BFG Rebasing Bulletin
Employment & Training for spouses/civil partners and older children
In this edition of the Rebasing (RB) and Drawdown (DD) bulletin we focus on employment and training for spouses/ civil partners and older children returning to the UK job market after leaving Germany. You may be familiar with the Armed Forces Covenant, the principles of which have been used to great effect to ensure that Armed Forces Families are not penalised whilst being posted abroad and that training opportunities are made available for spouses looking to get back on the UK employment ladder. The AFF have been pivotal in lobbying hard for the policy changes, training and job opportunities to support spouses of Service personnel. Make sure you follow their Facebook page and website for further developments that could be of interest to you. I would urge you to set a goal and plan out what you need to do to get there. Once you have done this you will be able to work out what opportunities are available for you. Finally, make sure you sell yourself, take time to develop a good CV and make sure all your biggest achievements are included.
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We have worked with the AFF to address some frequently asked questions about employment and training issues. Hopefully these will answer some of your questions too. (1) Will I need a Certificate of Good Conduct / Police Certificate? A Certificate of Good Conduct (CGC) is a police and criminal check for Service personnel or their entitled family members, where they are required by a new employer to cover a period spent abroad. The CGC or equivalent is required in addition to a DBS check. If you are returning to the UK from BFG, and looking for employment or volunteer opportunities working with children or vulnerable adults you may be asked by prospective employers to provide a CGC for the period covering your residency in Germany. This is also likely to happen if you are applying for a further/ higher education course or to join the Armed Forces. If there’s a possibility that you may fall into any of these categories you should apply for a CGC. You will need to write to the Service Police Crime Bureau (SPCB) in UK, providing your full name, date and place of birth and a full address history. You will also need to enclose a copy of the photograph page of your current passport and request a Subject Access Request Certificate. The address to write to is: Service Police Crime Bureau, Specialist Operations Regiment, Bassett Wilson Building, Southwick Park, Fareham, PO17 6EJ
nationality. If you are a German dependent you should either contact your local registry office, or if applying from outside of Germany, the Federal Office of Justice in Bonn. Find out more: www.gov.uk/government/ publications/criminal-records-checks-foroverseas-applicants
(2) I have been working as a DEP in BFG, will I have been making National Insurance Contributions? If you have been working as a DEP in BFG, you will have been making National Insurance (NI) Contributions. You should keep hold of your final payslip when you leave employment as it will show all your NI contributions made whilst working in BFG.
(3) I have not been working whilst I have been living in Germany, will this affect my future State Pension?
Certificates are provided free of charge.
In April 2010, an award of Class 1 National Insurance credits was introduced for service spouses and civil partners to cover periods where they accompanied a member of the armed forces posted overseas. The credits help protect the eligibility of service spouses and civil partners to the State Pension and contribution based working age benefits.
It should be noted that SPCB are unable to provide certificates if you have German/Dual German
Find out more: www.gov.uk/national-insurancecredits/eligibility
(4) Can I claim Income-based Job Seekers Allowance when I return to the UK? Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is paid to help people who are unemployed or on a low income that are out there looking for a job. In 2015, in line with the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, a decision was made to make Service personnel who have served abroad exempt from the 3 month residence requirement and allow then to claim income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance immediately on arrival in the UK. This applies to all spouses/civil partners and older children (up to age 21) of service families living abroad. For further information please visit: www.gov.uk/ jobseekers-allowance To Note: Universal Credit (UC) is a new, single benefit that will eventually replace six means-tested benefits for people of working age such as Housing Benefit and Working Tax Credits. It should be noted that universal credits is currently being rolled out across the UK will replace Job Seekers Allowance.
(5) I want to apply to UCAS to start a further education course, but the form requires me to put down a UK address. What can I do? You should select your permanent home as in the UK, you will then be asked to choose an Area of Permanent Residence from a drop-down list of counties and metropolitan areas. You should enter the last UK area where you were resident on a long-term basis. UCAS uses answers to this question for statistical purposes only. Applicants for universities in Scotland should be aware that Scottish universities may use answers to this question to make an initial judgement about fee status. Fees and funding for Scottish resident students applying to Scottish universities are very different to fees and funding for students coming from the rest of the UK.
(6) Having had a career gap whilst I have been living in Germany, I am keen to do some employment training that will help me get back to work. Is there anything that is specifically targeted at military spouses? The Armed Forces Covenant has recognised that access to training is very important for spouses. This has resulted in initiatives such as the RBLI’s employability courses becoming nationally available for spouses and also the University of Wolverhampton’s business start-up courses for spouses and dependants. AFF is pushing for even more opportunities. Follow the AFF Facebook page and website for the latest on training opportunities available for spouses and check out the centre spread for more details on the current schemes.
