25%+ cut in allowances!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Biggus, you may have turned that job down 6 months ago but I am sure your reason was not connected with allowances.
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PN
Hear you loud and clear. You're probably right for 90% of cases.
But the facts are I lost about 20K on two cars moving here and then obviously had to buy more. I didn't replace anybody in post, so no cheap second hand gear, and was given $150 dollars to buy all the electrical appliances we need here. Look around your house and tot it all up. It's thousands...
My wife was in a good job, not here she isn't,
"Gee I love your accent! Why are you here hunny?"
"My husband is an exchange officer on a 3 year tour."
"Oh, so it's temporary employment you want then, not a career. Tried shop work?"
The loa was factored into our income to see if we could afford this. Then they cut it. By quite a lot, overnight.
It's just wrong. I guess we're an easy, non striking target. To reiterate, I can cope; I'll be watching my boys and girls carefully to see if they can.
Hear you loud and clear. You're probably right for 90% of cases.
But the facts are I lost about 20K on two cars moving here and then obviously had to buy more. I didn't replace anybody in post, so no cheap second hand gear, and was given $150 dollars to buy all the electrical appliances we need here. Look around your house and tot it all up. It's thousands...
My wife was in a good job, not here she isn't,
"Gee I love your accent! Why are you here hunny?"
"My husband is an exchange officer on a 3 year tour."
"Oh, so it's temporary employment you want then, not a career. Tried shop work?"
The loa was factored into our income to see if we could afford this. Then they cut it. By quite a lot, overnight.
It's just wrong. I guess we're an easy, non striking target. To reiterate, I can cope; I'll be watching my boys and girls carefully to see if they can.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Scuttled/Biggus and similar, yes the car issue is a biggie for that sort of posting but Miss PN1 and hubby took their wheels to Cyprus, sold one and brought one home. They didn't buy overseas at all.
White goods were bought and then sold-on when they returned. Selling stuff on is not unusual and often done on exchange postings.
White goods were bought and then sold-on when they returned. Selling stuff on is not unusual and often done on exchange postings.
additionally I have subsidised a lot of representational events ouit of my own pocket, as REA is effectively unavailable.
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At the risk of becoming boring....
I think the point Scuttled and others are making is that the rules have been changed overnight (or will do on 1 May), coupled with the recent announcement of a pay freeze, HTD changes, little promotion etc etc. A lot has changed in the 2 yrs I've been overseas.
I agree that the new rates of LOA are still good and people will still be attracted to overseas postings but that is not the point that is being made. It would have been fairer to keep those already overseas on the same LOA and introduce the changes to newcomers however, I accept this proposal would create a few administrative headaches!
I think the point Scuttled and others are making is that the rules have been changed overnight (or will do on 1 May), coupled with the recent announcement of a pay freeze, HTD changes, little promotion etc etc. A lot has changed in the 2 yrs I've been overseas.
I agree that the new rates of LOA are still good and people will still be attracted to overseas postings but that is not the point that is being made. It would have been fairer to keep those already overseas on the same LOA and introduce the changes to newcomers however, I accept this proposal would create a few administrative headaches!
PN, I think you miss Scuttled's point. If you are not going to a garrison or HQ posting abroad, you can't always get stuff second-hand on the economy from departing service personnel. Laughably, our hiring, which I accept is many, many, many miles from any UK unit, is meant to be 'furnished' to a high standard.
I don't think so. Fridge? No. Floor coverings? No. Wardrobes? No. Washing machine? No. Drier? No. Side lamps/table lamps/bedside lamps? No. Curtains? Not ones you'd want to be seen dead with. Toilet brushes? No. Matching dining chairs? No. Range hood? No. Boiler serviced in the last 10 years? No. Chimney swept in the last 5 years? No. Sitting room seating for more than 3 people? No.
We were limited to bring out personal effects (approx 13 sq m) which precluded bringing any furiture or kitchen stuff. DA certainly doesn't cover this delta. We have managed to get a nice sofa bed second hand, and a wireless router from a passing American, and trips to Ikea in a neighbouring country have made the house look, well, a bit like an Ikea show-room. I have raised many concerns with our parenting body. The standard response is 'Budgets, Sir'. We are embarrased to entertain at home because of the general condition of the fabric of the property. Add that to the reducing LOA, increased SCV costs, no BFPO, no BFBS (yeah!), no local schooling,...well, I don't want to sound like I am complaining!
