Further support for the Armed Forces and their families in the East Riding
New rules came into force on 22nd November
New legislation is coming into force for the Armed Forces Covenant which will see members of the Armed Forces and their families further supported in the East Riding.
The new Armed Forces Covenant Duty, which came into force on 22 November, requires relevant public sector bodies to show ‘due regard’ for the Armed Forces community and the principles of the Covenant when delivering specific functions in the areas of healthcare, education and housing.
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise by the nation that those who serve or who have served in the Armed Forces, and their families, will be treated fairly and will not be disadvantaged in accessing public and commercial goods and services.
The Armed Forces Covenant is being further incorporated into law, as part of the Armed Forces Act 2021, to help prevent any disadvantage faced by the Armed Forces Community and develop a better awareness of the unique obligations and circumstances of serving and former Armed Forces members and their families.
The new legislation will help raise awareness amongst public bodies of how Service life can impact on the Armed Forces community, and how disadvantages can arise due to Service when members of the community seek to access key local services.
As part of the preparation for this legislation, East Riding of Yorkshire Council says it has developed a position statement and action plan, which highlights the areas where due regard is already being shown and identifies the areas where further work is required. This is available to view on the council’s Armed Forces webpages.
Staff working in these areas will also undertake training to support their understanding of the Duty and increase awareness of the wide range of local support available for the Armed Forces community.
Councillor David Elvidge, Armed Forces Member Champion, said: “I welcome the introduction of the new Duty and see this as a positive move forward for the way in which public bodies provide support to the whole Armed Forces community.
“In particular, I support the clarity given in defining relevant family members which recognises the world we live in today and I hope this makes it as inclusive as possible so that all those affected by military service get the help and support they need.”
Find out more about the support on East Riding of Yorkshire Council's website.
For further information, please contact community.covenant@eastriding.gov.uk