New pay con??
New pay con??
Just saw this today and wondered if this is the latest cost cutting drive and what it could mean for all of us. After all it can't be for our benefit can it?
http://www.army.mod.uk/servingsoldie...ance/index.htm
Or am I being too cynical??
http://www.army.mod.uk/servingsoldie...ance/index.htm
Or am I being too cynical??
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We get our briefs here this coming week, so going just on the web details, my thoughts are:
OK, a rationalisation of allowances system to make it simpler and more transparent is long overdue - it has been so complicated for so long that oodles of cash goes unclaimed each year because personnel don't realise what they're entitled to and, frankly, nor do PSF who are supposed to advise them.
Doing the administration yourself on one of the terminals scattered around the place (1 in the NAAFI, 1 in SHQ, 1 in each sqn etc) really is a double edged sword. Savings will be made through the reduction of the admin staff that everyone has complained about 'doing nothing' for years. Of course, having to do one own's admin will just raise cries about extra burdens on busy people and why don't the (unemployed) adminners do it! The placement of, and therefore access to, the terminals could be a serious issue - it may take less time to credit money to your bank, but if you don't get to a machine for 2 weeks, you lose overall. Also, seeing how computer literate (hell, how literate!) some of the squaddies are, they may never make a successful claim!
Making your pay the same every month as opposed to depending on the number of days just caters for the 'need to be spoon fed' culture prevelent in today's society (and so newer entrants) and will make little difference to many of us. Those that cannot manage their finances already will still not manage them efficiently.
Being able to claim RILOR and disturbance seems like a good thing, but needs to be seen in conjunction with the Service desire to get people to buy a house and base their family there whilst they move around the country. Witness the unspecified review (cut) of disturbance allowance and the axing of excess rent at the same time that DHE are selling off all the FQs. Boarding school allowance is also pending a separate review, so this could well get axed for new applicants on the assumption that your family home will remain fairly stationary, so your kids' education will automatically have increased stability within the state system.
As most of the allowances seem to have the rank/marital status weightings being removed, those currently priviledged with the largest payments (most of the people here) will almost definitely lose out significantly to up the lot of the remaining personnel slightly. Such is the rule of socialistic economics.
In short, although the total bill may even remain the same, many people here are likely to lose out by comparison to the current allowances they can claim (if they know what they can claim for) from late 2005. Lose bigger time if you try moving house from that point onwards.
If we get any more from this coming week's briefings, I'll let you know, but I doubt there'll be much more info at this stage.
OK, a rationalisation of allowances system to make it simpler and more transparent is long overdue - it has been so complicated for so long that oodles of cash goes unclaimed each year because personnel don't realise what they're entitled to and, frankly, nor do PSF who are supposed to advise them.
Doing the administration yourself on one of the terminals scattered around the place (1 in the NAAFI, 1 in SHQ, 1 in each sqn etc) really is a double edged sword. Savings will be made through the reduction of the admin staff that everyone has complained about 'doing nothing' for years. Of course, having to do one own's admin will just raise cries about extra burdens on busy people and why don't the (unemployed) adminners do it! The placement of, and therefore access to, the terminals could be a serious issue - it may take less time to credit money to your bank, but if you don't get to a machine for 2 weeks, you lose overall. Also, seeing how computer literate (hell, how literate!) some of the squaddies are, they may never make a successful claim!
Making your pay the same every month as opposed to depending on the number of days just caters for the 'need to be spoon fed' culture prevelent in today's society (and so newer entrants) and will make little difference to many of us. Those that cannot manage their finances already will still not manage them efficiently.
Being able to claim RILOR and disturbance seems like a good thing, but needs to be seen in conjunction with the Service desire to get people to buy a house and base their family there whilst they move around the country. Witness the unspecified review (cut) of disturbance allowance and the axing of excess rent at the same time that DHE are selling off all the FQs. Boarding school allowance is also pending a separate review, so this could well get axed for new applicants on the assumption that your family home will remain fairly stationary, so your kids' education will automatically have increased stability within the state system.
As most of the allowances seem to have the rank/marital status weightings being removed, those currently priviledged with the largest payments (most of the people here) will almost definitely lose out significantly to up the lot of the remaining personnel slightly. Such is the rule of socialistic economics.
In short, although the total bill may even remain the same, many people here are likely to lose out by comparison to the current allowances they can claim (if they know what they can claim for) from late 2005. Lose bigger time if you try moving house from that point onwards.
If we get any more from this coming week's briefings, I'll let you know, but I doubt there'll be much more info at this stage.
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I see that all ranks will be entitled to Unpleasant Work Allowance (para 18 of the link).
At last, those poor people up at ISK will get the financial compensation they justly deserve.
At last, those poor people up at ISK will get the financial compensation they justly deserve.
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Any "much improved, rationalised and more efficient " system being actively "presented" at this time must start to raise amber captions.
Fairer for who? The Treasury most likely. "A new pay system by 2007 across all three services"? So what happened to Pay 2000? Wasnt that supposed to be the all singing all dancing way ahead?
Keep an eye on this Governments track record on;
Pay Awards (not Pay Rise anymore you notice!) I expect the average gain for most in this year will be about the cost of a TV licence - stunning!
Read carefully the Screwing around with Pensions Post 2005 program - "anyone who transfers to the new system post 01 April 2005, wants their head looking at" (Actual quote from the Head of Pay and Pensions AFPC Glasgow!!!)
What about - Gordons Bleed back tax at 40% with Early Departure Payments - goodbye lump sum gratuities!!! bet you never saw that one coming!
Remember - in the eyes of Labour, the military is merely an extension of the MOD - a ready source of claw back cash for Tonys re=election Monopoly Fund.
Worth noting that an Eastern european migrant worker gets more in benefits than a newly commissioned officer from either Sandhurst, Cranwell or Dartmouth. Makes you think
Still grab an OU course in Polish or Serbo Croat - it will be this country's second language by 2012!
Fairer for who? The Treasury most likely. "A new pay system by 2007 across all three services"? So what happened to Pay 2000? Wasnt that supposed to be the all singing all dancing way ahead?
Keep an eye on this Governments track record on;
Pay Awards (not Pay Rise anymore you notice!) I expect the average gain for most in this year will be about the cost of a TV licence - stunning!
Read carefully the Screwing around with Pensions Post 2005 program - "anyone who transfers to the new system post 01 April 2005, wants their head looking at" (Actual quote from the Head of Pay and Pensions AFPC Glasgow!!!)
What about - Gordons Bleed back tax at 40% with Early Departure Payments - goodbye lump sum gratuities!!! bet you never saw that one coming!
Remember - in the eyes of Labour, the military is merely an extension of the MOD - a ready source of claw back cash for Tonys re=election Monopoly Fund.
Worth noting that an Eastern european migrant worker gets more in benefits than a newly commissioned officer from either Sandhurst, Cranwell or Dartmouth. Makes you think
Still grab an OU course in Polish or Serbo Croat - it will be this country's second language by 2012!
TAC Int Bloke
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Still grab an OU course in Polish or Serbo Croat - it will be this country's second language by 2012!
Trochę *xenophobia* tam pan
-nick
Silence-in Polish! – Oh God’s strewth……..
1 The Royal Air Force is not a flying circus
2 The radio is not for Private Polish chit-chat
3...........................
