Housing

If you are new to the Services or recently civilly partnered and are moving into SFA (Service Family Accommodation) in England, Scotland or Wales for the first time, or you are moving on posting to a new area, you can talk to an expert who will be able to guide you through the process of applying for your SFA.

Read more: Housing

Civil Partnerships

The (edited) text below is derived from the briefing note entitled "CIVIL PARTNERSHIP ACT 2004 – FACTSHEET" which was issued to all Service personnel in Oct 05.

Personal Status Categories

Personal Status Categories replaced ‘Marital Categories’ from 5 December 2005. It should be noted, however, that due to limitations on changes that can be made to legacy personnel administration IT systems, ‘Marital Category’ will continue to appear on personnel records until such time as the legacy systems are replaced by JPA. Thereafter, JPA records will record only ‘Category’.

Read more: JPA Personal Status Categories - Civil Partnerships

Civil Partnerships

Registration of Partnerships Overseas

Q: I am already in a same sex civil partnership that is registered abroad. Will it be recognised by the Armed Forces?
A: Providing that it was formed in one of the countries listed in Schedule 20 of the Civil Partnership Act (visit the civilian law section), you and your partner will be treated as if you had formed the partnership in the UK.

Q: Will Service Registering Officers be able to register a civil partnership overseas?
A: Yes. A Service Registering Officer may register a civil partnership in those locations where marriages can be registered. See Civil Partnership Act Part 5 Ch 1 (Registration by armed forces personnel) for details.

Read more: Military Questions and Answers about Civil Partnerships

Civil Partnerships

This page includes details of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme in relation to Civil Partners and unmarried gay partners' (eligible partners') rights.

Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS 75)

Dependants' benefits

Q: I have a same-sex partner and we intend to register our Civil Partnership. How might this affect my partner’s pension benefits if I die?

A: Under the Civil Partnership Act 2004, pension schemes are required to provide benefits to a civil partner based only on a member’s service from 6 April 1988. Civil partnership gives other non-pension benefits compared with an eligible partner, including tax, married quarters, etc.

See the current MOD website and the archived page from 2005 for more information.

Read more: Civil Partnerships and the Armed Forces Pension Scheme

Civil Partnerships

The Civil Partnership Act 2004 changed civil and military law. Significantly, gay and lesbian couples entering a Civil Partnership were given the same tax rights as straight married couples.

The key financial issues that affect us in the military are:

• Civil partners are treated in the same way as straight married couples for tax purposes.
• Employment and pension benefits to your partner on death
• Ability to insure your partner against death
• Recognition for civil partners under intestacy rules (if you die without leaving a will)
• Recognition for civil partners for immigration and nationality purposes

Read more: Civil Partnership - financial implications

Civil Partnerships

The Adoption and Children Act 2002, ensures that same-sex couples will be able to apply to adopt a child jointly. This will help achieve the Government’s objective of increasing the number of vulnerable children who have the opportunity, through adoption, to grow up as part of a loving, stable and permanent family. The Government extended overseas allowances to married and unmarried couples, including same-sex partners.

The Housing Act proposes to equalize the rights of same-sex couples to succeed to a tenancy.

Read more: Legal Implications for Civil Partners and Other Commonlaw Relationships

Civil Partnerships

HM Treasury produced a briefing note to accompany the 2005 Budget on the subject of Tax and Civil Partners. The complete original document is available on HM Treasury website.  The most relevant information is reproduced below. 

REV 28, 16 March 2005

Who is likely to be affected?

1. Same-sex couples.

General description of the measure

2. The measure paves the way for changes to all existing tax legislation, both primary and secondary, so that civil partners formed as a result of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (CPA) will be treated the same as married couples for tax purposes. It gives the Inland Revenue the power to introduce regulations to effect those changes.

Read more: Civil Partnership - tax briefing note