Former service personnel who left service after 1 April 2018 may be entitled to arrears of pay following the 2018 pay increase. To ensure that any arrears of pay are received, bank account and address details must be kept up to date and the JPAC centre informed of any changes on 0800 085 3600.

Background

The Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body’s (AFPRB) recommendation for 2018 was a 2.9% increase in pay for all personnel up to 1-star level (Commodore, Brigadier and Air Commodore) and the Senior Salaries Review Body’s (SSRB) recommendation was for a 2.5% pay increase for all officers of 2-star rank and above.

The first part of the pay increase is 2% pensionable pay which was paid in September salaries backdated to 1 April 2018 for officers up to 1-star level and officers ranked 2-star and above will receive their 2% pensionable pay increase in November salaries.

The second part of the pay increase is the bonus element which is 0.9% for officers up to 1-star level and 0.5% for officers ranked 2-star and above. This element will be delivered in two lump sum payments one in November 2018 and one in March 2019

All personnel who have left the service after 1 April 2018, or will do so before March 2019 will receive pro-rata payments for the period of service that they completed.

It is vital that bank account and address details are kept up to date for these payments to be made

As part of the state visit, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will attend the Dutch ship HNLMS Zeeland which will be anchored next to HMS Belfast.

They will join The Duke of Kent on board and will be given a 10 minute display of the Royal Marines and Royal Netherlands Marines staging a joint on water capability demonstration.
Blank ammunition will be used during the display, which will take place on the morning of October 24.

Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

Our forces have worked closely with the Netherlands amphibious forces for more than 45 years, demonstrating world-class military integration.

Right now, our Royal Marines are working alongside their Dutch counterparts in Norway as part of the Defence Arctic Strategy, which shows our deep shared commitment to European security.

This state visit allows us to take stock and celebrate an enduring alliance with one of our closest defence partners.

Colonel Simon Scott OBE, Commanding Officer 1 Assault Group Royal Marines, said it would provide a realistic portrayal of a joint amphibious capability.

The display will be a short, sharp, clear demonstration of the joint amphibious capability provided by both 1 AGRM and the commandos from the Royal Netherlands Marines Corps.

We train and operate extremely closely with our Dutch counterparts and are well practiced in our collaboration.

The Royal Marines and Royal Netherlands Marines have a long history of serving together on operations across the globe, most recently offering humanitarian support to islands affected by Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean.

This year also marks the 45th anniversary of the UK/NL Amphibious Force, comprised of commandos from both nations, which acts as a single entity deployed in times of crisis across the globe.

Delegates from each nation came together under a shared commitment to their defence communities, and took part in discussions on mental health support, and the transition process undertaken by the military as they adjust to civilian life.

The Minister was hosted by The Honourable Darren Chester, Australian Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, and joined by General Walter Natynczyk, Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs, Government of Canada; Ms Jacquelyn Hayes-Byrd, Acting Assistant Secretary for Human Resources and Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, United States of America; The Hon Ron Mark MP, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, New Zealand; and Ms Bernadine Mackenzie, Head of Veterans’ Affairs, New Zealand.

During the two-day conference, the Minister addressed the delegates on the progress made at the last meeting, which was hosted in London, at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The conference then heard from leading experts on the latest international research on suicide prevention, the importance of evidence-based research to inform new policy, and the promotion of employment and education for those preparing to leave service, and supporting veterans struggling with mental health.

Minister for Defence People and Veterans Tobias Ellwood said;

Following the success of last year’s conference, it’s an honour to be able to continue to discuss the ways in which each of our nations supports those who have served.

The UK has established several new initiatives since I met with my counterparts in London, including the new veterans ID card, and later this year we will introduce our new transition policy, which will provide additional support to those that need it.

By combining our knowledge and expertise, we can continue to improve and enhance the way we thank our service leavers for their dedication and sacrifice.

The Minister and his international counterparts then signed a statement of intent, which recognises the benefits of working together and exploring examples of best practice in support and care for the defence and veteran communities and their families.

Each of the delegates also travelled to the ANZAC War Memorial, the commemorative military monument in Sydney, where they laid wreaths to honour Australians who lost their lives in the first and second World Wars.

The Minister is in Sydney to support Team UK at this year’s Invictus Games, which were founded by HRH The Duke of Sussex to harness the power of sport to aid wounded, injured and sick serving and former personnel in their recovery. On October 20th, he attended the opening ceremony at Sydney Opera House, which hosted 500 competitors from 18 nations preparing to compete in 11 medal sports including powerlifting, sailing, sitting volleyball, and wheelchair rugby and basketball.