Defence Infrastructure Organisation - Service Family Accommodation communications update

Please see below for the following:

• A message from DIO Chief Executive Mike Green
• IDEAL Customer Service notice
• Modernised Accommodation Offer update

New Accommodation Offer Important Update: Extension of SLA Waiver

 The New Accommodation Offer has been changed in respect of the Dual Accommodation Expense element of the Offer. The waiver of SLA charges relating to PStatCat and age are being retained for now and extended to other cohorts who maintain a main home away from their assigned location. 

 Please see this SWAY for more information.

Information  provided by: Central HIVE Hub

Personnel in long-term relationships entitled to overseas housing in new pilot scheme.

Couples in long-term relationships are now entitled to a military house overseas just like those who are married or in civil partnerships under a pilot scheme that is running in Cyprus and the Falklands.

The trial was launched to give service personnel in established long-term relationships access to Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in the Falkland Islands and Sovereign Base Areas Cyprus – where over a third of personnel assigned overseas are based.

"It's about making sure that we remove any unintended barriers to service overseas and we attract the widest talent," people operations specialist Wing Commander Jackie Wren told Forces News.

To watch this video in full please visit this link.

DIO Families First newsletter - issue 13.

A guide for Service families about applying for, maintaining, moving in and out of and living in UK Service Family Accommodation (SFA) - DIO Families First newsletter - issue 13.

New Accommodation Offer booklet

Please click here to read a PDF of this booklet online

2024 Civilian Housing Briefs from Defence Transition Services

Please click image to enlarge

The links listed in the image above can be found below:

Information and guidance on civilian housing - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Help for service leavers, service personnel and families from Defence Transition Services - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

DIO - Service Family Accommodation (SFA) communications update

 

XL Bully dogs in SFA

XL Bully dogs have been added to the list of dogs banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

From 1 February 2024 it will be a criminal offence for anyone, including SFA residents, to own an XL Bully dog in England and Wales unless your dog has a Certificate of Exemption. Further details on preparing for the ban can be found here.

Families living in SFA who own an XL Bully dog must re-submit a pet request form alongside a copy of their Certificate of Exemption to Pinnacle no later than 31 January 2024.

Afghan Relocation and Resettlement policy (ARAP)

New Accommodation Offer explained by the 'Savvy Squaddie'

 

The 'Savvy Squaddie' has released a YouTube video explaining the New Accommodation Offer in a comprehensive, informative and informal way. To watch the video on YouTube, please go to this link: Military Housing Revolution – The New Accommodation Offer - YouTube

New Accommodation Offer - new accompanied established Long Term Relationship overseas pilot now live

 

A new pilot launched today will give Service personnel in registered Long Term Established Relationships (LTR(E)s) greater access to subsidised accommodation abroad. This is another positive step in modernising Defence accommodation policy abroad and our commitment to improve the offer to Service personnel.

The way people live is changing, and Defence’s UK accommodation policy is starting to reflect this. As a result, a disparity between UK and overseas policy has emerged. This overseas pilot, which initially runs from 22 January 2024 to 31 March 2025, aims to tackle this and will give Service personnel in an LTR(E) the opportunity to serve accompanied in the Falkland Islands and Cyprus Sovereign Base Areas using Service Family Accommodation on the same basis as those who are cohabiting or married.

New Accommodation Offer update - draft JSP now available

Whilst the New Accommodation Offer policy will not come into effect until 11 March 2024, the draft of the new JSP 464 'Tri-Service Accommodation Regulations' is being shared with Service personnel now so that they have access to detailed policy information to help inform any future accommodation decisions they may be making. The JSP will be re-issued as 'live' policy on 11 March 2024 to replace the current version of JSP 464.

Parts 1 to 8 of the draft JSP are available on Gov.uk. Parts 9 to 11 will cover Forces Help to Buy, the Combined Accommodation Assessment System for SFA and Four-Tier Grading for SLA – these are not being released now as the policy remains the same as under the current regulations. Part 12 will cover the complaints processes which will be published when the new policy comes into effect.

