Aim

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Aim
To introduce you to the United Kingdom and the
British Army so you understand where to get
advice and information to help you settle.
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What I will cover

• An introduction to
• The United Kingdom
• The British Army
• The Regiment
• Sources of
• Civilian and military support
• Immigration and Visa information
• Questions

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About the United Kingdom
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About the United Kingdom (UK)

• Consists of Wales England, Scotland and Northern
  Ireland
• Population - about 60m people
• Major ethnic groups - White, Asian, Black
  Caribbean and Black African
• Currency - the Pound ()
• Average Annual Temperature 9.7celsius
• Annual average rainfall - 753mm

Scotland
Northern Ireland
Wales
England
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United Kingdom - social culture and law

• UK social culture and laws may be different to
  your own
• UK law provides and protects quality of life
  whilst bringing to justice those who commit
  offences.
• This includes
• Equality of opportunity
• Preventing discrimination because of race,
  gender, religion or sexual orientation
• Outlawing domestic abuse
• Immigration law
• Safeguarding children

UK law
Provides equality of opportunity
Reduces domestic violence
Protects the UK from illegal immigration
Safeguards children
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Education

• Eligible children must normally attend school
  which is free between the ages of 5 16 years.
• Eligible four-year-olds and the majority of
  three-year-olds are entitled to free early years
  education
• Children with Additional or Special Educational
  Needs or a disability must be registered with the
  Army

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Housing

• Service Families Accommodation (SFA) is for
  soldiers and their immediate family
• Monthly rent deducted from soldiers pay
• Seek permission if visitors are staying for
  longer than 28 days
• Contribution in Lieu of Council Tax deducted from
  soldiers pay monthly

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Housing

• Emergency and routine repairs
• Electricity/Gas/Oil Bills
• TV licence
• Telephone charges
• You should return accommodation in the same
  condition as you took it over

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Healthcare

• The National Health Service (NHS)
• Families normally register with a General
  Practitioner (GP)
• Dental treatment also available but you do not
  normally register
• Get to know you local emergency services NHS
  Direct, Hospital and Ambulance

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Work

• Seeking employment in the UK
• Seeking employment on an overseas posting
• Applying for a National Insurance (NI) Number
• Checking employment qualifications and driving
  licences

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Sources of civilian support
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Guidance - for newcomers to the UK
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Directgov
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Citizens Advice Bureau
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Emergencies

• In an emergency in the UK to get assistance from
  
• Police
• Fire service
• Ambulance
• Coastguard
• Dial 999 or 112
• Explain to the operator which service you need
  and where it should go to

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About the British Army
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The British Army
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Sources of military support
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Your Unit Welfare Office (UWO)
UWO Team
Briefings
Homecoming
Events
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HIVE
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Pastoral Care

• The Army has a department called the Royal Army
  Chaplains Department
• Priests or ministers are called padres
• Padres provide support to all irrespective of
  their religion or belief
• Civilian Chaplains to the Military support other
  world faiths

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The Army Welfare Service

• A welfare service for soldiers and their families
• Professionally trained
• Confidential
• Free
• Available locally
• Independent of your unit or Regiment

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Confidential Support Line

• Free telephone and email helpline
• Trained councillors
• Confidential
• Available 7 days a week

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Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre

• You will be told if something has happened to
  your serving soldier
• The Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre works
  24 hrs a day 7 days a week all through the year
• In an emergency (death in the family, serious
  injury or crisis) whilst your your soldier is
  deployed overseas ring the JCCC using the
  telephone number on the JCCC emergency card

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Childrens Education Advisory Service
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Guidance -Internet
Army Families Federation
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ArmyNET

• About 125k users
• Families need to be registered for an ArmyNET
  guest account by their serving soldier

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Army Home Page on the Internet
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About our Regiment
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Insert Regiment/Unit slides
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About Commonwealth Citizens and their families in
the British Army
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Commonwealth citizens

• Non-UK nationals including Commonwealth citizens
  have served with great distinction alongside
  their UK counterparts in two World wars.
• Numbers increased from 1998, and now have
• 6,500 serving
• 3,000 married or in a civil partnership
• Countries with over 500 serving
• Fiji 1,983
• Jamaica 958
• S Africa 740
• Ghana 693
• Zimbabwe 570

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Brigade of Gurkhas

• Gurkhas associated with the British Army since
  1815.
• In 1947 (Tri-Partite Agreement), 8 battalions of
  Gurkhas joined the British Army. Since 1 Jul 97
  Gurkhas UK-based.
• About 3400 serving.
• 2350 are married.
• Since Apr 07 after 5 years service
• Gurkhas may transfer to the wider
• Army.
• Gurkhas after discharge able to retire in the UK
  and apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

