Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact)
We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.
The Armed Forces Covenant
An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, His Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families
The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.
Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.
This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.
Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant
1.1 We Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment
2.1 Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- Flexible Leave For Spouses
- Armed Forces Day
We also pledge the following:
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We will champion fair, equitable, and meaningful employment and volunteering opportunities for veterans with lived experience of the Criminal Justice System. This approach aligns with Pact’s vision of justice as a process of restoration and healing, promotes the use of prisons as places of learning and rehabilitation, and affirms the inherent dignity and worth of every individual.
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Communications, engagement and outreach: Pact will use the Armed Forces Covenant and Employer Recognition Scheme logos across appropriate communications and marketing materials. We will strengthen engagement with Veterans’ Support Groups in both custodial and community settings to enhance support for veteran prisoners and their families. Armed Forces– related events and initiatives will be actively promoted through internal channels and external communications.
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Health and wellbeing: Pact will ensure that dedicated health services for members of the Armed Forces community, such as OpCourage, are clearly signposted and promoted. This reflects our ongoing commitment to a public health–based approach for service users and employees.
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Pact will proactively collaborate with Veterans in Custody Support Officers, Family Services Commissioners, and other family service providers to strengthen professional networks and joined-up support.
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We will work in partnership with prison offender management units to strengthen resettlement pathways and support for veterans in custody.
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To support accountability and continuous improvement, Pact will nominate a Board-level Champion to lead an annual review of the organisation’s activities in support of the Armed Forces Covenant.
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We will develop and deliver an internal communication and learning plan to ensure staff are confident, informed, and well-equipped to uphold the Covenant in practice.
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To engage and link with armed forces charities that include veterans in custody within the scope of their work.
2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.