AFC0026

Written evidence submitted anonymously.

Across British society, the general population lacks knowledge and awareness of life in the Armed Forces. This lack of awareness or consideration of Service Personnel can affect their access to goods and services, or limit their ability to fulfil conditions which may be applied to people as a direct result of their Service.

Examples from my experience:

a. In 2015 I was posted overseas to British Forces Cyprus for two years which this led to difficulties with my mortgage lender. I had just completed a purchase of my flat in London (three months previously) and was faced with the problem of what to do, because I was not going to be able to live there myself for the next two years. I hadn’t planned or expect to  be posted overseas. My only option was either to let the flat or sell it. I opted for the former but was advised by my mortgage company that I was be liable to pay fees and be transferred to a more expensive buy to let mortgage as I had decided not to live there as my home. It took me a great deal of time, stress and worry to explain to them that this was not a ‘choice’ that I had made, and that I was duty bound to serve wherever I was posted. Their assumptions, based on the average customer, had to be challenged as I explained the realities of life as a Service person. After much time and effort, they agreed to waive the fees and gave me permission to let the property whilst I was unable to live there myself, and made change to my mortgage arrangements. This was extremely stressful at the time.

b. Having served overseas many times, I have encountered repeated difficulties when attempting to purchase goods and services from the UK, as many businesses do not understand the British Forces Post Office system. They would insist that I was overseas when I gave them my BFPO address and many were not prepared to deal with this, perhaps because they believed that the postage costs would be expensive. Additionally it was commonplace for online order systems to reject BFPO addresses/postcodes altogether.

c. On a slightly different note, I would add that many businesses also seem unaware of opportunities offered by schemes such as Rewards for Forces and the Defence Discount Service. This goes to the main point about general awareness above. Recently I spoke to the Blue Diamond Group who have several dozen garden centres across the UK to explain how they could offer Service Personnel discounts in the same way as they offered the same to ‘Blue Light’ Emergency Service personnel.

Possibly more should be done to compel public bodies, businesses and other parts of society to build  internal awareness and consideration of Armed Forces personnel in their everyday dealings so as to avoid them being unnecessarily and unfairly disadvantaged by virtue of their service - the Armed Forces Covenant would be a good vehicle to improve this.

21st January 2025