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Families

Your family is important. Find out how we can support them, including your children's education, wherever your career takes you. Answer questions if you want to see what you may be entitled to

For our Service Personnel and their families

Whether you are looking for financial or emotional support, there are schemes and services available to you and your partner to help you with whatever your life plans are.

  • No eligibility information available

    Spouse/Partner Employment

    Your spouse or partner - and in some instances dependent children - can get help to access employment or start a business

    • No eligibility information available

      Relationship Counselling

      As a member of the Armed Forces you can get free access to relationship and family counselling

      • families
    • No eligibility information available

      Spouse/Partner National Insurance Credits

      Your spouse or civil partner can use this benefit to make up for missed National Insurance payments when they accompany you overseas

      • families
      • overseas
    • No eligibility information available

      Additional benefits for non-UK family members

      Find out about the additional benefits available to non-UK national family members of Armed Forces personnel

      • No eligibility information available

        Forces Help to Buy Scheme

        Want to get your foot on the property ladder? You could borrow up to £25,000 interest-free with the Forces Help to Buy scheme

        • accommodation
        • families
      • No eligibility information available

        Service Accommodation

        MOD provides good quality, subsidised living accommodation for Service people and their families

        • accommodation
        • families
      • No eligibility information available

        Defence Discount Service

        Defence Discount Service is the official Ministry of Defence discount service for the armed forces, veterans and wider armed forces community

        • service benefits
      • No eligibility information available

        HM Forces Railcard

        The HM Forces Railcard will save you 1/3 on most rail fares throughout Great Britain

        Parenthood

        We understand that introducing a new member to the family is a life-changing commitment. We want to help you by offering a number of different schemes, giving you time off work for both parents, ensuring you get Maternity Allowance even when you are not based in the UK and helping with the cost of childcare in term-time.

        • No eligibility information available

          Armed Forces Occupational Maternity Scheme

          As a member of the Armed Forces you get 52 weeks maternity leave and may be eligible for 39 weeks statutory maternity pay

          • health and welfare
          • pay
          • leave
          • families
        • No eligibility information available

          Ex-gratia payment in lieu of Maternity Allowance

          If you can’t claim Maternity Allowance, you may be eligible for this allowance instead

          • health and welfare
          • families
        • No eligibility information available

          Time off for adoption and antenatal appointments

          If you’re due to give birth or in the process of adopting, you can get paid time off for appointments

          • No eligibility information available

            Paternity Leave

            You can take paid time off following the birth or adoption of a child

            • health and welfare
            • leave
            • families
          • No eligibility information available

            Shared Parental Leave

            You can share leave with your partner following the birth or adoption of a child

            • health and welfare
            • leave
            • families
          • No eligibility information available

            Adoption Leave Scheme

            If you adopt a child and are the primary adopter, then you get 52 weeks adoption leave and may be eligible for 39 weeks statutory pay

            • health and welfare
            • leave
            • families
          • No eligibility information available

            Parental Leave

            Take unpaid leave to look after your child’s welfare

            • health and welfare
            • leave
            • families
          • No eligibility information available

            Wraparound Childcare

            Get funding for the cost of up to 20 hours of before and after school care for your 4 to 11-year-old children during term time

            Education

            We can help you with a number of expenses related to your child's education.

            • No eligibility information available

              Continuity of Education Allowance and Continuity of Education Allowance (Day)

              Claim a contribution towards the cost of a fee-paying boarding school or fee-paying day school for your child/children

              • education
              • families
            • No eligibility information available

              Continuity of Education Allowances (Guardians)

              If you place your children in the care of a guardian so that they can continue their education, you could get help with the cost

              • education
              • families
            • No eligibility information available

              Day School Allowance (North Wales)

              If your duty station is in North Wales and you send your children to an English-language independent school, you could get help with tuition fees

              • education
              • families
            • No eligibility information available

              Bereavement Scholarship Scheme

              If you die as a result of your Service duties, your children could be eligible for a scholarship

              • education
              • families
            • No eligibility information available

              Overseas education fees and expenses

              Get reimbursement of fees for education provision and expenses when you are serving overseas in an area where there is no access to Defence Children Services schools and no suitable local school

              • families
              • education
              • overseas
            • No eligibility information available

              Overseas schooling

              If your child accompanies you on an overseas tour, the MOD will provide for their education in a Defence Children Services school or nursery or, if one isn’t available, we will pay for them to be educated in a local school or nursery

              • education
              • overseas
              • families
            • No eligibility information available

              Overseas nursery authority

              Get your childcare fees reimbursed when you are assigned overseas in an area where there are no MOD provided Defence Children Services (DCS) schools/settings.

              • education
              • families
            • No eligibility information available

              Universal Infant Free School Meals

              Get your Universal Infant Free School Meals reimbursed when you are serving overseas in an area where you have to pay for meals at your children’s school or where MOD schools are unable to offer catering

              • education
              • families

            Travel

            We can help your family with travel when you are in the UK or overseas.

            • No eligibility information available

              Service Families Travel

              If your immediate family have to travel to support your Service duties, you could get help with their travel costs

              • families
              • travel
            • No eligibility information available

              Concessionary Travel for Immediate Families

              When you’re deployed away from home, your spouse/civil partner and your children can get help with travel costs when they visit your close family, such as your parents or siblings

              • travel
              • families
            • No eligibility information available

              Families Assistance for Visits Abroad

              If you’re serving overseas you could claim financial assistance with food and accommodation costs when your immediate family comes to visit you

              • relocation
              • families
            • No eligibility information available

              School Children's Visits

              School Children's Visits helps meet the cost of your children coming home during some school holidays.

              Further Help

              • Armed Forces and RAF charities provide additional impartial support and independent advice to you and your family. Whether you need support with your finances, an overseas deployment, accommodation, relationships, or your health, they are ready to help.

              • No eligibility information available

                Charities

                RAF and Armed Forces charities provide additional impartial support and independent advice to you and your family

                • families
                • health and welfare
              • No eligibility information available

                HIVE/RN Family and People Support

                As MOD’s Tri-Service Information Service, the Army & RAF HIVEs and the Royal Navy Family & People Support team provide you with information on a wide range of subjects

                • health and welfare
                • families
              • No eligibility information available

                RAF Families Federation

                The RAF Families Federation provides confidential and independent advice and support to RAF personnel and their families.

                • families