Allowances change - 1 drink???

[Affirmatron]

I've done a quick check and haven't found a thread relating to......

The standard allowance is now 1 alcoholic beverage with an evening meal? Can anybody confirm or deny this rumour, when it came into force and which jumped-up snivelling git decided it would be a good idea (assuming it's true of course).

Cheers

[SRENNAPS]

So is that one alcoholic drink more than you use to be entitled to??........I don’t know what the rules are any more.

[Wensleydale]

I believe that it doesn't say how big your one drink has to be......

If you like a bottle of malt with your Macdonalds.

[ASCOT Ops Retd]

I've done a quick check and haven't found a thread relating to......

The standard allowance is now 1 alcoholic beverage with an evening meal? Can anybody confirm or deny this rumour, when it came into force and which jumped-up snivelling git decided it would be a good idea (assuming it's true of course).

Cheers

Someone posted a link to JSP-something-blunt a few months ago - the official publication listing allowances (inc. rates to aim for on night subsistance etc). Hidden away in the text is a reference to alcohol with meals - so it is official - except it doesn't legislate on quantity. Apparently the Civil Service use half a bottle of wine as a benchmark.

[Pontius Navigator]

Apparently the Civil Service use half a bottle of wine as a benchmark.

Indeed they do although my department tried a one glass rule.

Mrs PN chose the Haut Medoc '97 and very fine 'twas too. This, sorry to say, was another civil serpents rule case. Mrs PN was on a Betty pays resettlement course. Does Betty pay for military spouses or partners too?

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

Our blunties are using one alcoholic drink to cost no more than 20% of the days allowances.

These are all made up rules open to the interpretation of the chief blunty as each unit seems to have a different spin on it........... but I suspect there is **** all anyone can do about it :rolleyes:

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Well last Sunday, at the rather nice Indian-on the-corner in Shrivenham, I asked for a receipt to include the tip and received one. All bone fide, It said “Meal”; no mention of the Kingfisher beers.

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

Architect Architect...........................what a silly billy :rolleyes:

[14greens]

Golf Bravo Zulu

Obviously there was no mention of the kingfisher as you didnt have any!!!!!
You need to think about what you write before you publish stuf on a public web site
assume that the reciept is not one that you will be submitting as a claim

Dont think the JSP actually states a drink limit, just suggests sensible consumption, general civil service interpretation is Half Bottle of averagely priced wine, locally this has been looked at differently with units trying to impose more restrictive rules !
Will be irrelevent for aircrew soon though when they bring in the no drinking within 24hrs, will be no alcohol at all on the reciepts then

[Impiger]

Much more important is the possible return to rates rather than actuals. The central beancounting department have, it is rumoured, finally accepted the view of the Front Line that using capped actuals saves no money and increases the audit burden (especially on dets and similar) and therefore costs money. Idea is a return to rates based on the capped actual values. A victory for common sense and the removal of a right royal pain in the buttocks.

Fingers crossed:ok:

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

Unfortunately I doubt the receipt thing is ever going to go away.

Latest rumour here is a return to breakfast/lunch/dinner rates. Theory being you are, according to the Blunty Manual of how to get on as a bean counter, only entitled to 3 meals a day.

Here in the SW they are already suggesting that if you fly over a meal period AND consume in flight you will lose your rates for that period.

At present if you are on the ground for 5 hours you get a days rates to do with, food wise as you wish but you have to have receipts. Under the suggested changes they can claw back rates in lieu of in flight or, as is being suggested you use your rates to buy your own in flight.

There are some very clever and very determined blunties looking into this and I foresee a none too pleasing outcome :(

Stands by for the usual in flux on non in flight entitled folk with the normal vitriol on this subject but before you post consider when and if you travel by AT and the same rules bite you on the bum..........................:=

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

The current instructions appear to be (the MoD search engine would be better used to pick Premium Bond winners!) here, for those with access;

http://www.ms.dii.r.mil.uk/MS%20Glasgow/Travel/Files/mil_tr.doc (http://www.ms.dii.r.mil.uk/MS%20Glasgow/Travel/Files/mil_tr.doc)



The only guidance on alcohol appears to be related to Civilian claims and is:




TIPS, HINTS AND FAQS


1. Can I claim an alcoholic beverage in the evening when on detached duty?
There is no broad “entitlement” to claim alcohol simply because you are on detached duty. However, following a number of queries, the Department set out to determine what it would be reasonable to allow you claim with an evening meal. This seeks to represent that when at home, you may have a glass of wine or a beer with your evening meal. That being so, it is believed to be reasonable to allow you to submit a claim for a similar alcoholic beverage with your evening meal when away on detached duty. If you decide to not have a non-alcoholic beverage with your meal, it is not something you can then “save” for the bar later that evening. If you are on a residential course, and only soft drinks are provided with the meal, you cannot claim for alcoholic beverages instead.

