Leaving the armed forces
Find out what you should do if you are leaving or have recently left the armed forces.
This guide provides help and advice on a range of topics as you plan for your transition from the armed forces into civilian life.
Leavers’ checklist
The steps below provide an overview of some of the main things to consider.
9 to 6 months before leaving
You should:
- arrange to have a final medical at your current address
- arrange a dental examination if required
- arrange resettlement officer interview
- arrange assignment to discharging unit if needed (Royal Navy only)
- arrange move from MoD accommodation on discharge
- submit AFPS Form 12 for pension forecast
- submit AFPS Pen Form 1 for pension benefits
- plan repayment of service public debt
6 to 3 months before leaving
You should:
- review draft certificate of service and reserve liability
- make sure your JPA record is accurate
3 to 1 month before leaving
You should:
- attend final medical examination
- update post-discharge contact details
- contact the mail office with forwarding address
- record data protection legislation compliance preferences
- claim refund of any resettlement fees
- check medical and dental documents are with your discharging unit
- register with an NHS GP and NHS dentist
- return completed AFPS Pen Form 1 – if not already done
- check exiting process
- get a copy of your testimonial (Army and Royal Air Force only) or valedictory certificate (Royal Air Force and Royal Navy)
- return all appropriate clothing and equipment
- leave MoD accommodation
- for eligible Foreign or Commonwealth personnel: prior to last date of discharge, obtain confirmation indicative letter from Home Office granting 28 days ‘leave to remain’ in the UK if indefinite leave to remain or limited leave to remain has not been granted
Last month before leaving
You should:
- take terminal leave
- return your armed forces ID card
- return service stores and record books (if you have no reserve liability)
Medical considerations
Your last medical examination
A full medical examination is required before you leave. This should be carried out around 3 months before your last day of service.
If you do not attend this examination, your discharge date may be delayed. You may be given documentation to pass to your NHS surgery, and you should make sure you have a copy of any repeat prescriptions to pass on.
To receive a last dental inspection and course of routine treatment while still serving, arrange an appointment at your unit dental centre at least 6 months before your expected leaving date.
If you are leaving the armed forces through a personnel recovery unit or unit command (under wounded, injured or sick protocols), additional support for your continuity of care will be put into place.
Finding a GP
Register with a GP wherever you settle after you leave. Do not leave this until you urgently need to see a doctor. If you have a family, it’s important they register with a GP too.
- Find a GP practice in England
- Find a GP practice in Wales
- Find a GP practice in Scotland
- Find a GP practice in Northern Ireland
Remember to:
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Tell your GP you’ve served in the armed forces. It doesn’t matter how long you served or when you left the armed forces.
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Ask for the term ‘military veteran’ to be recorded in your patient record. This will help your GP to better understand any military-related health conditions you may have and ensure you are referred, where appropriate, to dedicated health and well-being services for veterans.
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Give your GP paperwork and medical records from your military medical centre. This helps to ensure your military health record transfers to your NHS record.
Finding a dentist
Register with an NHS dental practice to be able to access NHS dental care once you have left. Your service dental records will be archived centrally after this and will not be passed on to your chosen practice.
- Find a dental practice in England
- Find a dental practice in Wales
- Find a dental practice in Scotland
- Find a dental practice in Northern Ireland
If you’re managing illness or injury
See Managing illness or injury as a veteran.
If you’re struggling with your mental health
See Managing your mental health as a veteran.
Your records and paperwork
Update your JPA
Remember to keep your JPA record up to date.
Update your permanent home address. This is important as your P45 and all other post-discharge paperwork will be sent here. Ask your unit HR admin to record this as your ‘primary address’.
Update your data protection preferences.
You can access your statement of earnings through the Defence Gateway site.
Your unit HR admin can help you with any questions about updating your JPA.
What you’ll be given when you leave
After your discharge date, you’ll be given:
- a service leavers’ pack containing your certificate of service
- your armed forces veteran card
- your veterans badge
- your returned will form (if held)
If the service leavers’ pack is returned to Defence Business Services and not claimed within 6 months, the veteran card will be destroyed and you will need to Apply for an HM armed forces veteran card or Apply for or replace a medal or veterans badge. For a replacement certificate of service, contact the Joint Personnel Administration Centre:
Joint Personnel Administration Centre
Telephone: 0800 085 3600
Your will, if held by DBS, will be returned to storage.
