Drugs Helpline for free and confidential advice and information on any drug issue 24 hours a day. Alcohol: The Government-sponsored Drinkline, run by Alcohol Concern on provides free and confidential advice and information on any alcohol issue 24 hours a day. CTP Further advice and Information is available on the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) website. This site has been specifically put together for ex-service personnel by Right Management the MOD s partner in resettlement. On it you will find a menu tab Continued Support. One of the links on that page is to a Life Skills Booklet where you will find links to a range of useful information. NOTES:

7 The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust EX-SERVICE ORGANISATIONS Served in the RN/RM? Castaway House 311 Twyford Avenue Portsmouth PO2 8RN Tel: Fax: Served in the Army? Fill in the details of your Regimental/Corps/Home Headquarters here: The Army Benevolent Fund Army Benevolent Fund Mountbarrow House 6-20 Elizabeth Street London SW1W 9RB Tel: Fax: Served in the Royal Air Force? The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund 67 Portland Place London W1B 1AR Tel:

8 Open to all ex-service personnel Service Personnel and Veterans Agency Helpline: (free) Textphone: Tel (Overseas): Internet: The Royal British Legion (TRBL) UK 48 Pall Mall London SW1Y 5JY Tel: Fax: Scotland New Haig House Logie Green Road Edinburgh EH7 4HQ Tel: Fax N Ireland TRBL N Ireland War Memorial Buildings 9/13 Waring Street Belfast BT1 2EU Tel: Fax: The Pentagon Centre 36 Washington Street Glasgow G3 8AZ Tel: Fax: SSAFA Forces Help Local Branches of SSAFA Forces Help can be found in the local phone book, or from the Citizens Advice Bureau. Central Office : 19 Queen Elizabeth Street London SE1 2LP Tel: Fax: The Ex-Services Mental Welfare Society (COMBAT STRESS). Head Office Tyrwhitt House Oaklawn Road Leatherhead Surrey KT22 0BX For more information and full contact details for regional offices, telephone the Society s Head Office Website: