Serve and Protect Credit Union - July update

Free financial webinars this July from Serve and Protect - don't miss out!

This July, Serve and Protect Credit Union are delivering a range of free educational webinars on the following financial topics:

• Thu 3rd - Eco-Friendly Ways to Save Money
• Thu 3rd - People Over Profit: The Credit Union Movement
• Tue 8th - Responsible Lending: How We Can Stop Loan Sharks Together
• Thu 10th - Budgeting 101: Take Control of Your Money
• Tue 15th - Harmful Effects of Gambling: Presented in collaboration with GamCare
• Thu 17th - Credit Score 101: Tips to Boost Your Score
• Tue 22nd - The Road to Financial Resilience: Preparing for the Unexpected
• Thu 24th - Before You Borrow: Things to Know

With actionable tips to prepare for financial emergencies, improve your credit score, and budget your money, don't miss out on these free webinars from Serve and Protect!

🔗 Register here: https://sandpcu.co.uk/hs-webinars

Queen Victoria School, Dunblane, Scotland – Open Morning 2025 on Sat 13 Sep

Please contact the school to register for the open event, and for further info go to: Queen Victoria School - Boarding School, Dunblane, Scotland

 

It’s here: Global Mobility Allowance trial begins

 

From 1 July, eligible Service personnel are now invited to register for a new overseas allowance that offers an easier claims process and greater flexibility on spending.

 

Global Mobility Allowance (GMA) is being trialled as a new way to receive a financial contribution towards expenses that arise when you move to or from an overseas permanent assignment in:

• Brunei – 2 Royal Gurkha Rifles (2RGR) and Brunei Garrison Staff (incl. 667 Sqn, 5AAC) only
• USA – British Defence Staff US (BDSUS) administered locations only
• Kenya – British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) Garrison Staff only
• Europe/ Rest of World (RoW) – Global Support Organisation (GSO) administered locations only

The new Global Mobility Allowance Calculator (accessible via defnet or Defence Connect) gives a real-time, tailored estimate of the GMA allowance you will receive, and a comparison of GMA trial versus non-trial allowances.

The tool simplifies what would be a complex and time-consuming calculation process and enables you to make informed decisions about your assignment – including considerations on family support, cost of living and financial planning.

The low-down on GMA

• Non-taxable lump sum payment.

• Made up of the maximum rates of existing Disturbance Expense (DE) Overseas, Respite Provision (RP) and Overseas Private Vehicle Provision (OPVP) allowances – dependent on your accommodation status, accompanied status and your assigned location.
• No requirement to provide receipts as evidence to receive it.
• Use it to pay towards what you see as necessary for your overseas assignment.
• JSP 752 provides guidance on the three allowances included in GMA and the types of costs it can contribute towards.

Assigned overseas? Have your say on Service family life

If you and your partner are assigned overseas, Defence wants to hear from you on what Service family life is like. Share anonymous feedback in the Overseas Families Survey.

 

Tell Defence what information and support has helped you and your family while serving overseas, and what could be better. Here are some areas you’ll be asked about in the survey: 

• spousal / partner employment
• education and childcare
• communications
• safeguarding

 

Your feedback will help to inform Defence’s policies and initiatives to better meet the needs of you and your family.

How to complete the survey

You can complete the survey online. You and your partner can share your views individually using same survey link.  The survey is open to all Regular and Reserve Service personnel and their spouses / civil partners. Please be assured that survey responses are anonymous.

You have until Saturday 30 August to make your voice heard.

DIO Families First Newsletter – Issue 28

The latest issue of the Families First newsletter is now available on the Defence Homes website and Defence Connect.

 

DIO Service Family Accommodation (SFA) Communications Update - 27 June 25

An update on communal areas

We have heard from many of you at our SFA roadshows and we know families wish to be able enjoy communal spaces and gardens to the front of their properties. In many cases, these areas provide a valuable space for garden furniture and play equipment.

We have a duty to ensure that communal areas are safe, but we also want to see a common-sense approach that balances safety and convenience for families.

The SFA Consumer Charter announced in April sets out our commitment to empower families and to enable you to take decisions about your home.

For the safety and enjoyment of all, please note the following advice regarding the use of outdoor communal spaces:

Families are encouraged to use and to enjoy gardens and communal areas.
Communal areas can be used for families to gather and socialise, provided this does not disturb other neighbours.
Families have the choice to use items (such as garden furniture) in external communal areas. If families wish for our teams to carry out ground maintenance, we kindly request items are removed when not in use (as they will need access to a clear area to carry out the work). However, if families find enjoyment and pride in maintaining the area themselves, they are welcome to keep their items out.
Please talk to your Housing Officer regarding larger items that are fixed and cannot be easily removed such as trampolines, swing sets, bike stores etc that you wish to place in communal areas.
Items that pose an immediate health and safety risk to others such as rope swings, and tree houses may be removed without notice to ensure the safety of all.

Safety in flats or apartments: Indoor communal areas that are thoroughfares and lead to fire escapes (e.g. stairwells and hallways) should be kept clear of personal items such as bikes, as they could pose a hazard in the event of fire. Items stored in fire escapes may be removed without notice.


For any queries related to the use of communal space or to find your local housing officer, please contact the Pinnacle helpdesk.




Changes to the ORS SFA Customer Experience Survey



Opinions Research Services (ORS) have been commissioned to conduct monthly surveys on behalf of DIO. The telephone surveys, which are answered by Service Personnel and their families, give DIO a better understanding of the views and experiences of people living in UK SFA.



Respondents are chosen randomly each month, and it can be completed by the Service Person or their partner. Anonymised results are sent to DIO on a monthly basis and offer invaluable insights that can shape decisions that seek to improve the experiences of those residing in SFA.



From 1 July 2025, the survey question set is being updated to better align with the nationally recognised Tenant Satisfaction Measures, making it easier to compare the level of service provided in SFA against sector-wide housing standards. While new themes have been incorporated, many questions remain unchanged, and the survey still includes questions that are specifically tailored to capturing the unique nature of Service life.



DIO is committed to using the insights gained from this survey to accelerate continuous improvement, and we look forward to sharing key findings and planned actions, directly informed by your feedback