All SFA and SSFA worldwide is now charged according to the CAAS system. See defencehomes.mod.gov.uk/caas-system.
Overseas, CILOCT is not charged and all SFA is graded two bands down as part of the overseas incentive.
Charges are set by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, which is independent of MOD and DIO. The charges are subsidised compared to what you would pay on civvy street to reflect the lack of choice and other issues associated with Army life.
Charges are taken directly from the serving person’s pay so when you move, it is very important to check that you are paying the correct amount for your new SFA/SSFA.
For information on moving related allowances including Disturbance Expense and removals, please see Military allowances – relocation allowances
Once you have received the letter with your final banding (this should be at move-in), if you disagree with the band, you will have 28 days in which to challenge it.
You must base your challenge on factual errors and make it in writing via letter, email or using the template on DII. Download a challenge template letter.
The banding letter will give you full details of the challenge process and JSP 464 volume 3 has all the details you need to submit your challenge. JSP 464 Volume 1 contains information on the timelines which you may find useful
There is a set timeline for challenges and possible appeals to DIO. If sending by email please send to CAASchallenges@pinnacleservicefamilies.co.uk
If you have any issues or concerns, please contact the AFF Housing team at housingsupport@aff.org.uk
For more information, see defencehomes.mod.gov.uk/caas-system.
Back to topCAAS surveys are important as they ensure your home is safe for occupation and that the correct CAAS band charge is being applied. The data gathered at CAAS surveys will also identify what works are required at that address and will inform future upgrade and improvement programmes.
DIO will write to you in advance to inform you when a survey needs to take place. It is important you allow the surveyor access to your home. If the date of the CAAS survey isn’t convenient, please rearrange as soon as you can using the contact details in your letter.
Further information about CAAS can be found at defencehomes.mod.gov.uk/caas-system
Back to topAFF is aware that families are frustrated by the following issues regarding CAAS:
Below is an initial attempt by AFF to respond to your concerns.
Back to topIf you feel that your final CAAS Band is incorrect, AFF strongly advises you to challenge it.
It is better to put in a challenge than not – there have been successful challenges so far. Your challenge doesn’t have to be complicated, for example, “I am challenging due to noise/age of my kitchen/age of my boiler etc.” will suffice.
Where you can back up your statement with photos or videos, send those in as well.
1. Check your assessment type found on Enclosure 1 – top box. Are you survey or extrapolation (assessment made based on a survey of another property of an equivalent type)? If this is incorrect, then you should challenge the assessment.
2. Check the condition of your property found on Enclosure 1. This is made up of four components. To crosscheck the standards we have linked to the relevant documents to help you.
Safety hazard
An SFA fails the Decent Home Standard (DH) and DH+ if it contains a Category 1 hazard. SFA with a Category 2, 3 etc. hazard is still ‘Decent’. Take a look at the categories.
Repair
This criterion has 15 components, of which 12 are classed as key (marked (K) on the table in JSP 464).
A property will only fail on condition if it also fails on age.
A single key component not meeting the relevant age AND condition/repair standard will result in a fail. Two of the three non-key components not meeting the age AND condition standard will result in a fail. Take a look at the components and see JSP464 Volume 2-Section 5.5 Table 1 serial 2.
Modernity
This criterion does consider age as a determining factor for pass/fail. The six components, of which three ‘fails’ are required for overall failure against this criterion, are:
Thermal comfort
This criterion has a sole measure for pass/fail – the SAP score. SAP is the Standard Assessment Procedure recommended by the government for measuring energy ratings of new build residential dwellings.
SAP is calculated using a fixed set of data but this does not include the condition of a component e.g. the presence of double-glazing, but not whether they are in good condition – this will be considered in the criteria for repair.
Band D and above ensures the property qualifies as a DH+. Take a look at the SAP rating.