The certificate of service contains all relevant information for your period of engagement and includes details from all assignments. It is intended as a personal record and a summary document to pass to future employers.
A draft certificate will be produced by your unit 3 to 6 months before your discharge date. It’s your responsibility to review the information and identify any errors. Some information, such as reserve liability, will not appear on the draft certificate. This is because the information is not entered onto JPA until closer to your discharge date.
Amendments to changes of circumstances will not be made after discharge unless there is a DBS error.
Your initial veteran card will be produced automatically as part of the discharge process using your latest JPA contact details and ID card photo.
Start using your private email address
You should use your private email address on your JPA. This email address may be used to provide information after your exit, in accordance with your contact preferences. You should record your data protection legislation compliance preferences by self-service or by submitting a JS Form JPA N003 (Data Protection Legislation Compliance Update by Proxy).
Give your forwarding address
Remember to give your discharging unit’s mail office a forwarding address.
If you live in service family accommodation (SFA), you should use the Post Office redirect service. For more information, visit any Post Office or Royal Mail: mail redirection.
Getting a personal reference
Ask your line manager for a personal reference if you would like one. You must arrange this yourself, so allow plenty of time. There is no obligation for your line manager to provide a reference.
Returning your service clothing and equipment
Return your service clothing and equipment before you start your terminal leave. You will retain some items if you have a reserve liability.
Leaving MoD accommodation
If you live in single living accommodation (SLA), you should make arrangements to leave.
If you live in service family accommodation (SFA), your accommodation charges may go up if you do not move out. Make sure you notify the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) of your discharge date. You can contact the DIO’s Loss of Entitlement Team on:
Defence Infrastructure Organisation
Telephone: 01904 41 8000
Email: [email protected]
If you are vulnerable to homelessness, the MoD has a duty to refer you to the local authority of your choice (with your approval).
Terminal leave
If you have completed your training and served over 6 months, you will be entitled to terminal leave. You will get one day for each completed month of reckonable service up to a maximum of 20 days. Terminal leave is the same as any other leave, but you are free to accept paid civilian employment during this time.
If you’re admitted to hospital during your terminal leave, make sure that your family, friends or the hospital staff contact your unit to let them know:
- the nature of your illness or injury
- the length of time you expect to be in hospital
Your last day of service may be extended to cover the period you were an in-patient.
Your obligations under the Armed Forces Act 2006
You are subject to the Armed Forces Act 2006 until your discharge date. Once you have left the service, you can still be charged with any offence committed against the Act while you were still serving, provided this takes place within 6 months of your discharge date. For the purposes of any disciplinary action, you will be treated as an ex-regular and will be tried by Court Martial.
Re-joining after your discharge date
If you want to re-join the services after your discharge date, you should apply to a National Recruitment Centre. Re-joining will depend on your past record, an interview and current vacancies. If you re-join soon after leaving, you may be able to do so in the same rate or rank held on exit. Your previous regular reckonable service may count towards seniority, pay and pension.
Check the impact on any pension, early departure payments or benefits before re-joining.
More information can be found in the AFPS MMP116 Re-employment booklet.
Travel entitlements on discharge
If you discharge at your own request, travel expenses to your civilian address will not be paid unless you have more than 4 years’ service.
The amount you can claim will depend on your country of attestation and where you are serving at discharge. Once you know your discharge date, and where you will be travelling to, your discharging unit HR admin will be able to give you more information.
Applications for travel should normally be arranged through your unit HR admin and unit travel office. They must give approval before any arrangements are made.
Claims for motor mileage allowance, actual public transport costs or additional fees should be made on JPA or through completion of a JPA Form F016.
You should make sure you submit all claims using JPA if you have access. If not, complete JPA Form F016 and submit manually to your unit HR staff before going on terminal leave.
