RAF News interviews Air Marshal Baz North on the NEM Consultation and why it is so important for everyone to get involved... More information. If you are using a MOBILE DEVICE please use this link
We hear from a serviceman living in SSFA overseas who received a letter
from the local council, stating that they were increasing the council
tax on their house in the UK by 50 per cent because of... More information. If you are using a MOBILE DEVICE please use this link
We hear from someone who wants to know why the Families Federation
appears to focus most of its attention on families in SFA and asks... More information If you are using a MOBILE DEVICE please use this link
Our Stories in RAF News - We often hear from serving personnel who have
claimed, or tried to claim, allowances, such as Disturbance Allowance or
the Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) as they believed they are
entitled only to discover later on that they are not. In many instances
it is because of a particular family circumstance or because they do not
meet the criteria. Some cases then require the service person to repay
monies or...More information »
Periodically in RAF News the Federation uses the evidence someone has
provided to illustrate a topic of concern. The cases illustrate where
policy is deemed as not quite fair or is outdated, or where there is
disadvantage purely because that someone is a member of an RAF family.
In this edition we hear from a family who were posted from Scotland to
England and were told their daughter's NHS Orthodontic treatment would
not continued to be supported in England. The family could either opt to
pay for the treatment themselves or have their daughter's braces
removed...More information »
Periodically in RAF News the Federation uses the
evidence someone has provided to illustrate a topic of concern. The
cases illustrate where policy is deemed as not quite fair or is
outdated, or where there is disadvantage purely because that someone is a
member of an RAF family. In this edition we hear from a couple. He has
not received the extension of service he was hoping for and is now faced
with leaving the Service sooner than anticipated but is too busy at
work to take resettlement. And she is concerned at the substantial debt
they already have and is worrying at the thought of possibly ending up
without a home...See full details
Periodically in RAF News the Federation uses the evidence someone has provided to illustrate a topic of concern. The cases illustrate where policy is deemed as not quite fair or is outdated, or where there is disadvantage purely because that someone is a member of an RAF family. This case tells of a frustrated SFA occupant who turned down the HASC's first offer of...More information »
Periodically in RAF News the Federation uses the evidence someone has provided to illustrate a topic of concern. The cases illustrate where policy is deemed as not quite fair or is outdated, or where there is disadvantage purely because that someone is a member of an RAF family. This time we feature a frustrated physiotherapist on maternity leave who may be forced to pay back her maternity allowance, worth thousands of pounds, when her husband is posted. The lady concerned is required to return to work after one year in order to retain the allowance but has been advised there are no jobs available to her in the new location. Her husband has asked to retain the quarter they are in, for the period, enabling her to return to her current position but was told 'no'...More information »
Periodically in RAF News the Federation uses the evidence someone has provided to illustrate a topic of concern. The cases illustrate where policy is deemed as not quite fair or is outdated, or where there is disadvantage purely because that someone is a member of an RAF family. This time we feature a lady who has accompanied her husband on an overseas posting but now feels isolated and abandoned by the RAF. She says they were ill-prepared for the challenges that faced them and didn't realise how difficult it all would be...More information »
Periodically in RAF News the Federation uses the evidence someone has provided to illustrate a topic of concern. The cases illustrate where policy is not quite fair or is outdated, or where there is disadvantage purely because that someone is a member of an RAF family. This time we feature a family moving out of the RAF and keen to be allocated Local Authority Housing. Although accepted onto the waiting list after providing the 'Certificate of Cessation to Occupy SFA' issued by DIO, the family are very worried that their impending homelessness doesn't seem to be being considered with any urgency by the Local Authority and think they may have to resort to sleeping in their car until they are allocated a house...More information »
Dear Families Federation, I am so frustrated with the NHS! My wife and I were referred for fertility treatment by the SMO. We underwent one course of IVF, which was funded by the local Primary Care Trust and my wife became pregnant. During that time I elected for a posting but, before accepting, made extensive enquiries to determine the impact any move might have on our treatment. The PCT advised that the move to the new location could impact as the PCT responsible for that area usually only funded one cycle rather than three. However, I was subsequently told that because I was in the military we were covered by a ‘reciprocal agreement’ between Trusts and that funding would continue if we required further treatment. I accepted the posting but unfortunately we then lost the baby we were expecting. As you can imagine we were both very distressed and it is only now that I have made enquiries into how we can commence a second course of treatment. This is where the problem begins as the new hospital has now said we are not eligible...See full details
A Serviceman lost his wife a couple of years ago and realised he needed to plan care for his three young children during deployments. His family could only give limited help. He could go for Preferential Treatment. He also explored childcare options and even considered placing the children with foster carers, but struggled to imagine the impact of this on both himself and his children. He knew he could opt for compassionate discharge, but wondered if this was the only way forward. He wanted to bring the situation to the Federation's attention and could consider the policy implications of a widow/widower left with small children yet keen to meet all... Read more 
