During the 3rd and 4th week of September MOD will be holding virtual focus groups with Serving personnel and families to discuss eligibility and entitlement to allowances and benefits within Defence policy. We know that due to the mobile nature of Service life that eligibility and entitlement is important. All Serving Personnel and spouses / partners are welcome to volunteer, and we would also be grateful for the following demographics to participate so all are represented:
a. Dual Serving couples
b. Single parents
c. Separated families with shared custody
c. Those in long-term relationships; and
e. Married couples/ civil partnership couples.
The focus groups will be 1.5 hours long and be held virtually over Teams*. We would be grateful for your participation to ensure that Defence policy is reflective of the needs of Armed Forces families.
The focus groups will be held at the following times:
I. Monday 19 Sept – 11:00-12:30
II. Tuesday 20 Sept – 10:00-11:30 & 13:00-14:30
III. Thursday 22 Sept – 09:30-11:30
IV. Monday 26 Sept – 09:30-11:00
V. Tuesday 27 Sept- 10:00-11:30
VI. Thursday 29 Sept – 12:00-13:30 & 14:00- 15:30
VII. Friday 30 Sept 13:00-14:30 If you would like to take part, please contact Leo.Fountain101@mod.gov.uk
The UK Armed Forces Families Strategy 2022-32 recognises the diverse range of family relationships and situations that exist in the armed forces community, its vision is that
“the armed forces community is an environment that is welcoming and attractive to families. It supports and nurtures family life, and its diversity is reflective of wider society.”
Currently, eligibility and entitlement (E&E) to allowances and benefits, in Defence policy, tends to be based on whether a couple has chosen to legally formalise their relationship status through being married or entering a civil partnership. This is not backed up by increasing trends in cohabitation (long-term relationships) and stepfamilies. There are also large increases in dual earning and dual serving Armed Forces families. For Defence policy to remain relevant and up to date, we need to understand the lived experience of Armed Forces families.
*To facilitate analysis of data from the focus groups, participants will need to consent to Teams transcription being enabled
