The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, are treated fairly.
It covers two key principles:
- The Armed Forces community should face no disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to other citizens
- Special consideration should be given when required, such as to the injured or the bereaved.
When did Ealing Council sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant?
Ealing Council signed up to the Armed Forces Covenant in July 2012. A renewed Armed Forces Covenant was signed by the leader of the council, Peter Mason at S562 Squadron base in Southall on Tuesday, 12 October 2021.
Watch the video of Councillor Mason's full speech, welcoming the renewal of the covenant.
What this means for families in Ealing
The Covenant provides support in a number of key areas for Army families in Ealing, including:
Housing
Armed Forces members and their families who have a link with the borough of Ealing will be recognised in housing allocations policies.
Where the need is urgent, Armed Forces members and their families who have a link with the borough of Ealing will be recognised in housing allocations policies.
- Contact the housing team
- Housing options and homelessness
- Apply for an Armed Forces accommodation exemption (Class O)
- Housing options for people leaving the Armed Forces, veterans and their families
- Advice and support for veterans and ex-forces
- Veterans aid
- The Royal British Legion
Seeking to support the employment of veterans and service leavers
Recognising that the Armed Forces community brings a variety of transferable skills and qualities developed through their military careers when interviewing for positions and ensuring our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible.
- Help finding work
- Vacancies
- Employment support
- Advice and support for veterans and ex-forces
- The Royal British Legion
- JobOppO - Ex-military employment community (members only)
Striving to support the families of the Armed Forces community by:
Agreeing to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for Service spouses and partners before, during and after a partner’s deployment.
Ensuring that school admission policies recognise the needs of children of the Armed Forces community
- School admissions
- In-year admissions
- Service pupil premium
- Support to Armed Forces families and partners
- Military Family Advisory Network
Connecting with Armed Forced Champions who act as a first point of contact on queries regarding individual armed forces cases. These champions maintain working arrangements with Job centre plus and the Armed Forces community and aim to raise the profile of the community in terms of their skills, knowledge and experience they can offer.
- Armed forces access to Jobcentre Plus services
- Contact the London & Essex Armed Forces champions directly
Seeking to support our employees who choose to be members of the Reserve Forces or Cadet Force Adult Volunteers
By accommodating their training and deployment where practical and serving Armed Forces Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers are supported with additional paid leave to carry out training.
Access to health and other advice and support services
Ealing Council will develop a dedicated web page to support delivery of the Covenant with key information and links to advice and other support services for members of the Armed Forces Community.
- Healthcare for the Armed Forces community
- Mental health support for veterans, service leavers and reservists
- Mental health services
- Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance
- Drug and alcohol dependency
- Local welfare assistance
- Benefits and entitlements
- Ealing Law Centre provides legal advice and representation to those most in need
- Ealing and Hounslow CVS
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