Payments will be made through JPA direct to your bank account. JPA Form F016 can be obtained from your HR staff or downloaded from the JPA portal if you are unable to log onto JPA.
Security considerations if you’re travelling abroad
Check any travel plans with your security staff. This applies for 2 years from your discharge date. If you have DV clearance, it applies for 5 years.
Resettling and finding a job
You are responsible for your resettlement arrangements.
All personnel are entitled to resettlement support, consisting of time, financial support, training/upskilling and career advice. Contact your service resettlement adviser for more information.
There are 3 lines of resettlement:
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Your unit resettlement information staff, who offer you advice on your entitlement and the administrative process to access it.
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Your service resettlement adviser, who will give advice and guidance on the resettlement package that will best suit you.
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The Career Transition Partnership (CTP), a partnering agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Right Management Ltd, who are global career development and outplacement specialists and part of the ManpowerGroup. The CTP provides an integrated service to leavers of the armed forces regardless of length of service. This includes advice, guidance, training and support to those leaving the military, and also incorporates RFEA - The Forces Employment Charity, which provides lifelong job-finding support to service leavers.
The amount of support available depends on your length of service and your reasons for discharge.
If you have less than 4 years’ service
All early service leavers that have completed less than 4 years’ service will be referred to the CTP Future Horizons team.
Employment support is provided for up to 2 years. If you choose to go into education, apprenticeships or training, support will be provided in helping you achieve your educational goals.
If you have 4 to 6 years’ service
You can access the Employment Support Programme for up to one year prior to your discharge. The programme includes a one-day job skills workshop to help with CVs, interview techniques and more.
A client service adviser is available to discuss plans, and you can access a wide range of employment events, vocational training courses and online support.
Support continues for 2 years after discharge.
If you have 6 or more years’ service or have been medically discharged
You can access the Core Resettlement Programme for 2 years prior to discharge and up to 2 years after discharge. Most people start with a 3-day career transition workshop, but there are also self-employment and pre-retirement workshops, as well as a refresher workshop to prepare for interviews.
The programme also provides a dedicated career consultant for the duration of resettlement.
You can gain online access to regularly updated information on careers, jobs and regional trends, plus tools to help with CV preparation, planning and self-marketing.
A large range of vocational training courses are on offer to fill any gaps between military and civilian qualifications, or for you to retrain for a new career. You can attend a number of employment events, including 9 large employment fairs around the UK.
Workshops and briefings
The Career Transition Workshop enables service leavers to identify and evaluate skills and qualities gained during service.
This 3-day course gives attendees the time and opportunity to concentrate on their future and plan an effective use of their resettlement time. There is an opportunity to meet a career consultant, who will be there to help create a personalised resettlement plan to help meet your individual needs, and who will continue to support right up to discharge and for 2 years after discharge if required.
Other workshops available include:
- ‘New Horizons – Moving Towards Retirement’, which looks at the many options for full or partial retirement
- ‘Self-Employment Awareness’, which considers some of the actions necessary to run a successful business
- ‘Final Approach’ workshop, which acts as a refresher on the topics covered during the CTW but with more emphasis on interview practice
- ‘Financial Aspects of Resettlement’ planning
Events
CTP runs a full programme of events introducing service leavers to a range of employers, from 9 large regional employment fairs with between 80 to 100 employers to ‘live chats’ with a specific employer. These offer an opportunity to research, network and gain insight into different careers as well as being able to apply for jobs.
Online support
Many service leavers are happy to manage their own resettlement, and a personalised CTP web area in myPlan allows them to do this.
In myPlan, you can complete career assessment activities, compile a personal plan and checklist and track your progress, as well as accessing an interview simulator alongside a range of video guides.
Training courses
CTP’s training programme is designed with the needs of service leavers in mind. CTP career consultants are available to provide advice and guidance on choosing the right training for you and your career aspirations.
Resettlement training is split into 2 categories: contract funded and non-contract funded training.
Contract funded
Training is pre-paid by the MoD and costs the equivalent of £26.70 per day from the IRTC grant for every day attended. No money changes hands as the grant is reduced at source. The IRTC grant of £534 ‘buys’ up to 20 days of training and is the best way for you to use your resettlement allowance, as courses are heavily subsidised.
