Armed Forces families deployed overseas will save thousands of
pounds a year in childcare costs as the government increases
support for service personnel, building on its commitment to
renew the nation's contract with those who serve.
The announcement forms part of a drive to boost military morale
from Ministers, ahead of the first Parliamentary debate on the
government's landmark Armed Forces Commissioner Bill on Monday
(18 November).
Defence Secretary MP is extending a scheme which
helps service families in the UK pay for wraparound childcare, to
those based abroad. Hundreds of families will be able to claim up
to 20 hours a week of funded before and after school childcare,
saving around £3,400-a-year.
The government is renewing the nation's contract with those who
serve, and have served, and the expansion of the Wraparound
Childcare scheme to families deployed around the world recognises
the unique challenges faced by parents serving abroad and the
increased cost of living.
The expansion, expected to cost £3m over the next 5 years, is
testament to the government's commitment to always putting
personnel at the heart of future defence plans.
Defence Secretary MP said:
“We are on a drive to boost military morale and deliver on our
manifesto promise to renew the nation's contract with those who
serve – from establishing a strong, independent Armed Forces
Commissioner to providing the largest pay rise for personnel in
decades.
“We ask our Armed Forces to make extraordinary sacrifices to
defend UK interests and keep us all safe.
“We recognise the commitment of service families based abroad and
that is why we are stepping up support, with the expansion of
wraparound childcare set to save families thousands of pounds a
year.
Tackling the ongoing Armed Forces recruitment and retention
challenges also continues to be a key focus for the government.
As the Ministry of Defence announced earlier this year, it has
slashed recruitment red tape to make the process more
straightforward for those wanting to join the military. Through
the removal of 100 unnecessary medical policies such as blocking
some sufferers of hay fever, eczema, and acne, more than 700
applications have been reconsidered.
These reforms follow the government announcing the largest Armed
Forces pay increases for 22 years. The pay rise awarded an
average 6% pay rise with new recruits receiving a 35% rise,
ensuring all members of the Armed Forces receive at least the
National Living Wage for the first time. This acknowledges the
extraordinary sacrifices made by personnel to protect and serve
the UK and will help address recruitment and retention
challenges, especially in light of rising cost of living
pressures.
Minister for Armed Forces MP said:
“Armed Forces families deployed overseas give up so much to
protect the UK and for the first time, the government is ensuring
they can access the same level of support as those back home.
“The government will always stand up for the Armed Forces, and we
will not rest until we have lifted military morale.
“We inherited a talented yet demoralised Armed Forces and so we
are taking direct action to address this head on - ensuring their
service and sacrifice are properly recognised and rewarded.”
This extra support comes as landmark government legislation to
establish the first ever independent champion for serving
personnel and their families returns to the House of Commons on
Monday (18 November) for its Second Reading.
The Armed Forces Commissioner Bill will deliver a manifesto
commitment and help drive improvements to service life by giving
those who serve and their families a strong, independent voice
that can hold government and the Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Air
Force to account.
The new Armed Forces Commissioner will be a direct point of
contact for serving personnel and their families to raise issues
that impact service life, including housing and equipment.
They will have powers to visit sites unannounced and report to
Parliament through annual and one-off thematic reports.
The German Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed
Forces, Dr. Eva Högl said:
“It is gratifying to see that Armed Forces Commissioners are
introduced in more and more countries.
“With the establishment of a parliamentary military ombudsperson,
the institution moves to the centre of society, which is
especially important in times when all our armed forces are under
enormous pressure.
“Since 1959, the year the German Parliamentary Commissioner for
the Armed forces has been established, it has become a
well-recognized, respected and unchallenged institution in
Germany safeguarding the basic rights of our soldiers. I would be
delighted if this success story were to be repeated in the UK.”
Today's announcement also builds on recent government commitments
to support and champion veterans.
In last month's Budget, the government extended the National
Insurance relief for employers hiring qualifying veterans for a
further year until 5 April 2026. And at the start of this
month, the government committed £3.5 million for a dedicated
wraparound service for veterans at risk of or experiencing
homelessness, ensuring they have access to specialist support for
employment and independent living.
The Wraparound Childcare scheme already supports over 7,000
service children in the UK, and from January 2025, the scheme
will be available to personnel deployed across the vast majority
of European countries as well as the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar
and Brunei. The scheme supports forces families with children
aged 4-11, or 4-16 if receiving government disability allowances.
