Charlie Charlie One - for Service Personnel and Veterans battling Cancer

Cancer is indiscriminate and does not differentiate; age, gender, ethnicity, background, and status are irrelevant. But those seeking our support, regardless of their rank, are united by military service, common values, and, of course, their cancer diagnosis. While established as a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) in August 2021, we seek to support individuals throughout the United Kingdom.

Visit the website at Charlie Charlie One - Cancer Support

Increase in Visa Fees from 4th October 2023

The Home Office have announced an increase in Visa fees from 4th October 2023.

For more information, please contact your local HIVE.

Make yourself heard - 999 calls in the UK when you can't speak

If you’re in an emergency situation and need police help, but can’t speak, Make Yourself Heard and let the 999 operator know your call is genuine. For information click here

DWP Update: Second 2023/24 Cost of Living Payment dates announced

On 20 September the Government announced that millions of UK households will shortly get a Cost of Living Payment of £300. The payment will be made to eligible customers between 31 October and 19 November.

​This is the second of three payments over the financial year totalling up to £900. Eligible pensioner households will also receive a further £300 payment later this year as an addition to the Winter Fuel payment.

Eligible tax credits-only customers who do not qualify for a payment from DWP will receive £300 from HMRC between 10 and 19 November.

Customers will receive the payments automatically. They do not need to contact DWP or do anything to receive the payment.

From 20 November, people who have become retrospectively entitled, or think they should have had a Cost of Living Payment but have not received one can report it via GOV.UK. If the person is not able to use the internet or they do not know someone who can help them, they can report a missing payment via their benefit telephony line.

Read more information about the Cost of Living Payments on GOV.UK.

For further information about the government's cost of living support package, please visit Help for Households on GOV.UK.

Service Family Accommodation: Preparing Your Home for Winter

A Winter Protection Guide has been published for SFA occupants, with guidance on preparing your home for the winter months and how to respond should an issue arise. To view the full guide, please click HERE​

NHS #NationalBreastfeedingWeek Day 7

Everyone plays a unique role in supporting breastfeeding.

Could you support with cooking food, running errands or looking after older children? This can all help to make breastfeeding more achievable as a family.

More advice: https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/feeding-your-baby/breastfeeding/

#NationalBreastfeedingWeek

Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families, Dr Andrew Murrison announces New Accommodation Offer and Widening Accommodation Entitlement

Today, the Minister of Defence People Veterans and Service Families, Dr Andrew Murrison, announced the New Accommodation Offer for the Armed Forces from 11 March 2024 this new offer will deliver greater access to subsidised accommodation for our Service personnel, their families, and partners.

The New Accommodation Offer forms part of Defence’s outputs from the recent Defence Command Paper Refresh and Haythornthwaite review which aims to improve the offer to current and future Serving personnel.

NHS #NationalBreastfeedingWeek Day 6

If you're returning to work, you might wonder whether you can continue breastfeeding. The answer is yes - it's completely possible!

Here are some tips to help you with breastfeeding and going back to work.

#NationalBreastfeedingWeek

Breastfeeding - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

NHS #NationalBreastfeedingWeek Day5

Can you breastfeed in public?

Breastfeeding in public may make you nervous, but you have a legal right to breastfeed anytime and anywhere. Remember, if you are asked to leave somewhere whilst breastfeeding, you're within your rights to challenge this.

#NationalBreastfeedingWeek

Breastfeeding in public - Start for Life - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

NHS #NationalBreastfeedingWeek Day 4

There are many ways you can get support with breastfeeding.

Health visitors, midwives, peer supporters, helplines, grandparents - who helped when you were learning how to breastfeed?

Call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212.

#NationalBreastfeedingWeek

Breastfeeding help and support - Start for Life - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

NHS #NationalBreastfeedingWeek Day 3

Have you got questions about breastfeeding?

Start for Life's Breastfeeding Friend Chatbot has lots of useful information and advice. Available whenever you need it, get the answers you need now: http://m.me/Start4LifeBreastfeedingFriend

#NationalBreastfeedingWeek

Baby basics - Start for Life - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

New Awards To Support Service Children Along Their Educational Pathway

The Armed Forces Covenant Trust (the Trust) is excited to announce the first awards made under the Service Pupil Support Programme.

Over £1,700,000 has been awarded to 46 fantastic projects which will deliver real change to Armed Forces communities by improving the educational pathway of Service children and helping to address the challenges they can face.

NHS #NationalBreastfeedingWeek Day2

Our Breastfeeding Friend support tool for voice, available on Amazon Alexa is now new and improved.

Get a personal Feeding Guide and NHS-approved advice 24/7 to help answer all your breastfeeding questions.

#NationalBreastfeedingWeek

Breastfeeding friend - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

NHS National Breast Feeding Week

It's #NationalBreastfeedingWeek, and everyone has a part to play. Over the next week we'll be sharing lots of tips and advice to help with your breastfeeding journey.

For more information use this link

Dept for Work & Pensions: Roundup of recent DWP announcements

  

     

Work Capability Assessment - consultation

The Government has launched an important consultation on proposals to revamp the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) to better reflect changes to the world of work potentially opening up new opportunities for disabled people.

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust: Veterans’ Capital Housing Fund launches first programmes

The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (The Trust) are delighted to announce two exciting new programmes under the Veterans’ Capital Housing Fund that will help increase the stock of housing available to veterans.

The grants awarded under these programmes will enable homes for veterans with a housing need to be brought up-to-date through a refurbishment grant, or will support organisations with the early-stage development of more complex building projects.

Recruit for Spouses Job Vacancies & Free Courses

Recruit for Spouses have a number of remote working roles for spouses - please see https://jobs.recruitforspouses.co.uk/ 

• Research assistant
• Accounts assistant
• Associate Director and a role with Virgin red

​Currently available is free coaching and mentoring by BAE coaches and access to Open University courses through the Career Academy, also free.

Wraparound Childcare (WAC): Did you know?

 

Click here for more Did you know? snippets

Service personnel with eligible children aged between 4 and 11 years old can claim up to £3,400 on childcare costs.

Information about WAC can easily be overlooked or misunderstood, so we have created quick tips and key information below to answer your questions and make WAC registration as seamless as possible.

Tax-Free Childcare account (TFC)
Service families need to have a valid and active TFC account for each child before they can register for WAC. Childcare costs must be paid from your child’s TFC account to be able to claim WAC funding. You or your partner can set up your child’s Tax-Free Childcare account today.

Togetherall Groups – free access for the UK Military Community.

@Togetherall’s groups feature allows members to connect, share and support each other in smaller spaces, on topics that matter to them. For example, Meet the Community, Gratitude Diaries, Work-Life Balance and more.
Togetherall is FREE to anyone in the UK Military, Veterans & Family members aged 16+

Visit togethe​rall.com to join today

Combat Stress: How we can help

For over a century we’ve been helping former servicemen and women deal with issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression. Today we provide specialist treatment and support for veterans from every service and conflict, focusing on those with complex mental health issues related to their military service.

For more information please visit: www.combatstress.org.uk​

UK Health Security Agency - Around 1 in 8 New Students Unprotected Against Meningitis

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and leading meningitis charities are urging students to make sure they have been vaccinated against meningitis and other diseases before the start of the academic year.​​​​. Find out more HERE​