Link to Draft JSP: Draft tri-service accommodation regulations (TSARs) (JSP 464) - March 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Link to New Accommodation Offer SWAY: New Accommodation Offer Update release 19 Jan 2024 (cloud.microsoft)

Stafford: Bright & Beautiful offer a 5% Military discount on house cleaning

 

Information provided by Stafford HIVE

Blandford: Welfare/contact house short term use accommodation

BLANDFORD CAMP CONTACT HOUSE 

The contact house for Blandford Camp is located within the Garrison at No 1 College Road. It is a 3 bedroom house that can sleep up to a maximum of 6 people only . Pets are not permitted in the house or garden at any time.

This welfare facility is available throughout most of the year for, weekends and full weeks. The minimum duration is 2 nights and maximum duration of stay is seven nights. This amenity is a contact house and priority will always be given to soldiers who have visitation / access rights with their children from a prior relationship. Periods around half-term and all school holidays, will be set aside for this purpose. 

The accommodation is available for all soldiers to book for visiting relatives. these are defined as parents, grandparents, brothers/sisters of the soldier or spouse. If during a stay in the contact house, a higher priority welfare need should arise then as per the signed agreement the occupants will be asked to vacate the quarter.

Charges for booking the contact house are:

£80 Weekend (Friday - Monday) 

£120 Midweek (Monday morning to Friday morning)

£200 Full week (Friday  morning to Friday morning)

A refundable deposit of £50 payable within 48hrs is required to secure booking.

For further details please contact: Garrison Welfare Office Williams Building Blandford Camp.

Tel: 01258 481938 or Mil: 0300 152 6126

Information provided by Bovington HIVE via BGSU Welfare team

Folkestone & Hythe: MyAccount, Access All Your Council Services in One Place

 

MyAccount for residents of Folkestone & Hythe. The all in one place to access your council services.

- Council tax
- Housing benefits
- Recycling, waste and bins
and much more!

Find out how to register HERE

Information provided by Chatham HIVE

Folkestone: Safety in the Community Survey

 

Safety in the District Survey

Residents of Folkestone & Hythe are urged to complete this Perception of Safety Survey, which has been put together by the Folkestone & Hythe Community Safety Partnership, made up of various statutory and non-statutory services.

The information you provide will help make the district safer.

CLICK HERE to access the survey.

Information provided by Chatham HIVE

Royal Mail Home Click & Drop home collection service

With Parcel Collect, Royal Mail pick up your parcels from your home, safe place or work, they will even bring your labels too.

You can also put all your orders from your online stores into your Click & Drop account and get your packages out the door in no time.​

Youtube link - https://youtu.be/CB5SK5k0d8g​

DIO Families First newsletter - issue 12

 

Please click here to view this edition online

New Accommodation Offer - updated Sway now available

 

Updated communications have now been released on the New Accommodation Offer. To view the new information please go to this SWAY​

A guide to preventing condensation, damp and mould in SFA

 

Please click the image above to view this helpful guide online

Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s (DIO) compensation schemes

 

When things go wrong​

Pinnacle administer the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s (DIO) compensation schemes. You may be entitled to compensation under one of DIO’s compensation schemes if you have experienced;

• ​Missed appointments
• Incorrect Tradesperson
• Failed move in
• Total loss of heating/cooking facilities
• Hotel subsistence

Claims must be submitted within 28 days of the date the issue occurred.

​More information is available HERE​

Lichfield: Subscription opens for collection of your garden waste in 2024

Residents in Lichfield District are invited to sign up or renew subscriptions to have their garden waste removed next year.

The service will provide up to 23 fortnightly collections between the end of January 2024 and mid-December 2024.

The charge is £40 regardless of when subscription commences but by signing up before the end of January residents will benefit from the maximum number of collections.

Green waste includes:grass cuttings
plants and weeds
flowers
prunings
hedge clippings
leaves and bark
pot plants
pond plants

Payment can be made by debit/credit card or by direct debit and residents will be sent a garden waste sticker to put on their garden waste bin and present with the stickered side facing the road on collection day.

To sign up for garden waste collection please visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/mygardenbin or call the Tamworth and Lichfield Joint Waste Service on 0345 002 0022.

Information provided by Central HIVE Hub