HMRC: Capital Gains Tax Changes That Self Assessment Customers Need To Know

HMRC customers have until 31 January 2021 to declare any profit made from selling a UK residential property, which was not their main home, during the 2019 to 2020 financial year, and pay the Capital Gains Tax due.

For further information CLICK HERE

Speak Out And Army Mediation Service

Click HERE for more information

PCMF Gout Information & Prevention

(Information provided by Brunei PCMF)

 

CTP Partner Career Support Programme

If your partner has been in regular, FTRS, or MPGS Service for at least four years and hasn’t submitted a notice of termination, or isn’t less than two years from ending their military engagement, we’d love to hear from you - apply now at the link below.

CLICK HERE.

https://youtu.be/nNaBV8bS3LQ

UK Armed Forces Veterans' Health And Gambling Study

The UK Armed Forces Veterans’ Health and Gambling Study is a Forces in Mind Trust-funded project to examine gambling attitudes and behaviour, mental health, and healthcare utilisation in armed forces veterans and non-veterans from the UK and Northern Ireland. It will complete in early 2021.

Find out more: www.veteranshealthandgambling.org/

Participate in the study HERE

Introducing the AFCT Project Finder

The Trust is excited to announce the launch of our very own app, the AFCT Project Finder.

Our free app, available on both Apple and Android networks, is the new way to discover and access the Trust funded projects in your local area.

With easy-to-navigate categories such as Get Active, Improve My Wellbeing, Supporting Additional Needs and more… we’re delighted to be able to showcase the great work taking place across the UK in support of the Armed Forces community.

Our Project Finder can even be accessed via our website, simply click below to be taken straight to our interactive project map.

There, you’ll also find download links to download the Project Finder mobile app.

CLICK HERE to access the website

Tri-Service Regulations For Expenses And Allowances (JSP 752)

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, the Armed Forces (Remuneration) Allowances team has worked hard to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic on our people. A number of Directed Letters (DLs) have been published, adapting policy on a range of allowances, which can be found by clicking HERE

Any individual queries from Service Personnel relating to these DLs should be addressed to unit admin staff.

UKVI Armed Forces Team COVID Lockdown Update

 

UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) has confirmed that with a second lockdown now underway its Armed Forces Team (AFT) will not be taking any new requests for exemption stamps to be inserted into passports of non-UK SP.

·The AFT’s office will, however, remain open during the lockdown period with limited staffing levels to try and clear the backlog of requests that were sent in during the previous lockdown and since the office reopened in July.

Units are advised that with immediate effect they should refrain from submitting new requests for passport exemption stamps until further notice. Regional Command is in contact with the UKVI and will advise units as to when this situation might change.

· Any SP with passports already submitted to UKVI are advised that the AFT will do its best to process all outstanding requests over the next few weeks.

· Any SP who require their passport for urgent official travel e.g. deployment, unit move or compassionate, and have submitted their passport to UKVI for endorsement should contact HQ RC Family Support via their RAO for guidance and assistance.

· SP who do not yet have their passport endorsed and are likely to undertake official travel in the near future can also contact HQ RC Family Support via their RAO for further guidance.

· Any SP with other travel plans that might be affected by the UKVI’s decision should contact their RAO or UWO in the first instance. Further guidance can be obtained from HQ RC Family Support. RC-Pers-FamSp-0Mailbox@mod.gov.uk

iHIVE - International HIVE

Did you know that HIVE provides information on a range of overseas locations?

iHIVE provides local information through Overseas Location Guides (OLG).

Within the OLG you will find information regarding accommodation, education, health, welfare and references to other official sources of information.

To access or download the full guide please click HERE

Free Courses To Help You Learn New Skills Or Get A New Job

Free courses are available through a new online platform hosted on the GOV.UK website, called The Skills Toolkit. The new platform gives people access to free, high-quality digital and numeracy courses to help build up their skills, progress in work and boost their job prospects.

There are free courses to help you learn new skills or get a new job.

Learn about:

Practical Maths

Computer Essentials

Personal Growth and Wellbeing

Professional Development

Business and Finance

Digital Design and Marketing

Computer Science and Coding

For further information please click HERE

Service Leavers' Guide - Revised Oct 2020

Click HERE to view the guide

Brunei: Private Vehicle Ownership, Use & Driving Standards

PRIVATE VEHICLE OWNERSHIP AND USE


1. The use of Private Vehicles by BFB personnel (military, civilian and family members) is subject to both UK Military and Bruneian Law. Failure to comply with the appropriate legislation may lead to prosecution both military and civil authorities.

2. Standards of driving in Brunei may appear to be lower than those enforced in the UK, however BFB personnel are held to a basic minimum standard consistent with UK driving standards. These are laid out for absolute clarity of all members of BFB in BFB Standing Order 1007, accessible on the Sharepoint. BFB personnel are required to familiarise themselves with the contents of the Standing Order and adhere to them at all times.

