Thought about this a bit more - wonder how this will impact people going for qualifications and attending staff development weeks / weekends etc. Not positively, that’s for sure!
2 Likes
Interestingly the wording around VA in the JSP would imply that it is more for this sort of thing, training. It’s a reimbursement for going and upskilling to run events. As opposed to ‘pay’ for running events them selves. It seems we are going the opposite way.
Frankly you all know I’m a CI so I can only care so much about those changes 
What I am more concerned about if the removal of the ability to claim back fuel costs for a number of things, according to that spreadsheet. If I go and run EFA at a unit 10 miles away, no fuel claim? Go and act as designated first aid (cat bleed) on a 22 range, no fuel claim?
Removing/changing VA is one thing. But removing out ability to claim back basic expenses is another.
4 Likes
It is, and I noted the line on .22 (and also radio).
Though it only applies to the public purse. Could wings reimburse travel costs? Can they levy a charge on those attending to cover that? I’ve sometimes seen fees charged to cadets for activities but there’s no standard pattern.
There was a line in there about staff development being permitted… But given the line a few paragraphs up about “Region discretion” I can’t guess what our local policy will reduced too!!
One of the concepts we’ve been discussing for a while offline within the AT community is that - unlike other RAFAC areas - you can’t simply do a “Zero > Hero” course. A one weekend, tick box and away thing. You need to develop through experience, controlled exposure to risk, have a firm understanding of remit and personal competence at a level commensurate with your qualification. And, once qualified, you then need to maintain that standard though CPD.
All this takes time, effort, energy and cost. And, if you are only a holder of such qualifications - or intent on holding such qualifications - for the purposes of delivering to RAFAC, then there needs to be a degree of flexibility within the system to ensure staff in training - not just leading - are also able to claim.
I’d suggest that this could be best addressed by application of the much discussed “two tier” VA approach. Leaders on one rate, trainees/additional staff cover on another. But, as much as we discuss it on here, HQAC don’t seem interested in listening…
3 Likes
Yes they could, but the next question is where/how do they get the money from; goes to your next question.
Why charge cadets for something that is CFAV related 
This is one of many ways that HQAC are removing themselves from the hard facts that they are making the CFAVs pay to be part of this organisation.
Not CACE related, but still cost related, the removal of paying for ranks slides for uniforms CFAVs and the poor issuing of PTS badges is leaving Wings with no alternative but to purchase from their own funds.
Frankly I see it as staff in training have more ‘right’ to claim VA than those leading/running activities.
I think there is an expectation that a volunteer delivers activities ‘for free’, it’s in the name. But a volunteer shouldn’t be out of pocket to get to a point where they can deliver, if you know what I mean?
You want to deliver mountain biking? We’ll cover all your costs (including VA) to go out and do a training weekend and assessment weekend, but delivering the activity doesn’t give you VA.
Remember, the wording in JSP 814, which defines VA, is this:
CF are voluntary youth organisations and most CFAV attendance at cadet training is unremunerated. However, the CF may remunerate CFAV for some training days, courses and camps. The number of days for which remuneration, in the form of Volunteer Allowance (VA), may be claimed is at the discretion of sS. Attendance at parade nights is not remunerated. Rates of remuneration are set out in JSP 754 and issued by the single Services.
But I think everyone should be able to claim fuel expenses for pretty much all RAFAC related journeys.
1 Like
We have to buy our own rank slides, Wing doesn’t supply them.
Back to the travel point though, if a medic needs to travel to a .22 range to make that activity viable then the cost will need to be covered by cadets if it’s not being covered by public funds, either directly or via Wing.
1 Like
Given that the cadets would be the key beneficiaries of the activities being supported, why not?
For those cadets’ families that genuinely cannot afford to do so, the organisation is typically quite good at covering those costs.
1 Like
Absolutely NO. Any such requirement for specialist staff (as outlined in the appropriate policy document) must have any associated travel costs paid by non-public funds As it is, the F1771 rate doesn’t match the HMRC rate…
For example, LFMT, first time firers on the L98A2 = 1:1 supervision = 6 safety supervisors on a 6 lane range.
This would be a question to ask HMRC, if you can claim as an individual volunteer for travel and subsistence?
Well, the majority of CFAV are likely not doing self-assessment tax returns, so trying to claim back via the tax system becomes a bit of a PITA.
RAFAC just needs to allow fuel claims, at a sensible rate, for (almost*) all RAFAC activities.
*I say almost all, as traveling to attend fundraising events shouldn’t be claimable from the public purse IMO. I think that’s how it is now? For example a Sqn bag-pack.
However the CACE spreadsheet says no funds for .22 and AR.
It does say collective training requires a CACE so maybe there is room wiggle room there.
But the point still stands - this could make CFAV out of pocket as they’d feel an obligation to travel to make the activity possible.
1 Like
For several years there has not been any VA and travel for road marching the only thing claimable was qualification for Nijmegen and the Nijmegen Marches. 10 days in all. All training was done without claiming except for the safety vehicle.
Now for blue and bronze RM the cost to the corps is one vehicle per event and the badges. Why for a sector or Wg event where parents drop of the cadets do I have to fill in a CACE form to justify what will cost the corps about £40. I do hope they have a large staff to look at these CASE forms as there are going to be many hundreds of forms generated in the next few weeks.
4 Likes
I’ve successfully claimed for RM previously. Might be a local policy that’s negatively affecting you.
2 Likes
Well tbf it’s the actual policy… that we shouldn’t … i know some of the WHQ/RHQ Upper Echelon think its unfair and post the VA Claims regardless.
But dont ruin it for the rest of us @WhiskeyNovember 
Don’t worry, I wouldn’t want to step on the toes of the upper echelons by ruining people’s fun. That’s their job.
1 Like
I’ve now read these documents in detail. The word document is particularly poorly written. In particular, the line that references the spreadsheet (whatever it’s called) doesn’t make sense, which I think is why everyone is confused about how to interpret it?
Removing travel expenses is absolutely criminal. Any half decent voluntary organisation is providing 45p per mile for ALL activities, with none of this “personal contribution” nonsense. I’m already out of pocket at 25p/mile for travelling to activities, not a bloody chance I will be accepting even more losses.
Yet another thing to add to the list of things to demotivate us all
5 Likes
You can claim the difference between the 25p/mile minus “personal contribution” and actual 45p/mile entitlement through your ‘Personal Tax Account’ on the HMRC mobile app or website, without the need for a self-assessment tax return.
The calculation asks for the number of miles travelled and the expenses paid, then deducts the latter from the full entitlement. I would be tempted to include the non-claimable mileage in the former figure, to be treated the same way as the “personal contribution”.
1 Like
You wouldn’t be able to claim the personal contribution for the tax rebate as you are not entitled to any mileage payment to your normal place of work under HMRCs rules and the only personal contribution is for HTD.
To convert this in to the RAFAC uniformed CFAV will have a PAYE record for VA, this means that their place of work will be their units HQ meaning that HTD payments cannot be claimed in this manner.
If you keep a record of all travel that is not to or from your unit HQ you will be able to claim for the tax rebate even if it is not 1771 admissible under HQAC rules.
Your will only get 45p per mile for the first 10k but I would be suspect if a CFAV manges to exceed 10K. After 10K it drops to 25p per mile.
Uniformed CFAV are only able to claim the rebate as you need to have RAFAC as an employer on your PAYE record for the tax year you’re claiming for.
1 Like
You don’t get the difference. You get the tax on the difference. Plus, if this is true volunteering now with no VA I’m not convinced you can actually claim it at all. I’m sure HMRC have given it to people, but that’s probably through ignorance.