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Introduction


The uncertainty felt by many RAF personnel and their families continues unabated: The New Employment Model (NEM) has introduced some significant changes – so far many for the better – and there are still significant announcements to come about further changes, some of which will not be such good news for all. SDSR 15 is happening and the results are awaited with a mixture of hope and concern. For many, workload remains high and the tempo of deployment and training is unrelenting, impacting both on those that actually deploy and those remaining on base but having to fill the gaps created. That said, we have noted a small but welcome increase in the number of personnel telling us they have been able to take leave when they want to. The budget announcement of a further 4 years of pay restraint has caused anger and resentment, especially as the private sector is perceived to be picking up. There’s a huge difference between saying you are going to leave the Service and actually leaving – but we are struck by the numbers telling us they are thinking about it, especially amongst some engineering trades where personnel are very quick to compare themselves with their civilian counterparts. Further, the new pension may be the best in the public sector but it is influencing many people’s decision making about their future, especially when linked to the changes in the Life Time Allowance and a growing sense that there may still be further changes (cuts) to come. All of this puts further downward pressure on the fragile state of morale amongst serving personnel and their families – the principal reason still given for leaving the Service is the impact of Service life on the family, rather than the impact on the Service person themselves.


Accommodation remains by far the number one issue we hear about from our people. The revised Combined Accommodation Assessment Scheme (CAAS) is introduced for SFA in April next year and for SLA in 2017. The details are being explained at length to SFA occupants in the run up to implementation and while it is too soon to say what the impact will be, most occupants understand that it is replacing an outdated and discredited process and is badly needed. Nevertheless, many others are cynical and see it as no more than a backdoor rent increase. There is growing concern that the potential increase in charges could, for some, wipe out most if not all of a 1% annual pay increase. And everybody we speak to wants greater assurance that the quality of accommodation will actually be improved. Unfortunately, the assurances to date are being undermined by the problems our people are encountering with the new National Housing Prime (NHP) contract. We work closely with both DIO and the contractor, providing evidence of poor performance and helping to develop improvements. We acknowledge that the majority of moves and house repairs are actioned smoothly – but we have some horror stories that show that there is still a long way to go until the contractor reaches a level of performance that they themselves have identified as the minimum required. In the meantime, we are hearing more and more the complaint that increases in charges are not being matched adequately by improvements in quality and service.


One other area of concern we are also hearing more and more about is the cost and availability of childcare, which for many is becoming a huge burden on the family. Acknowledging that this is an issue that affects many civilian families as well, we are nevertheless concerned about the continued lack of a formal MOD policy, the variations in charges across the country and the growing strain it is placing on those that need childcare in order to meet their Service commitments.


www.raf-ff.org.uk 3


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