Leaving the Army advice needed

Clarey22

Hi, my husband is in the Army and has served just over 12 years. He has recently been promoted and has a new job which he does not enjoy one bit. He had been thinking of leaving the army for about the last year or so but wanted to wait until he had served at least 12 years so he secured getting his half pension.

Obviously if he signs off we will have to buy our own house and I didn't know whether you can get any help with this. We have saved a deposit of £10k but with prices as they are we may still struggle.

I am right in thinking that because he has done 12 years (13 when he leaves) he will get a lump sum from his pension that we can use towards our deposit or can you not get that until you are 60/65?
Any advice is greatly appreciated and advice on leaving the army in general would be great too. Thank you in advance.

Ivrytwr3

Soooo many options! I left the army and realised it was the biggest mistake ever; so much so after 12 months i joined back up (RAF, not army).

I thought the grass was greener, life would be easier, more time with the family etc.

But it was nothing like that:

1. i worked longer hours to get a decent wage,

2. when i didn't work i didn't get paid (unlike the forces).

3. Not many places offer a work related pension (as your hubby has been in 12 years i assume he is still on 75 pension, which is very good!)

4. Civvy companies can finish you with very little notice or reason.

He only has 10 years left, he'll then get a lump sum, and immediate pension and currently still has a job with a wage coming in. I certainly couldn't risk coming out at the present time, i have a wife and children to think of (mortgage. food on the table etc).

Now about those options:

Re-trade
Transfer to RAF
Speak to his superiors/drafters/chaplain

In the forces world, just because he is not enjoying a particular job, it does not mean he will be doing it for life. His next posting/job may be fantastic.

Ivrytwr3

if you are both 100% set on him leaving, try here for some advice:

http://www.arrse.co.uk/Forums.html

Clarey22

Thanks for your reply. I think he is 90% sure of leaving but as it is a big step we wanted to check over a few things first to be 100% sure. We know there would be a big drop in his salary but I intend to keep on working and hope to even things out as best we can. I know it doesn't always work out for the best but think he is at the stage where he can try it out now and still have a career in civvy street (he is 31) and still have a reasonable amount of time to save in a private pension too. But obviously a main concern is having somewhere to live too so wanted to know if he would get a pay out.

Ivrytwr3

http://www.rafcom.co.uk/

http://www.rafcom.co.uk/pay_allowances/pdf/AFPS75booklet.pdf

Ivrytwr3

ok, sorry, had to rush out.

I used the pension calulator and for a high level Cpl on level 7 after 13 years he would get:

Service 20/01/1998
End of Reckonable Service20/01/2011
Final Pensionable salary 32532


Preserved Pension at 60 £3232
Terminal Grant at 60 £9696
Pension or Revision at 65 £5120
Terminal Grant at 65 £5664
Resettlement Grant £9841

no lumps sum payment.


....

Ivrytwr3

http://83.138.137.164:8080/WizPersonalDetails.aspx

spike7451

Unless you have the means to buy a home when you leave,a council wont entertain your need for a council house for some time,Seven years where I live,so I had to rent private.
Thankfull,the place was damp so by getting a Dr's letter,I was able to jump the queue.

tartanterra

clarey22 wrote: »

Hi, my husband is in the Army and has served just over 12 years. He has recently been promoted and has a new job which he does not enjoy one bit. He had been thinking of leaving the army for about the last year or so but wanted to wait until he had served at least 12 years so he secured getting his half pension.

Obviously if he signs off we will have to buy our own house and I didn't know whether you can get any help with this. We have saved a deposit of £10k but with prices as they are we may still struggle.

I am right in thinking that because he has done 12 years (13 when he leaves) he will get a lump sum from his pension that we can use towards our deposit or can you not get that until you are 60/65?
Any advice is greatly appreciated and advice on leaving the army in general would be great too. Thank you in advance.

He will get around £530ish for retraining and he can also use his Standard and Enhanced Learning Credits for retraining purposes; he will also get time off work to retrain.

As he has completed over 12 years, he will also get a Resettlement Grant of around £9600.

Housing wise, you can now get priority on Council housing in many areas and there is also a priority referall scheme with several large housing associations.

When he does his resettlement workshop, all this will be explained.

Hope that puts your mind at ease.:D

tajna

I know this is not what you ask, BUT, I would seriously get your husband to re think and re trade if talking to his boss does not help. I know so many people who after getting out, end up going back in; as previous poster has said, grass is not greener on the other side as they thought.
British Legion is usually a good place for advice and help.
Resettlement officer at the nearest army education centre will have all of info required and your husband can go and see them at any time for advice (he does not have to wait for the resettlement period to start).
If he was to get out, he would get £6000 resettlement (might be more now as this was few years back) + pension when he reaches 55 years of age.

joe_public_2

tajna wrote: »

If he was to get out, he would get £6000 resettlement (might be more now as this was few years back) + pension when he reaches 55 years of age.

The actual ammount he will receive immediately (as per today's date) is £9,841. This is known as a 'Resettlement Grant.'

Making the presumption that he is currently a member of the AFPS 75 (it will be different if he switched to AFPS 05), he will receive a 'Preserved Pension' at age 60, for the service he completed up to 6 April 2006. He will then receive a further 'Preserved Pension', at age 65, for the service he completed after 6 April 2006.

Preserved pensions need to be claimed using AFPS Form 8. This form should be completed 3 months before your 60th birthday and sent to SPVA.