Armed Forces Covenant: guidance and support
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.
The government is committed to supporting the armed forces community by working with a range of partners who have signed the covenant. The covenant is a national responsibility involving government, businesses, local authorities, charities and the public.
Guidance
View a full list of Armed Forces Covenant policy and guidance documents.
For general information related to the Covenant, including latest news, advice for the armed forces community, advice for private/commercial and public sectors, and sign-posting to useful organisations and websites, please go the Armed Forces Covenant Website.
Covenant for businesses
Businesses and charitable organisations who wish to demonstrate their support for the armed forces community can sign the covenant. In doing so they make a range of written and publicised promises to set out their support.
Find case studies and more on the microsite.
Covenant for communities
For communities, the Armed Forces Covenant is a promise of mutual support between a civilian community and it’s local armed forces community.
A Covenant Fund is available for community projects that offers small grants up to £20,000 and large grants up to £500,000.
Covenant for serving personnel and families
There are several initiatives as part of the Armed Forces Covenant designed to support serving personnel and their families. There is also information about understanding your employment rights as a reservist.
Information about support services for armed forces is here.
SSAFA, the armed forces charity, has produced an Additional needs and disability: a guide for families publication which includes a directory of support across all 3 services.
Work, job and pension information for armed forces is here.
Find more case studies on the microsite.
Covenant for veterans
Apply for a grant from Aged Veterans Fund to fund projects for practical support and companionship to improve older veterans wellbeing and services to assist individuals in their needs.
Information about support services for veterans is here.
Find out about other support services for veterans on the covenant microsite.
Covenant for policy makers
Information on the policy and how we will support the armed forces community through the Armed Forces Covenant. A full list of Armed Forces Covenant policy information and related documents is available here.
Updates to this page
Last updated 17 April 2024 + show all updates
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Updated links under 'Covenant for policy makers' heading.
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'Armed Forces Covenant Duty Statutory Guidance' added.
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Updated Guidance section.
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Added the terms and conditions section to the page.
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Added the list of ministers that work on Veterans and Armed Forces Covenant issues.
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Added a link to the SSAFA 'Additional needs and disability: a guide for families' publication in the Covenant for serving personnel and families section.
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Added Armed Forces Covenant annual report 2016
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Added links to the covenant microsite.
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Added link to Addressing commercial disadvantage survey.
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Added link to commercial disadvantage survey.
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Added the Armed forces covenant annual report 2015 and related links
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Added Aged Veterans Fund: how to apply guidance
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Added Covenant Fund guidance on how to apply
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Added the Aged Veterans Fund.
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Added the covenant fund.
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Updated the Newsletter heading to include link to the community covenant conferences 2015: presentations
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Added the AFC 2014 annual report update.
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Updated link to signed corporate covenant pledges.
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Added 'Armed forces corporate covenant: signed pledges (part 2)'.
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Added link to Veterans accomodation fund
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First published.