New Universal Credit Assistance Webpage And Tool

Find out about money taken out your Universal Credit

Find out who to contact

Domestic Abuse

Please click on images to enlarge

Cruse Bereavement Care - Signposting Pack

     

For further information click Here

MOD Issues Updated Safeguarding JSP (v5)

JSP 834 provides direction and guidance on the safeguarding principles and procedures that apply to all people in Defence, both in the UK and overseas and highlights that safeguarding remains a key responsibility of the Chain of Command.

The policy scope has been extended from children and young people to include adult safeguarding and is designed to be used by everyone in Defence, including staff who have particular roles and responsibilities for safeguarding.

The JSP is structured in 2 parts:

Part 1: Directive, which provides the direction that is to be followed in accordance with mandated policy and statutory responsibilities.

Part 2: Guidance, which provides practical guidance to assist the user in complying with part 1.

For further information please click HERE

UK Green Homes Grant Scheme

Click HERE to see if you are eligible 

Latest Offer from the UJC

Please click HERE to see the details

Healthy Soldier Cookbook : Volume 2

The British Army has launched the 'Healthy Soldier Cookbook' volume 2 in a bid to help troops embrace a better diet.

Click here

DCYP's Children’s Education Advisory Service

To view DCYP's CEAS latest leaflet please click HERE

Reading Force: Teaching Teachers About Forces Children

The Director of Reading Force: https://www.rcet.org.uk/teaching-teachers-about-forces-children/ For those of you with Forces children, or perhaps who were Forces children yourselves, this may be particularly relevant. I am speaking at their conference later on this month.​

Reading Force Research Associate Scheme

New initiative: Reading Force Research Associate Scheme. This arose from a posse of students who had been Reading Force children – and still wanted to remain involved. We see this as a way of developing individuals, and particularly young people, who want to get involved, and offering mentoring and support in return. The experience will hopefully develop them and give them material for their CV. If you would like to suggest that a young person is part of this, do please pass on the invitation – see here for further information.​

Department of Education School Admission Consultation

The Department for Education is consulting on a revised version of the statutory School Admissions Code.

Please note closing date for consultation feedback is 16th October 2020.

To complete the survey please HERE

Partner Career Support Programme

The CTP are delighted to announce the launch of our brand-new Partner Career Support Programme – providing exemplary career support to spouses and partners of members of the UK Armed Forces. 

Whether you’re already in employment, have been out of work for some time, or are based overseas and are looking to understand your suitability for a UK based role, we’re here to help you find a future career that suits your individual needs and experience. 

Better yet, the programme will be entirely accessible online, meaning you can begin planning for your dream future career, from anywhere in the world, at a time and pace that suits you. 

Your support will be flexible to allow you to understand your career path options and develop the confidence to progress along your desired career path, all while still having time to meet the demands of Service and family life.

For further information, visit the website

https://www.ctp.org.uk/partner-programme

ISB Adult Learning Courses

 

blurt - Increasing Awareness and Understanding of Depression

11 WAYS WE CAN MANAGE OUR ANXIETY WHEN (WE’RE) IN PUBLIC

Being in public can make it much harder to manage our levels of anxiety even for those of us who’ve struggled with anxiety for a long time and have developed some coping strategies to help us to manage the way we feel.

When we’re in public, not only are we likely to have higher levels of anxiety due to being around more people and potentially in less-familiar places, but we might also find that we can’t use some of our existing coping strategies because we’re not able to control our environment to the same extent that we can at home. We’re also less likely to have things that we can use to distract ourselves.

Please click HERE for more information

Financial Top Tips For Service Personnel

Highlighting common difficulties faced by the services’ mobile population in acquiring credit and offers advice on how to overcome these.

Please click HERE for information

Virtual Army Careers Centres

For information please click HERE

SSAFA: Gurkha Services

Gurkha Services provide tailored support for Gurkha veterans and their families who have settled in the UK and works collaboratively with other Gurkha specific organisations such as the Gurkha Welfare Trust, the Gurkha Brigade Association, the Army Welfare Service, Gurkha communities and others.

SSAFA's Gurkha services are available to all serving and veteran members of the Brigade of Gurkhas, and their families. We provide local SSAFA volunteers with up to date information, awareness and translation services, to ensure the Gurkha community have the same support opportunities as any other member of the Armed Forces community.

SSAFA's Gurkha services are for people who have served in the Brigade of Gurkhas or are the immediate family of someone who served.

For more information visit https://www.ssafa.org.uk/get-help/gurkha-services

Student Guide To Appeals And Malpractice Or Maladministration Complaints: Summer 2020

Exams and assessments were cancelled this year due to coronavirus (COVID-19) but most students will still receive their grades in time to move on to further study or employment. You may still be able to do this even if your grade isn’t what you wanted.