Non-contract funded
Training is paid for by the individual, either using your resettlement grants, ELCs or by self-funding.
Local service resettlement advisers will advise on funding and entitlement. See CTP Resettlement Training Courses.
Finding a job
RightJob is the CTP’s online job finding service that lists thousands of live vacancies for service leavers. You can:
- browse and search for available jobs by industry, location or company name
- receive job notifications and alerts by email
- submit job applications directly to employers
Registration is done during the Career Transition Workshop.
The CTP will aim to establish the type of job you are looking for, your salary expectations and where you wish to work. This will be fed into the CTP job-matching database.
Some of the key companies engaged with CTP and seeking to employ service leavers can be found on the CTP job directory.
CTP Enquiries
Career Transition Partnership
Tel: 0203 162 4410
Email: [email protected]
Web: Career Transition Partnership
CTP Assist Programme
(Wounded, injured and sick)
Web: CTP Assist Programme
CTP Future Horizons Programme
(Early service leavers)
Tel: 07428 705 770
Email: [email protected]
Bookings
To view further information about the resettlement provision, along with dates and locations for all CTP courses, workshops and events, see the CTP website.
To book any CTP workshop or event, please call the CTP’s central bookings team:
Career Transition Partnership bookings
Telephone: 0203 162 441
Regional Resettlement Centres
The Regional Resettlement Centres are:
RC Aldergrove
Building 33, Alexander Barracks
RAF Aldergrove
BFPO 808
Email: [email protected]
RRC Aldershot
Wellington House, St. Omer Barracks,
Aldershot, Hampshire
GU11 2BG
Email: [email protected]
RRC CatterickSt. Aidan’s Road, Catterick Garrison,
North Yorkshire
SL9 3AY
Email: [email protected]
RRC Cottesmore
Kendrew Barracks, Oakham,
Rutland
LE15 7BL
Email: [email protected]
RC ColchesterGleig House 18AEC, Merville Barracks,
Colchester, Essex
CO2 7QX
Email: [email protected]
RC NortholtForce Development Centre
RAF Northolt, West End Road
Ruislip, Middlesex
HA4 6NG
Email: [email protected]
RC Plymouth
Building B133, HMS Drake
Plymouth, Devon
PL2 2BG
Email: [email protected]
RC Portsmouth
Rodney Block, HMS Nelson,
Portsmouth
PO1 3HH
Email: [email protected]
RRC Rosyth
Building 3016, HMS Caledonia
Rosyth, Fife
KY11 2XH
Email: [email protected]
RRC TidworthJellalabad Barracks, North Tidworth,
Hampshire
SP9 7BQ
Email: [email protected]
Finding a home
If you wish to find a civilian home
The Defence Transition Services (DTS) team is the MoD’s focal point for providing service personnel and their dependants with civilian housing information.
DTS can provide advice on:
- housing queries, including the online civilian housing options brief
- the MoD Referral Scheme
For more information or to book a place on a civilian housing brief, see information and guidance on civilian housing.
You can contact DTS by email at:
DBSVets-DTS[email protected]
If you’re at risk of homelessness
See Getting homelessness support as a veteran.
Your pay
Your pay entitlement
You will be paid up to and including your date of discharge. Before the beginning of the month in which you are due to exit, or the start of your terminal leave, you must contact your unit HR admin staff to make sure your allowance entitlements are stopped on the correct dates.
Any overpayments or other service debts will be deducted from your final pay and/or terminal benefits where possible. If there are insufficient funds in the final pay and/or terminal benefits, you will be contacted after your discharge regarding repayment of the monies owed. Any overpayments identified after your final pay and/or terminal benefits that have been processed will also be recovered.
Where a pay award announcement is delayed and a decision taken to backdate to 1 April, Defence Business Services will delay the final processing of accounts for service leavers to a point beyond the Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body (AFPRB) award implementation date. This ensures all records are recalculated and appropriate payments made to all personnel following the AFPRB announcement.
It is important that you ensure DBS continues to hold your correct bank details so that any final payments made after the end of your service can reach you without further delay.
