Afghanistan Locally Employed Staff Ex-Gratia Scheme: further information on eligibility criteria and offer details
Updated 13 October 2022
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On 4 June 2013, the Secretary of State for Defence announced the National Security Council’s agreed scheme to make ex gratia offers to eligible locally employed staff (LES) who have been or will be made redundant as a direct consequence of the UK’s military drawdown from Afghanistan (the scheme). Offers under the Ex-Gratia Scheme (EGS) are in addition to the standard contractual entitlement to a redundancy payment from an employing government department (for example, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) or the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
In 2018, the relocation element of the scheme was expanded to include those who were made redundant on or after 1 May 2006 with 12 months or more continuous service outside the wire on the frontline mostly in Helmand.
The Home Secretary and Defence Secretary have now announced that in addition to the current criteria, LES who resigned on or after 1 May 2006 with 12 months or more continuous service outside the wire on the frontline mostly in Helmand will also be eligible to relocate to the UK.
Those who were dismissed from employment will not be eligible.
The EGS remains open until 30 November 2022, at which point the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) will be the sole route for assistance for current and former LES in Afghanistan, including relocation to the UK. It is strongly recommended that any future applications for relocation to the UK are done through the ARAP scheme.
See further details on the scheme and how to apply
If you think you may be eligible for ILR (settlement) under the EGS, please contact [email protected] with your details and we will get back to you shortly regarding the application process.
The following summarises the eligibility criteria for the offers that were made under the scheme and the terms of the offers themselves.
The scheme does not recognise an obligation, or imply a commitment, to assist locally employed staff in other countries or theatres of operation, past, present or future.
The 3 offers under the scheme:
The offers for all eligible LES under the scheme are:
- a financial package (the “Financial Offer”)
- a training with financial support package (the “Training Offer”)
- the possibility for some LES to relocate to the UK (the “Relocation Offer”).
Eligible LES could accept only one of the offers available to them under the scheme.
Financial Offer
The eligibility criteria for the Financial Offer under the scheme are that the LES must have been:
- employed directly by the UK government
- made redundant on or after 19 December 2012
- in the UK government’s employment for a minimum of 12 months.
Eligible LES received payments calculated by reference to their gross salary, excluding allowances, at the date on which they are notified of their options under the scheme (if they are being made redundant) or the monthly gross salary, excluding allowances, for their grade at the date on which they are notified of their options under the scheme (if they have already been made redundant). In the first month, eligible LES were paid an initial larger payment equivalent to 3 months’ salary, followed by an additional 15 monthly payments, each being equivalent to their monthly salary.
Training Offer
The eligibility criteria for the Training Offer under the scheme are that the LES must have been:
- employed directly by the UK government
- made redundant on or after 19 December 2012
- in the UK government’s employment for a minimum of 12 months.
Under the terms of the Training Offer, LES will have up to 5 calendar years of training or education funded by the UK government and will receive a stipend (equivalent to the gross monthly salary without allowances for their grade at the date on which the offer is made) to support them whilst they are in training. The LES can select any technical, vocational, academic or training course of their choosing provided it is accredited. A training contractor will manage the training scheme, handling referrals from the UK government as staff are made redundant and will carry out regular checks on the training being provided, attendance and qualifications gained. All training must be undertaken in Afghanistan. LES could also gift the Training Offer to members of their close family.
Relocation Offer
In 2018, this was expanded to include those who were made redundant on or after the 01 May 2006 and who have worked outside the wire on the frontline mostly in Helmand for a minimum of 12 months or more continuously.
The Home Secretary and Defence Secretary have announced that in addition to the current criteria, LES who resigned on or after 1 May 2006 with 12 months or more continuous service outside the wire on the frontline mostly in Helmand will also be eligible to relocate to the UK.
The Relocation Offer creates the possibility for some LES to relocate to the UK. It is offered to LES whom the UK government considers to have put themselves in the most danger whilst serving the UK government in Afghanistan. The Relocation Offer is based on recognition of service and not on any future risk to LES.
The eligibility criteria for the Relocation Offer under the scheme are that the LES must have:
- been employed directly by the UK government at the time of their redundancy or resignation in a role which took them regularly outside the wire on the frontline mostly in Helmand
- resigned or been made redundant on or after 01 May 2006; and been directly employed by the UK government on the frontline mostly in Helmand for a minimum of 12 months or more continuously.
LES who are eligible for the Relocation Offer will have been based outside the wire mostly in Helmand where they faced regular danger from threats, including insurgent forces and improvised explosive device attacks. LES eligible for the Relocation Offer will have fulfilled roles such as those known in the MOD as PJHQ job roles NIG 3 L1-3 and NIG 4-6 and equivalent LES roles in other government departments. LES who served for the minimum qualifying periods outlined above qualifying role but who were involuntarily moved for departmental or operational reasons into non-qualifying roles will be treated as retaining their eligibility for the Relocation Offer.
LES who meet the eligibility criteria for relocation under the ARAP scheme will have the opportunity to apply for limited leave to enter the UK. LES already in the UK with temporary status under ARAP can apply, free of charge, to convert their status to indefinite leave to remain.
Eligible LES will be able to bring certain family members with them to the UK. The eligibility criteria for family members and dependants seeking to accompany those relocating under the ARAP can be found in the Immigration Rules:
Immigration Rules part 7: other categories on gov.uk.
LES can only benefit from one offer at any time and cannot change their choice of offer to an alternative offer that they are otherwise ineligible for under the scheme. Seriously injured LES will be eligible for the Relocation Offer where they would have been eligible had their employment not been terminated due to injuries sustained in combat. Such LES may instead choose the Financial Offer or the Training Offer if they wish.