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Our approach

• Commonwealth citizens serve under the same Terms
  and Conditions of Service (TACOS) as their UK
  counterparts.
• Since 1 Apr 07 Gurkhas also serve on UK TACOS
  though slightly different to take account of
  their unique circumstances.
• Home Office entry visa conditions and or non-UK
  citizenship may affect eligibility to some UK
  state support (particularly for families)

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Immigration - UKVisas

• Part of UK border control security
• 2000 staff working within British missions
  overseas
• They scrutinise applications from those needing
  permission to enter the UK
• They employ Entry Clearance Officers who process
  and can interview applicants

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Immigration - Borders and Immigration Agency

• Policy on immigration, nationality and asylum
  applications
• Border control and entry clearance enforcement
• UK Immigration law enforcement (overstayers,
  illegals and people trafficking)
• Powers of arrest and deportation

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Normal entry process

• Potential recruits apply to Recruiting Group,
  those successful are called forward and pay for
  own UK visa and flight.
• Families apply through UKvisas, may be
  interviewed, need to demonstrate
• Legally married/civil partnership
• Intend to live together
• Have met each other
• Financial support/accommodation
• available without recourse to
• public funds
• A UK Exempt Armed Forces Dependants Visa may be
  granted for up to 4 years (200 per person),
  passport endorsed or application refused.
• Families pay for their own travel to the UK.

• Clear entry controls
• Soldiers get a free Exempt Immigration Control
  endorsement once they have joined the Army
• Families in Germany apply to their units for a
  Status of Forces Agreement stamp
• In UK prior to expiry of current visa apply for
  an up to 4 year Exempt Armed Forces Dependants
  visa (395 per family)
• Passport/UK visa renewal normally a personal
  responsibility, duty travel/visas paid for

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UK State benefits -No recourse to public funds

• Eligible serving soldiers may claim the following
  on behalf of their family
• Child Benefit
• Working/Child Tax Credit
• Sure Start maternity grant
• Spouses/Civil Partners with no recourse to
  public funds are normally ineligible for the
  following
• Income Support and Job Seekers Allowance
• Housing and Homelessness assistance
• Housing and Council tax benefit
• A social fund payment, Disability allowance,
  Carers allowance
• This is because their Serving soldier, as
  sponsor, has agreed to support their family
  financially during their stay in the UK
• Spouses/Civil Partners who have paid enough
  National Insurance contributions may be eligible
  to certain benefits and some bilateral
  arrangements exist between the UK and other
  counties. Check with Job Centre Plus or the
  Government Department concerned if unsure
• Heath and Education do not count as public funds

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UK Nationality in Service

• UK Home Secretary announced a change to UK
  naturalisation policy 22 Nov 06
• Eligible Commonwealth citizens (Regular soldiers)
  can count their service, at home and abroad,
  towards the residency criteria for an application
  for British citizenship whilst still serving
• Gurkhas only eligible if transfer out of Brigade
  of Gurkhas
• Accompanying families better off but not normally
  able to apply at the same time as serving soldier
• Note dual nationality implications

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Estrangement

• Should couples decide to end legal a legal
  relationship units notify Borders and Immigration
  Agency (BIA)
• Current visas remains valid though some may have
  no recourse to public funds so units advise those
  estranging spouse to use the 93 days' Notice to
  Vacate period to
• Decide if they wish to apply to remain in the UK
  at the end of their current visa
• Ensure that they have sufficient means of support
  and accommodation if they are not planning to
  leave the UK
• Regularise their families immigration status
  directly with the Borders and Immigration Agency
  (BIA) or plan on leaving the UK by the end of
  their current visa period (note taken by BIA of
  Domestic violence)
• and provide the estranged spouse with contact
  details for BIA and welfare support agencies

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Discharge

• If already a UK national, normal discharge
• Units notify BIA on discharge
• Discharge normally takes place in the UK,
  eligible individuals may apply for ILR
  (settlement) up to 10 weeks prior to discharge
• Immigration control re-imposed by BIA during unit
  discharge process on both soldier and family
• Individuals are not regarded as overstayers
  providing within 28 days of discharge they have
  applied to regularise their immigration status
  with the BIA
• Like their UK counterparts individuals must plan
  on being self supporting (normally unable to work
  or access to public funds until immigration
  status regularised)
• For less than 4 years service, leave to remain is
  at Home Office discretion but new policy for
  medical dischargees

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Any questions?
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Summary

• Remember you can always seek assistance from
• Unit Welfare Office
• Padre
• HIVE
• Army Welfare Service
• Confidential Support Line
• Army Families Federation
• Your doctor or general practitioner
• I hope this has helped introduce you to the
  United Kingdom, the British Army and our Regiment
  
• If you found this useful, please tell your
  friends so they can attend the next one

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