Take a look at our student guide to find out more about how qualifications are being graded this year, autumn exams and the arrangements for appeals. You may also find it helpful to watch our video for further information on how your qualification has been graded. You will see from this information that your teachers have worked hard to agree your centre assessment grade(s) – their professional judgement of the grade(s) you would likely have received had your exams taken place – and your position in the rank order. We asked schools and colleges to use a range of evidence when making these judgements. Where a disabled student would have had a reasonable adjustment for their exams, centres were asked to take account of the student’s likely achievement with this adjustment in place. Schools and colleges are required to comply with equality legislation, another safeguard in the process used this year. These judgements formed the basis of the centre assessment grade(s) and rank order information that your school or college submitted to the exam board for each of your subjects. To make sure standards are aligned across schools and colleges, all grades were standardised by exam boards, using a model developed by Ofqual.

PCMF - Hospital Kits

Parents wishing to stay overnight in hospital with their child can request a bedding kit from the PCMF Hospital Liaison Officers (HLOs). The kit comprises an Army camp cot, a mattress and pillow.

HLO Beth Ulat said: ‘’Parents who’d like to stay overnight with their child in KB Hospital can request a bedding kit from the HLO, as we carry them in our car boots. They are fairly basic and those wishing to stay should bring a sheet or blanket with them, as these are not supplied.

‘’In some circumstances, a spouse may be able to stay with their wife or husband, but that depends on the type of ward they are in. Unfortunately, this applies to KB Hospital only.’’

Beth added: ‘’HLOs will always attend when someone is being admitted into hospital for the first time to assist with the admission process. We will also update the Duty Nurse with any information about the visit. Patients who have attended hospital before and are familiar with the process may not require our assistance.

‘’If, however, you go directly to A&E at KB Hospital without seeing anyone from the PCMF, you should always ring the Duty Nurse to let them know you are going to the hospital and they will contact the Duty HLO, if necessary. 

‘’Once discharged from hospital care, you should arrange an appointment at the PCMF.’’

Pictured: HLOs Beth Ulat, left, and Ann Abdullah with one of the hospital kits. A portable DVD player is also available.

SSAFA Community Projects

Out here in Brunei, our SSAFA team is always busy thinking of ways to help the community. Here are just some of the new ways SSAFA are supporting BFB:

Some of our fitness equipment has been sent to the personnel and families currently in isolation. We want to support these individuals in this challenging situation by providing them with a way to keep fit and use their time while they spend time in various isolation centres within Brunei.

SSAFA have recently purchased a dryer for the Mumong laundry room to help those families who have just arrived in Brunei or are soon to leave. Now you can take a clean, dry bag of laundry home without worrying about monkeys on your washing line

If anyone needs access to the laundry room contact SSAFA or HIVE

Boarding School Finder

DCYP have released the new boarding school finder website which provides information about schools on the accredited schools database. The database is a list of schools available to families when applying for Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA). Parents can now search for boarding schools (both state and independent) using search terms such a location, age range and explicit discounts. The design of the website was shaped by a number of focus groups help by DCYP with personnel from all the services. DCYP would like to thank those personnel that took part in these workshops in developing this website. The website is available at https://boardingschoolfinder.mod.uk or www.bsf.mod.uk. It should be noted that the site works on Google Chrome and mobile devices rather than MODNET explorer.

If you are considering Boarding school for your child(ren), you should seek advice about your eligibility to claim the allowance (CEA) from your Unit HR and chain of Command. You can request a Boarding Schools Pack from The Children’s Education Advisory Service (CEAS) which gives comprehensive information and advice. This advice is also available on the website: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/the-childrens-education-advisory-service-ceas . Most importantly, you should read the regulations in JSP 752 very carefully to ensure you fully understand the implications of claiming the allowance. Advice and guidance regarding children’s education is available from CEAS: DCYP-CEAS-Enquiries@mod.gov.uk , with issues regarding claims and eligibility you should approach your Unit HR in the first instance.

The Warrior Programme

For more information please email: info@warriorprogramme.org.uk

Teen Respect

Click on the image to enlarge

UK Updated Guidance on Self Isolation

Today the Chief Medical Officers for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have issued updated advice on the self-isolation period for symptomatic individuals or those with a positive test result increasing from 7 days to 10 days.

Please click HERE for more information

Mental Resilience In The Time Of COVID-19

In the Army, physical strength is important – but it’s only part of the story. Mental resilience is a person's ability to respond effectively to stress, pressure, risk and adversity, all of which you’ll face in your Army career. Mental Resilience Training (MRT) is the development of a soldier's psychological capability and capacity to respond effectively to the circumstances with which they are faced.

Click here for further information on Mental Resilience Training (MRT).

Union Jack Club - Weekend Special Offer

To view their website please click HERE

Armed Forces & Families Support Available

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Home Alone

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MyHealthcareHub

The new 'My Healthcare Hub' is available on the Defence Gateway and provides useful information on the following: Medical Care, Dental Care, Mental Health, Occupational Health, Rehab Services

In addition, it links the eConsult systen for online triage if you wish to book a medical appointment (which can be accessed by clicking HERE)

Service Children's Progression Alliance (SCiP)

Click image above to read full document

Run On Of Legacy Benefits For Those Moving To Universal Credit

Please click on image to enlarge