at Sunshine Tour
entertained? While you have access to BFBS TV and radio and can view some British television programmes, you probably won’t get the number of channels you’ve been used to the UK. And whereas that might not be an issue for you personally, for some, not being able to view your favourite shows at the same time as your family and friends back home might become frustrating after a while.
An opportunity to spend more time together as a family is considered to be a huge bonus – Serving personnel feel they are able to spend more time with their spouses and children than perhaps they would if they were in the UK. But there is a danger that it might be considered a ‘holiday tour’ – but this could not be further from the truth. Service personnel assigned to posts in Cyprus are extremely busy and the focus is fully on the operational mission sometimes working extremely long hours to get the job done.
When considering a tour in Cyprus, also take the ages of your children into account if they are going to accompany you. If your son or daughter reaches their 18th birthday while you are there, you might need to consider how their ‘dependant status’
might be affected. There may be issues with their entitlement to free military medical and dental cover, and a bedroom in the quarter; your Service allowances might change, including travel home and they may not be eligible to apply for certain UK dependant posts on the unit.
As you would expect, housing is something most are interested to know more about. Much of the Service Families Accommodation (SFA) in Cyprus is relatively new and well maintained and you will be allocated the highest grade of accommodation available. However, while we were in Cyprus, we toured a number of ‘patches’ and it was apparent that some of the houses do need updating. The majority of houses are Grade 4. The welfare and housing staff acknowledge that work needs to be done and in some areas and a building programme is well underway. It is recognised that some building work is causing disruption for families but it is hoped that when the work is finished, the houses, and the estate, will be much improved. If you want to know more about the type of housing you might be allocated, contact the Housing and Community Support Officer, or the local HIVE, as they will be able to provide you with further details.
The cost of moving to Cyprus was an unconsidered consequence several families raised with us. If you are thinking about a posting, bear in mind that you could encounter some increased costs in your first few months. Of course, the Serving family member will be entitled to apply for an Advance of Pay, but you may need access to funds to cover the such things as shipping your vehicle or buying a car when you arrive with insurance and registration fees on top.
On the subject of finances, don’t forget that you may need to take action if you intend to claim State benefits, such as Child Benefit or Jobseekers Allowance, while you are living abroad. Call the Department of Works and Pensions helpline (0800 055 6688) or go in and speak to your local JobCentrePlus
staff well BEFORE you depart the UK and remember to explain that you are a member of an Armed Forces family who is moving overseas to accompany your serving spouse. The staff there will be able to talk you through the processes and more importantly when you need to take action.
There are some opportunities for non- serving spouses to take up employment in Cyprus but many of the partners we met told us they had been unable to find paid work, so consider whether you and your family could survive on one salary. If you can, it might be an opportunity to do take on personal training and development while you are away and improve the CV! There are usually courses offered on the station. The place to ask is the local HIVE office.
Of course, we all understand that life is different in Cyprus and there may be times when you might need some extra help, advice or welfare support, and there are many organisations willing to provide that support, so don’t be afraid to ask.
We found that most families are making the most of their tour and having a great time. But the advice seems to be to find out as much as you can BEFORE deciding to volunteer so the whole family knows what to expect.
More details about an assignment to Cyprus can be found in the Family Support/Overseas section on our website.
A final note From the outset, it was made clear by senior staffs and families that they would like a permanent RAF FF presence on the island. While we don’t currently have the resources we are looking at the options.
Please remember, wherever you may be in the world if you are a member of a RAF family you can contact us at our offices at Wittering, via the website, e-mail or telephone. And if you have any comments or anything you would like to share on life in Cyprus then we would be pleased to hear from you!
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