LABOUR SUPPORT UNIT (LSU) SUPPORTING TRANSITION TO UK EMPLOYMENT The LSU can support dependant’s transition to UK employment with a contribution to transition training. Training courses can be aspirational and do not need to relate to current trade or grade. Once you have decided on a training course you should contact maureen. robinson332@mod.uk. Maureen will be able to take you through the process of applying for funding support. Funding could be available for the whole course or just assist you towards the cost of the fees. It could also work along further sources of funding. In addition, the LSU is carrying out some inhouse courses to support transition training. Courses that have been run include Line Manager’s workshops and Customer Care courses.
CV & INTERVIEW TIPS Having a good CV is essential no matter what kind of employment you are seeking. As an Army spouse who may have a chequered career history or postingsinduced career breaks, it’s even more important that your CV makes you stand out from the crowd. Here are a few websites that provide useful information on writing a CV and preparing for an interview, and what questions you may be asked: www.recruitforspouses.co.uk www.skillstudio.co.uk www.careerbuilder.co.uk www.jobsite.co.uk/bemyinterviewer/ nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/
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All in-house courses are run at the Training Wing, Building 13, Catterick Barracks. Further courses could be arranged to cover CV writing or On-Line job applications, if sufficient interest is shown.
RBLI LIFEWORKS COURSES What is LifeWorks Families? Lifeworks Families is an employment support course for spouses, partners and other dependants of those currently serving in the UK Armed Forces, or those who have been recently discharged. It has been designed specifically for military dependants and aims to help with all aspects of an individual’s search and move into work. The course runs over 3 days (Tue-Thu) from 0930-1500hrs, but is flexible. The course is totally free. The courses cover: CV Writing, Interviews, Covering letters, Confidence building, Recognising your Skills, Job Research and accessing the hidden job market After the course there is a ReachBack facility to access an employability coach. If you can’t attend a full course there is also Remote Support that you could tap into. To find out more and register go to: www.wearelifeworks.org.uk Next course in Paderborn 15-19 October 2019. Courses are also ran in the UK and Cyprus.
RECRUITING FOR SPOUSES. The Not-For-Profit organisa for Spouses is an independent organisation designed spe support the spouses of Service men and women into emp can help with CV writing, interview techniques and can intr businesses who support the military community. Visit www.recruitforspouses.co.uk
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The University of Wolverhampton business start-up programme has been developed specifically for Service dependants offering support to start and maintain a business. The 10 month programme aims to equip participants with transferable skills and the ability to start a business regardless of location. www.wlv.ac.uk/study-here/hm-armed-forces/supporting-the-unsung-hero/ armed-forces-business-start-up-programme/ If you are interested in attending then please register your interest with the PCDL coordinator on 05254 9824018 or email: 41AECGp-PCDLCoord@mod.uk
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THE ENTERPRISE NETWORK The Enterprise Network (TEN), a £5.2m initiative led by Wiltshire Council with Government and EU funding, is nurturing new and growing small and micro businesses in Swindon and Wiltshire by supporting them right from the first ‘light bulb’ moment. The network particularly seeks to engage with Service leavers, military spouses and their dependants. Find out more, visit www.theenterprisenetwork.co.uk, telephonw 01264 848311 or email info@theenterprisenetwork.co.uk
41 ARMY EDUCATION CENTRE 41 AEC in Paderborn offers a wide range of courses from employability workshops to functional skills, languages, life in the UK workshops and much more. For a full range of what is on offer visit: www.bfgnet.de/bfg-noticeboard/aecautumn-2018-brochure.html Check out the vocational courses on offer from TQ Pearson covering CV boosting subjects from Customer Care, Business Administration, Maths and ICT.
HAMPSHIRE HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST Hampshire Hospital Trust is offering employment opportunities for military spouses returning to the UK. To explore the opportunities on offer do not miss the recruitment fair hosted by 41 AEC in November/December 2019. A great opportunity to speak to the team, see what’s on offer and potentially even secure employment ahead of returning to the UK. Register your interest with email: 41AECGp-PCDLCoord@mod.uk tel: 05254 982 4018.
FIND OUT MORE: www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility AFF Employment, Training, Allowances & Money Specialist Laura Lewin contacted on 07799 045955 etam@aff.org.uk AFF Regional Manager Germany Carole Rudd rmgermany@aff.org.uk 41 AEC Email: 41AECGp-Receptionist1@mod.uk or 41AECGp-Receptionist2@mod.uk www.bfgnet.de/education www.wearelifeworks.org.uk www.recruitforspouses.co.uk www.skillstudio.co.uk/ https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/ www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants www.theenterprisenetwork.co.uk
CONTACT US: BFGnet.de @BFGnet We are keen to hear your feedback. Please send comments to scs@bfgnet.info