It is certainly a far cry from earlier overseas tours that I have done. Many of these changes have taken place very recently, too.
I don't think so. Fridge? No. Floor coverings? No. Wardrobes? No. Washing machine? No. Drier? No. Side lamps/table lamps/bedside lamps? No. Curtains? Not ones you'd want to be seen dead with. Toilet brushes? No. Matching dining chairs? No. Range hood? No. Boiler serviced in the last 10 years? No. Chimney swept in the last 5 years? No. Sitting room seating for more than 3 people? No.
We were limited to bring out personal effects (approx 13 sq m) which precluded bringing any furiture or kitchen stuff. DA certainly doesn't cover this delta. We have managed to get a nice sofa bed second hand, and a wireless router from a passing American, and trips to Ikea in a neighbouring country have made the house look, well, a bit like an Ikea show-room. I have raised many concerns with our parenting body. The standard response is 'Budgets, Sir'. We are embarrased to entertain at home because of the general condition of the fabric of the property. Add that to the reducing LOA, increased SCV costs, no BFPO, no BFBS (yeah!), no local schooling,...well, I don't want to sound like I am complaining!
It is certainly a far cry from earlier overseas tours that I have done. Many of these changes have taken place very recently, too.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Whenurhappy, what u say about a garrison is one thing but the flat swap is not confined to garrisons or even the military.
I had in mind some medics, there were 3 who were in particular SO1 billets, one in USA, one in Alvestoke and one elsewhere in UK. They always used the same flat in USA as their predessor.
If you read Craig Murray's book on Uzbekistan the same applied to the diplomatic mission.
You are quite right that the basic stuff provided is just that. And I take the other point that changing LOA rules during the tour is not good but remember LOA was always variable and this is not the first time it has taken a swinging hit. IIRC it applied in the 80s too especially in Germany.
I had in mind some medics, there were 3 who were in particular SO1 billets, one in USA, one in Alvestoke and one elsewhere in UK. They always used the same flat in USA as their predessor.
If you read Craig Murray's book on Uzbekistan the same applied to the diplomatic mission.
You are quite right that the basic stuff provided is just that. And I take the other point that changing LOA rules during the tour is not good but remember LOA was always variable and this is not the first time it has taken a swinging hit. IIRC it applied in the 80s too especially in Germany.
PN, I am very familiar with taking over predecessor's accommodation, car, furniture, pets etc; however in this case it did not happen. My predecessor was without kids and clearly wasn't concerned about living in a hovel - and problems identified many months in advance of our move were simply not addressed by the parenting body - either because the couldn't care less or that its was a 'budgetary problem' (= couldn't care less).
The FCO are usually much more 'lean-forward' on providing decent accommodation, however the bust-up between the FCO and MOD over funding domestic accommodation several years ago left no one as the winner - especially DAs and their (few) staff.
The FCO are usually much more 'lean-forward' on providing decent accommodation, however the bust-up between the FCO and MOD over funding domestic accommodation several years ago left no one as the winner - especially DAs and their (few) staff.
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Let's be clear on this. Loa varies due to changing FFRs and the comparison of costs at home compared to where you are (very simplistically) and goes up and down a few pounds here and there every few months.
This was not an adjustment but a huge cut. No conversation to be had there, yes indeed a similar situation occurred in the 80s - that too was a big cut.
PN - Whenurhappy and I are not new boys! We are both aware that normally overseas there's a chance to buy the household electricals, cars, lawn mower etc from your predecessor. Neither of us had the opportunity (I'm in a new job) as we have stated. After splashing out loads of money here, the loa was just paying for what we had to buy. We have quite obviously both HAD to spend a lot of money.
Cars huge loss at home, wife's job, blah blah blah - the rest of it has been done to death!
If it gets any worse the Bentley will have to go and some of the domestic staff too. May have to stop heating the outdoor pool in Winter as well. We'll keep up the country club membership for now.
This was not an adjustment but a huge cut. No conversation to be had there, yes indeed a similar situation occurred in the 80s - that too was a big cut.
