HMForces.co.uk

Benefits >> Browse Articles >> British Armed Forces Allowances

Travel and Subsistence when Living Overseas

Here is a summary of the allowances for Armed Service personnel who are permanently living overseas:

• Local Overseas Allowance (LOA) – Contributes to the additional costs of day-to-day living in an overseas county
• Living Out Supplemented Rates of LOA (LOSLOA) – For single or unaccompanied personnel, may be available instead of LOA

• Small Station Local Overseas Allowance (SSLOA) – May be available instead of LOA to help with additional costs of day-to-day living if the overseas station you are assigned to has less than 20 UK Service personnel.
• Special Messing Allowance (SMA) – For personnel living in Single Living Accommodation or equivalent without access to Service messing or self-catering facilities. This contributes towards the extra cost of food and beverages. <br

• Overseas Rent Allowance (ORA) – When there is no suitable Service accommodation this allowance contributes towards the added cost of rent and utilities.
• Overseas Furniture Provision Scheme (OFPS) – This contributes towards the cost of buying furniture if you have to rent an unfurnished property that cannot be furnished through official sources.
• Get You Home (Overseas) GYH – Contributes towards the cost of a return journey home (with your spouse/civil partner and dependent children that are living overseas with you) once per assignment year.

Make sure you check the Armed Forces Allowances Update article for the latest developments. You need to be realistic. There are some good benefits but we are currently living in an austere period with severe cuts taking place. The Armed Forces are not except unfortunately.

Back to: Benefits Home Page
Previous Section: Relocating expenses
Next Section: Allowances for Seagoing Units