I think it is important to separate allowances from tax. The plain fact is that the UK armed forces are the only people in the UK who have to pay full income tax if they spend time out of the UK.

Once again penalised for wearing the uniform. But the plain fact is that we are now such a minority the governement doesn't have that much to loose by letting us have the same tax concessions as the RFA. Conversely the minority status means they don't give a toss.

I will write to my MP, but the people to get behind this are the veteran's associations. Less that 200,000 people in the armed forces but a staggering 14 million that have worn it. If they were to present a coherent voice on this subject then the government would have to take notice.

But hey ho, pay your taxes in order to get no pension until you are 70 for an extremely paltry salary, when you take the 13% X-factor off it - We are fools I tell you.:{

BCH,

So exactly who on your Sqn would be paying for my tax exemption? If you say everyone then really I would be funding my own tax exemption when I am on those rare occasions back in the UK paying tax.

On another note have they been keeping you away from the wars recently? Does it make you feel inadequate? Do you wonder why?..........


There again they keep sending me away and I'm beginning to wonder why.........

And another thing: all those bl@@dy medals to pay to have mounted - uniform allowance? Doesn't even come close!

I'll get my coat.

It's true, I haven't been to a good war for months now. Must be due for one.

Your tax exemption, and mine, will come from the half of the squadron that was kept at home to carry on working here while the rest of us were working away. Discuss.

There seems to be some misnomer here that the government would have to recoup the paltry sum it would lose from those chaps OOA not paying tax. Total rubbish, all that would happen is it would have slightly less money to waste on minority protest groups, NHS administrators and the like. Discuss.

Tax breaks...a great idea but....

The US DoD have to reimburse the IR (or whatever the US equivalent is) so the break is paid for by the defence (defense
?) budget. Therefore with a limited pot of gold, something else would have to suffer (ie equipment!!).

Secondly, the average US serviceman's take home wage is approx 28% allowances (they even receive a version of LOA at home). Therefore their pensionand wage structure is not something we would want parity with.

If it is going to be done then do it properly, ie through the treasury and without losing anything else. I don't see much chance, but I did recently fill in a survey on what I would like to see to improve morale (yes another one, but this one was based on 'quick wins' )and I DID put down operational tax breaks (as did others) and I DID see the final piece of paper go through to CAS with a 4* signature block...so the point is being made.

By the way , aside from the tax breaks, the most populat 'QUICK' wins were regrading of poor accommodation to ZERO cost and extended bank holiday weekends (ie back to the old days of report to work on Tue afternoon).

'But the plain fact is that we are now such a minority the governement doesn't have that much to loose by letting us have the same tax concessions as the RFA.'

My understanding is that the RFA do pay tax when afloat; however, they have the ability to claim some of it back at a later date if they fulfill the qaulifying criteria/criterion (possibly more than 6-months away in the Financial Year). While that may seem like a good deal - have a look at their basic salary; they get paid significantly less than their RN counterparts for serving in the same bit of water with fewer defensive aids.

Having done it...

The criteria within europe* is you must stay for no more than 183 days in any one country after that you pay either UK or host country Tax. and as long as you stay out of the UK for 1 financial year then you are not liable for tax. For Non European countries it is tax free from the word go.

*With the Execption of Germany and The Netherlands - Everyone pays Tax forn the start in these countries.

The question is this... If RFA Personell are getting ANY kind of Tax break at all then why aren't The RN guys getting the same Breaks? They both serve on Government ships? Whats the difference?:confused:

It it true that RFA pay is lower than the equivalent RN pay, but so are the working routines...4 months on then 2 and a half off. So this goes some way to explaining it.

As far as the military salary goes, take X-factor and uniform upkeep allowance off and you soon find we are not paid that well compared to civilians with equal responsibility, particularly for the long hours, time away etc. X-factor is there to compensate for the unusual conditions particular to service in the armed forces, not for time away where LSSA, LSSB come in.

There is NO valid reason why, if the RFA get there tax back after 6 months away in any rolling year ('away' can mean outside the 12 mile limit at midnight, hence the auxiliaries like to be out during the week, even when on FOST tanker duties, for example).

As has already been stated on this forum, most of our perks have gone and in return we are working harder than ever with more time away from the families. Swiss Tony and Incapability Brown - how about a break after Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, Iraq, Fresco (up and coming civil service strikes).