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Travel Expenses In The Armed Forces

Travel expenses can usually be claimed for armed forces duty journeys from your normal place of work for various reasons such as meetings, official sports events or training, hospital visits, dental appointments and official visits.

But this is within reason depending on where you are and who you are working for – service personnel can be asked to make personal financial contributions to some allowances suhc as travelling into the workplace.

A Service vehicle can sometimes be provided, but if this is not possible you can claim for the costs of travelling by public transport (not using your Forces Railcard) or by private motor vehicle. All air travel must be booked by your unit HR admin staff or travel cell.

If you are away from your assignment station for more than five hours you can claim for the cost of food and drink up to a daily MoD limit. Of course, you must retain your receipts for this! If you pay a Service food charge for your meals, and are not able to get a meal in a Service messing facility you can claim for Missed Meal Payments. There are also allowances if you are regularly required to eat at commercial retail outlets and do not have access to Service messing facilities.

If you are required to stay overnight on a duty journey you should find Service accommodation in that local area. If none is available you are entitled to Night Subsistence where you can use the Central Hotel Booking Service (CHBS) where you will be reimbursed for the cost of Bed and Breakfast and sometimes dinner. Alternatively you can book your own accommodation and receive reimbursement for your expenses up to a set level for the country you are in. Or you can stay in private accommodation (such as friends or relatives) and get the Privately Arranged Rate allowance.

If you spend a significant time away from your family or normal place of work and are unable to return home at weekends etc you may be eligible for armed forces Longer Separation Allowance (LSA). This is a daily allowance added to your salary and is calculated according to your circumstances. See the Compensatory Allowances section for more details and also the Longer Separation Allowance for Seagoing Units section.

If you are in your first three years of service and assigned in the UK you may be entitled to Get You Home (Early Years) (GYH that provides four return journeys each year from your Duty Station to a registered address in the UK. This is to help you maintain links with your family and home life while you are adapting to life in the Service.

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