2. If a full bottle of wine is cheaper than the half bottle of wine, should I opt for the cheaper full bottle?
You do not have to have the wine, but if you do, you will only be reimbursed for a half bottle of wine or the non-alcoholic beverage if that is chosen. The Department is only seeking to give guidance that, in using public money towards the cost of alcohol, a limit must be applied. The ‘half bottle of wine’ is considered to be a reasonable quantity that one might drink with a meal. Some people will not want wine and might prefer a beer or soft drink.


14greens. Sage advice indeed, where the fun Gestapo is concerned. Good thing we're anonymous, eh. Guidance elsewhere, in a DIN that I can’t find just now, is that one pint of beer is acceptable; and of course, that’s all one would drink.

[Affirmatron]

Thanks guys. It appears there's no rule as such, just locally implemented guidance. Our 'guidance' changed from 2 drinks to 1 overnight, just checking whether it was a policy decidion or a jumped-up scrote decision.

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

Like I said I think Blunt Command is getting it's act together on this one and will be trying to implement some fairly major changes in the not too distant future :(

[Avtur]

JSP 752 still quotes the entitlement as being "an alcoholic drink" per day. Clearly this is open to interpretation; my view is that a botlle of wine is "an alcoholic drink" as is a bottle of scotch. Local orders stating "one" drink have (IMHO) no right to do so as the JSP is the authoratative document.

[collbar]

As MP's have just voted that, they themselves, dont have to provide meal recipts on the ground of, that dirty word SECURITY. Surely a president has been set.... (Howls of laughter in background!).

[Gainesy]

What's Obama got to do with it?:)

[Grabbers]

Surely a precedent has been set?

[ShyTorque]

Just order more glasses of dessert or cheese. ;)

[Sloppy Link]

JSP 752 v8 Ch 3

03.0118. Guidelines for DS Meals. DS enables an individual to be reimbursed
for actual, receipted costs for subsistence expenditure whilst on duty away from home, ie the costs of eating and drinking incurred, up to the DS capped limit (see Chapter 1 Section 6). Should an individual choose, out of personal preference, to spend more than the DS limit, then they are required to fund personally this additional expenditure themselves. A DS claim may include an alcoholic drink.

To be perfectly honest, although I would obviously wish it otherwise, this seems fairly reasonable to me. I do not have an alcoholic drink with every meal at home (perhaps those that do think carefully before answering the standard questions at their annual medical!). Those that try to scam the system do so at their own considerable risk, I can't speak for the Senior or the Other service but the Army use the disciplinary process to the full in such cases and I am sure we all know someone of whom we all thought, "What a fool". I have too much to lose for the sake of claiming for an extra couple of quid.

Finally, ArmyNet users can get at JSP 752 by clicking "Reference", "Publications", "JSP 752" and then opening the relevant chapter. If you want to read about "drink", simply go CTRL+F, type in drink and then press return until the bit you are interested in appears. That is exactly what I did. I also found out there is an allowance upon promotion to buy new insignia (subject to single service arrangements). I shall let you know!

Off to get a life now and have a beer.....I have had a ****ty day!

[12 twists per inch]

After an 18 hour day, got to wherever late just as the bar was closing. The only place open for food was a delivery pizza company. Ordered pizza by phone and a bottle of beer to go with it from the rapidly departing barman.

Come the inevitable audit (I'm running at a 75% hit rate!) blunty central refused to pay for my beer as it was not bought with the food and no amount of protestation would change their mind. :ugh:

Shouldn't grumble at least I got a meal that trip. :rolleyes:

[14greens]

We did have one all be it before the sytem was tweaked a bit but on same thread as the beer not purchased on same bill as pizza
Know someone who in the same hotel had starter in one eatery, main course in another and sweet in third, now this was in the same hotel complex so all billed to same person, but was viewed by blunties that it was 3 sperate meals, cost was same and was just a 3 course meal

More than my jobs worth springs to mind