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Life Skills
The documents here offer a wealth of advice and information to assist you as you make the transition into civilian life, for example, registering with the doctor, enrolling your children into school or connecting with the local authority. Click on the headings for more information on each subject.
Benefits This section contains information on eligibility for Benefits and advice on how to claim. There are also links to useful websites.
Council Tax Council tax is a system of local taxation collected by local authorities. It replaced the community charge (poll tax) on 1 April 1993. It is a tax on domestic property. This section gives advice on valuation bands, exemptions, discounts and how to pay council tax.
Credit Rating Many people have difficulty getting credit due to their past debt problems. This section explains what you should do if a County Court Judgement (CCJ) is held against you and how it affects your credit rating. It also includes full contact details of many helpful organisations who can assist further with financial difficulties.
Dentist This section gives advice on how to find a dentist in your area and considerations to be made when selecting one. It also includes advice on how to register and what charges to expect to pay. There are links to useful websites too.
Doctor You never know when you or a member of your family will become ill or need advice so you should always be registered with a family doctor so that they have access to your medical records and know about any previous treatment you may have had.
Electoral Roll It is compulsory to fill in the annual voting registration form and if you don't, you could go to court, be fined up to £1,000 and get a criminal record. This section contains information on how the register works and how to add your name.
Employment Benefits This section details eligibility to Jobseeker's Allowance and how National Insurance contributions affect it. There is advice on many different types of personal situations and how they affect eligibility.
Housing List This section contains information on how to put your name down for a council home and explains the process involved. There is comprehensive information of other organisations who can help with housing matters.
Job Centre It is vital for your benefit to register at your local Job Centre immediately on leaving the forces for continuity of your National Insurance payments if you do not have employment at the time of leaving. The Jobcentre Plus offices offer much assistance including finding work advice, facilities to help you look for jobs and advice on which benefits you are eligible for. This section also includes a link to the Jobcentre Plus website which will guide you to your local office and answer any immediate questions you may have. Also see the Employment Benefits section below for related information.
Schools/Education No doubt one of the most important decisions you will make in your child's education will be choosing a primary or secondary school. Making the right choice for you and your child will involve a lot of research and planning. This section contains comprehensive information on selecting and applying to schools along with advice on how the Local Education Authority works.
Tax Advice You can discuss your tax affairs or get tax information at any Tax Office or at one of the many Inland Revenue Enquiry Centres located around the country. They will answer your questions on your rights and obligations on direct taxation, and give information to help you with returns, claims to relief's, repayments and appeals. Click on the heading for more information.
Utilities We all take for granted having everyday sources such as gas, electricity and water but organising them yourself can be a tricky operation that could be completely new territory for some Service Leavers. This is a very comprehensive section detailing different methods of billing and how to get connected, along with helpful details of how to contact organisations for further assistance.
Other Useful Organisations There are a number of Welfare and Ex-Services organisations that exist to provide a range of assistance to ex-Service personnel. Your interviewing officer will assist you on how to get in touch with these organisations now or at any time post-discharge, should the need arise. A brief summary of some of the main organisations and what they can offer is contained in this section. It is worth remembering these as they can offer assistance at any point during your life and you never know when you may need them.