PN - Whenurhappy and I are not new boys! We are both aware that normally overseas there's a chance to buy the household electricals, cars, lawn mower etc from your predecessor. Neither of us had the opportunity (I'm in a new job) as we have stated. After splashing out loads of money here, the loa was just paying for what we had to buy. We have quite obviously both HAD to spend a lot of money.
Cars huge loss at home, wife's job, blah blah blah - the rest of it has been done to death!
If it gets any worse the Bentley will have to go and some of the domestic staff too. May have to stop heating the outdoor pool in Winter as well. We'll keep up the country club membership for now.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Scuttled, I accept that however, this is an open argument and not one aimed at you or When. It may have seemed that but that was not the intention.
Regarding taking over your predecessor's chatels, that may not have occurred to others here who have not been in that situation. They were who I was writing for and not personally.
None taken.
Regarding taking over your predecessor's chatels, that may not have occurred to others here who have not been in that situation. They were who I was writing for and not personally.
None taken.
Last edited by Pontius Navigator; 25th Jan 2011 at 17:38.
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As someone in a god forsaken place in Northern Europe who has just found out I am to lose £420 per month in allowances, I would like to congratulate the 2 winged sonar master race on retaining thier flying pay and macrch in to grade 1 accommodation at no cost. It is genuinely gratifying to see that one worthy species has gained out of the appalling attempt by our gloroius masters to ruin our Phase 2 technical training. Good luck to the bats, pity about the many millions, both directly and indirectly ,spent on the folly that was DTR. That is the real point.
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The building of the bat houses shouldn't be the question; they're on the endangered species list so the RAF had no choice. The issue should be why an over-sized wooden shed cost 128,000 quid!
Birdbath - presumably you are talking of the obscene waste on DTR; knowing that it was a terminal case, yet the pressure to make it work was immense?
PN - no offence intended.
However, I would counsel all personnel who might be heading away on an overseas tour (including foreign staff college) to do the sums very very carefully. These places may look good on the internet and when you are there on holiday, but it is a very different matter when you live there with your family (or part thereof) and have to put up with the 'Monday to Friday' routine, whilst still having to maintain a UK standard of living, if not lifestyle. In the past I would have jumped through burning hoops to get an overseas posting; as I have mentioned in earlier lisiting here I now intend to leave and walk away from this punitive environment.
PN - no offence intended.
However, I would counsel all personnel who might be heading away on an overseas tour (including foreign staff college) to do the sums very very carefully. These places may look good on the internet and when you are there on holiday, but it is a very different matter when you live there with your family (or part thereof) and have to put up with the 'Monday to Friday' routine, whilst still having to maintain a UK standard of living, if not lifestyle. In the past I would have jumped through burning hoops to get an overseas posting; as I have mentioned in earlier lisiting here I now intend to leave and walk away from this punitive environment.
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Perhaps someone can tell me, and apologies if it has been posted earlier in the thread, but one factor to be taken into consideration is the impact on the (usually) wife's career and subsequent retirement.
If your partner gives up a decent job to follow you overseas, then she is probably giving up a half decent career and pension package too. Net of tax relief, a few hundred pension quid not invested each month for the 3 years that a career goes on hold for, for a 20/30 something higher rate tax paying wife, can mean a potential and realistic drop of income in retirement of £3.5k pa (subject to various criteria) from aged 55. Over a 30 year retirement, that adds up..
I don't imagine LOA was ever supposed to take that potential loss into account. But it was one of the real world factors that I certainly considered when looking at LOA rates, and which probably now might be more noticable by its absence.
If your partner gives up a decent job to follow you overseas, then she is probably giving up a half decent career and pension package too. Net of tax relief, a few hundred pension quid not invested each month for the 3 years that a career goes on hold for, for a 20/30 something higher rate tax paying wife, can mean a potential and realistic drop of income in retirement of £3.5k pa (subject to various criteria) from aged 55. Over a 30 year retirement, that adds up..
I don't imagine LOA was ever supposed to take that potential loss into account. But it was one of the real world factors that I certainly considered when looking at LOA rates, and which probably now might be more noticable by its absence.
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Just been offered somewhere shiny (which may not be so shiny anymore!) so although I may have missed it on one of the previous 13 pages, does anyone have a link to updated LOA rates etc please?
Tvm
Tvm