Financial support for reservists

If you’re called up for service you can claim financial support to cover:

  • the difference between your civilian pay and your service pay
  • the cost of any benefits in kind your employer stops

The total amount you can claim is £400 a day.

If you’re serving as a medical consultant with the defence medical services, you can claim up to £822 a day.

Company benefits

You can claim for benefits normally provided by your employer, including:

  • health insurance or medical care
  • life insurance
  • education fees for dependent children
  • accommodation

If you have to return a company car that’s used by your partner (for example, husband or wife), children or dependent relatives, you can claim £10.70 a day (around £325 a month).

Pension contributions

While you’re mobilised you can either:

  • ask for the days you’re mobilised to count towards the Armed Forces Pension Scheme
  • keep contributing to your personal or work pension (the Ministry of Defence will pay your employer’s contributions)

If you’re self-employed

If you’re self-employed, a partner or a company director, you can claim for:

  • the difference between your service pay and earnings from your business
  • up to £2,000 business costs from stopping trading
  • agency fees and advertising for finding and training your replacement

Expenses you cannot claim

You cannot claim for expenses that you were already paying before you were mobilised. For example, you cannot claim for:

  • care of a dependent child or relative
  • care of a pet
  • house insurance
  • maintenance on your home

How to claim

Employees get instructions about how to claim in the mobilisation pack.

If you’re self-employed, a partner or a company director, use the claim form for employers.

When to claim

You can claim any time after your service begins and up to 4 weeks after it ends.

Appeal a rejected claim

You can appeal if your claim is turned down.