Armed Forces Offer - Costco

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Click HERE to find your nearest store

BFPO - Important International & EU Mail Import/Export Changes

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Important International & EU Mail Import/Export Changes

The BFPO campaign to ensure mail items are compliant with the new international import/export regulations is working for personal mail items sent over Post Office counters. However, in our discussions with UK businesses and commercial courier partners it is clear that meeting the regulations introduced on 1 January 2021 is proving a significant challenge. Therefore, in order to mitigate the impact on our customers, BFPO have made the decision to extend the enforcement date (previously set at 5 April 2021) for returning non-compliant mail back to senders. BFPO anticipates that this decision will allow for more UK businesses to imbed the necessary changes into their processes and allow us to continue to service the requirements of the overseas locations.

From 4 May 2021, BFPO will no longer be accepting mail items addressed to overseas BFPO numbers/BF1 postcodes, which do not comply with current International Mail Import/Export Regulations. These mail items will either be refused at point of direct delivery at BFPO Northolt site or returned at the first opportunity back into the Royal Mail system.

Please note, that it is the senders responsibility to ensure that the new regulations are followed and failure to comply could result in items being seized and subjected to additional VAT/clearance charges prior to release by local customs authorities. In extreme cases, it could also lead to your parcels being returned or destroyed.

www.gov.uk/guidance/british-forces-post-office-services#announcements

SSAFA: Prepare Your Will Online - Free of Charge

SSAFA, in partnership with Bequeathed, a specialist online Will writing provider, can help you to create a legally binding Will.

Bequeathed works with law firms across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to help people prepare and write the right Will for them and their families.

SSAFA’s new partnership with Bequeathed has created an online platform that will allow access to all our beneficiaries, clients, volunteers, supporters and employees to make, or update their Will online, free of charge.

To find out more, please CLICK HERE

Dealing With Separation for Children

For anyone Deployment or Family Separation can be very challenging - Headspace has created this video for young kids to help with family separation.

CLICK HERE

Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA)

If you are considering boarding school for your child(ren) and have checked the regulations to see if you are eligible, you can request Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA). Please read the CEA boarding considerations guidance (PDF, 277KB, 14 pages).

You can start the process for applying for CEA by completing the CEA request form.

DCYP have produced a boarding school finder website for service parents, which may be useful when choosing a boarding school.

If you are already a claimant for CEA and wish to withdraw from CEA, please read the CEA withdrawal advice. Please then ensure that you contact CEAS DCYP-CEAS-Enquiries@mod.gov.uk for individual advice and the necessary CEA withdrawal form.

For further information, visit

CEAS information 7: Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) and Chronological Year Groups - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

DCYP and CEAS Forms and Information Sheets

CLICK HERE for information sheets and relevant forms relating to DCYP and the Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS).

Inspiring Governance - Becoming A Governor

Every state funded school and academy in England has a board of governors – volunteers from the community, people like you. If you’d like to develop your skills, connect with your community and help give young people the best start in life register to become a school governor today.https://www.inspiringgovernance.org/volunteers/

Read the Blog Post: https://www.inspiringgovernance.org/little-troopers-guest-blog/

For Twitter: Please use @InspiringGov to link with them

Changes to timeline for submission of Indefinite Leave to Remain applications pre-discharge

The MOD has agreed with the Home Office to extend the time limit before discharge that non-UK Service Personnel can submit applications forIndefinite Leave To Remain, with immediate effect.

Previously, non-UK soldiers had been able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) up to 10 weeks prior to discharge. This has now been changed to up to 18 weeks prior to discharge.

It will take time to reflect this in Army / MOD and Home Office documents and websites, as well as other Army guidance documents. In the meantime, any questions should be directed to your soldier's chain of command.