Contacted Glasgow (twice) today; first time directed by Glasgow to an answering machine in Army Admin; second time I was informed that pension gratuities and redundancy payments had been "delayed" and it was hoped to pay everyone by 9 May. I asked when Glasgow had been informed of this and they told me they had been informed by the RAF redundancy cell yesterday.
I then called the redundancy cell and was informed that they had had to implement legislation allowing them to pay monies owed, up to 30 days after 10 Apr 06. The excuse offered: the exceptionally high number of personal leaving meant it was taking longer to process and calculate the individual amounts (only known since last year) and that they were trying to contact all redundies to warn them. I suggested that it might be helpful if this was advertised in the redundancy paperwork and was told yes it was unfortunate!
I cannot help but see the the hand of the treasury in this (too clever for the MOD beancounters) consider:
1. Instead of redundancies being effective 30 Apr o6 as originally advertised that date is moved to 10 Apr 06.
Result
a. 20 days pay saved per man.
b. 20 days increment to pensions etc saved.
c. Redundancy payments and gratuities said to be paid in 5-10 working days after 10 Apr (5 days last year I believe) but with Easter the tenth day becomes 25 Apr; Interest on all that money for two weeks; several million pounds.
2. 1. above is definitely a promotion earner but if, as has happened, you then delay payments to 9 May 06, a whole month's interest is saved and no one can complain.
I can see a letter to my MP coming on but I am kept warm by the thought that Dr Reid is aware of the overstretch to the Armed forces and offers his gratitude to those of us who served in the last 3 "wars" and to our families. It comes as no surprise that we are being treated as shoddily after leaving the services as we were whist serving, but at least nobody is shooting at me anymore and I see my family.