Your address and bank account information
All monies will be paid into the account used for your monthly pay unless you change the details on JPA. Where bank account allotments are in use, or more than one bank account is entered on JPA, you will need to ensure that priorities and payment instructions are correctly set up to receive the payment as intended. Any future correspondence will be sent to your nominated address.
You can change your address and/or account details on JPA online if you have access. Otherwise your unit HR admin can make the changes for you.
If your service ends from an overseas unit and you want to be paid into an overseas account, you must have your CO’s approval, before emigrating to an overseas non-EU country and accept liability for all bank charges and potential adverse currency conversion rates.
Payment of final balance
Your final pay will be forwarded on the payday of the month of discharge once any outstanding debts or overpayments have been recovered.
If you have any questions about your final pay and allowances, please contact:
Defence Business Services Military Personnel
MP 355, Kentigern House,
65 Brown Street,
Glasgow
G2 8EX
Telephone: 0800 085 3600
Questions about income tax payments should be directed to your local revenue enquiry office.
Your pension
For information about your pension, see Armed forces pensions.
Your reserve liability, responsibilities and opportunities
Your training liability
A member of the regular reserve forces can be required to train for up to 16 days in aggregate in any one year or for such other periods as may be prescribed, none of which shall exceed 36 hours at any one time without your consent. You may also volunteer to train or take part in exercises.
Informing your Service Personnel Centre of a change of circumstances
You have a legal duty to inform your Service Personnel Centre (SPC) of any circumstances that may affect your call-out or recall. This would include:
- any change of name or address
- if you believe you have become medically unfit for service in the armed forces
- if you plan to move overseas or be abroad for a period of over 3 months
Members of the army regular/recall reserve will receive an annual reporting letter that will be sent on the anniversary of their discharge from the regular army. Reservists should complete the enclosure to confirm their contact details and status and return it to the APC. For members of the regular reserve, both officers and soldiers, the successful completion and return of the enclosure will result in the payment of an annual reporting grant of £50.00. This grant is payable only for the first 5 years of any liability.
Failure to respond to a notice of call-out or recall
Failure to respond to a call-out or recall notice without leave lawfully granted or reasonable excuse is an offence under the Reserve Forces Act 1996, which may be dealt with by the civil courts or by court-martial.
Opportunities
As an ex-regular, there are various opportunities to serve full-time, such as on mobilised service (for example, full-time reserve service or military provost guard service). Other opportunities could include serving on an additional duties commitment, or as a volunteer ex-regular reserve, for which you would receive attendance-based pay. You could also consider the volunteer reserves (the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines Reserve, Army Reserve or Royal Auxiliary Air Force). More information on the respective Volunteer Reserve Forces can be found on the single service websites.
SERVE – Service for Experienced, Re-joiner and Volunteer Engagements
SERVE is the MoD’s free digital service that offers an easy way to discover reserve, rejoinder and wider opportunities in the armed forces and to stay connected with defence.
Opportunities are advertised on the Find Forces Jobs tool.
Reserves - further information
For more information visit:
- Royal Navy Reserves
- Royal Marine Reserves
- The Army Reserve
- Royal Air Force Regular and Reserve
- Army Cadet Force
If you are subject to immigration control
You should seek guidance to ensure that applications for settlement (indefinite leave to remain) in the UK are made at least 18 weeks before your discharge date, to enable access to public funds, housing assistance and eligibility to work upon discharge. This includes the following citizen statuses:
- British Overseas Territory
- British Overseas
- British National (Overseas)
- Commonwealth
- Gurkhas and Nepalese citizens who have transferred out of the Brigade of Gurkhas to serve in the wider armed forces
Settlement fee waiver
From 6 April 2022, providing all other Home Office requirements are met, regular non-UK personnel or those serving in the Brigade of Gurkhas who apply to remain in the UK will not have to pay the fee if they:
-
have served at least 6 years at their point of discharge from service, or,
-
are discharged on medical grounds with a condition attributable to service irrespective of their length of service, or
-
are a veteran who has served for at least 6 years, or was discharged on medical grounds with a condition attributable to service, and is currently living in the UK and not yet regularised their immigration status
Non-UK personnel applying by themselves, unlike their civilian counterparts, are:
- not required to meet an income or assets threshold (the minimum income threshold)
- do not need to be sponsored by an employer
- do not need to meet any requirements regarding their skills, knowledge of the English language or knowledge of life in the UK
For non-UK service leavers subject to immigration control
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has the responsibility to notify the Home Office UK Visa and Immigration of non-UK personnel who are discharged, or about to be discharged from service. At least 18 weeks prior to discharge, it is the service leaver’s responsibility to regularise their immigration status.
Accompanying family members of non-UK personnel in the UK on 5-year visas issued after 2013 are on their own route to settlement in the UK. They need to remain on their visa until 28 days before it expires. They do not apply for settlement on discharge with the service person.
For more information, see Apply to settle in the UK - HM Forces category.
For general immigration enquiries, Contact UK Visas and Immigration:
UK Visas and Immigration
Telephone: 0300 123 2241
Compensation for injury or illness as a result of service
There are 2 compensation schemes for those suffering illness or injury as a result of service. The relevant scheme depends on when the injury occurred.
If your injury or illness occurred as a result of service on or after 6 April 2005
The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) applies if you have an injury or illness that has been sustained or made worse as a result of service, which occurred on or after 6 April 2005
If your injury or illness occurred as a result of service before 5 April 2005
The War Pension Scheme (WPS) applies if you are no longer serving in the armed forces and you have a condition that was caused or made worse by your service before 6 April 2005.
If you haven’t been able to find a job
If you do not qualify for the full resettlement package or haven’t been able to find a job, you can still get help and advice from a number of organisations, including:
Jobcentre Plus
Your local Jobcentre Plus office can:
- discuss your circumstances and support you with next steps
- help you with your job search
- check what benefits you can get
- help you find training to support you
- signpost to money guidance, such as advice on debt and budgeting
See Benefits or Find a Jobcentre Plus.
Each Jobcentre Plus district has an armed forces champion. If other Jobcentre Plus staff are unable to help, ask to speak to their district armed forces champion for further advice.
Forces Employment Charity
The Forces Employment Charity provides life-long, life-changing support, job opportunities, and training to service leavers, veterans, reservists and their families, regardless of circumstances, rank, length of service or reason for leaving.
Forces Employment Charity
Website: Forces Employment Charity
Further help
The service charity sector provides a strong national network of welfare workers. Although several charities provide welfare staff, the largest networks belong to SSAFA, The Royal British Legion, Poppyscotland, and The Poppy Factory. Any of these major organisations will be able to help or direct you to another appropriate source of help, either among state providers or other charities
SSAFA the Armed Forces Charity
SSAFA, the Armed Forces Charity provides lifelong support to regulars and reserves, who are serving or have ever served in the British Army, the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, the Royal Air Force and their families.
This includes emotional, practical and financial support that you can access by contacting them locally or through their national team.
SSAFA the Armed Forces Charity
Telephone: 020 7463 9200
Website: SSAFA the Armed Forces Charity
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion (RBL) supports veterans and their families with issues from financial and employment advice to supporting with physical and mental wellbeing.
The Royal British Legion
Telephone: 0808 802 8080
Website: Royal British Legion
Help for Heroes
Help for Heroes is a network of professionals and partners providing lifelong expertise, recovery, and support to veterans.
Help for Heroes
Telephone: 01980 844280, weekdays 9am-5pm
Email: [email protected]
Website: Help for Heroes
Poppyscotland
Poppyscotland operates within the Royal British Legion group of charities, providing life-changing support to members of the armed forces community living in Scotland.
Poppyscotland
Telephone: 0131 550 1557
Website: Poppyscotland
The Poppy Factory
The Poppy Factory’s mission is to support veterans with health conditions on their journey into employment and to continue supporting them whatever challenges they may face.
The Poppy Factory
Telephone: 020 8939 1837
Email: [email protected]
Website: The Poppy Factory
To find more support organisations, visit the GOV.UK directory for veterans support.