3. Check the scale of your property.
4. Check the location of your property.
The location assessment is determined in part by the location of your SFA to various key amenities using journey times either by walking or public transport (NB they are focused on the nearest specific amenity rather than one of your choice) and the following thresholds apply;
Urban – less than 20 mins travel
Intermediate – between 20 and 40 minutes
Remote – more than 40 minutes
Service personnel can interrogate specifics relating to their SFA via DII by inputting their postcode into the SFA Location Lookup Tool
A summary of the open and available data sources used for the CAAS location factor assessment is at JSP 464 volume 2 UK accommodation procedures.
In October 2020 policy changed to bring CAAS charging in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales in line with England by introducing a location assessment based on access to local services.
Up until then this data was not available for these devolved countries. However, in order to create parity across all UK SFA, this data has now been collected and has been used to inform the location aspect of CAAS.
5. Broadband speed.
As of April 2025, the broadband accessibility element of the CAAS banding assessment has been updated. It now uses Ofcom data to determine the minimum broadband download speed required to pass this part of the assessment. The threshold has increased from 24 Mbps to 100 Mbps. In some cases, Ofcom data may vary within a postcode. If you believe that the Ofcom baseline speed is not achievable at your SFA, you should contact Ofcom. Once Ofcom confirms that the average speeds cannot be achieved, you should submit a CAAS Stage 1 challenge.
Do I still have to report repairs to Pinnacle?
Yes, this is very important. If your windows are draughty, you have a persistent mould problem or if your boiler keeps going off; this will create a record for your SFA and could help to show that repairs are needed which could affect the CAAS banding and will feed into future improvement plans.
Can I use all of JSP 315 as a reason for a challenge?
No, JSP 315 was only used as a guide to the upper level for scale of properties, not a guide to state of repair. For repair, please use JSP 464 as your guide.
I am living in an SFA above entitlement – what will I pay?
If you are living in an above entitlement SFA due to Service reasons (i.e. Pinnacle gave it to you and you didn’t request above entitlement) you will pay the lower of:
If you are in this situation and you haven’t received a letter, you must challenge the banding so that it will be correctly inputted to JPA.
How will the charges be taken?
CAAS bandings will be entered onto JPA on moving and the charge is taken direct from pay on a monthly basis. Ensure the serving person checks their pay statement for the first few months to ensure that you are paying the correct amount. If you aren’t, please let Pinnacle know and if you are underpaying, make sure you save the difference, as they will claim it back from you; they will also pay you back if you have overpaid.
Why is my banding different to my neighbour’s identical house?
There are many individual reasons why this may be the case based on hidden reasons such as repair or insulation. However, if you feel that the houses are the same, you should put in a challenge based on where you think the difference is. This is very important, especially if your SFA was extrapolated.
My SFA is down as being extrapolated – what does that mean?
For most estates, a sample number of similar SFA were surveyed – the surveys were independently assured and if they all came out the same then the whole estate was extrapolated based on those results. Consequently, there may be some properties which have fallen through the cracks if for some reason works carried out on the surveyed SFA hadn’t been replicated in the extrapolated SFA. If you feel that this is the case, please put in a challenge. Most SFA have now had their initial survey however a few are yet to take place and continue to be extrapolated.
The serving person is away and I don’t want to challenge without their input – can I get an extension?
Yes, write to the Pinnacle CAAS challenge team and explain the situation. If you are part of a unit etc. who are away on tour or on exercise, approach your welfare team and ask them to put in for an extension for the unit.
I have further questions, who can help me?
For further support, please contact the AFF Housing team at housingsupport@aff.org.uk
There has recently been a change to JSP 464 to clarify what issues can and can’t be considered when requesting a temporary downgrade (TDG).
Back to topI have been without hot water/heating/ water/sewerage for less than 7 days, can I get a TDG?
No, but you can apply for compensation for loss of heating through Pinnacle’s website.
I have been without hot water/heating/ water/sewerage for more than 7 days, can I get a TDG?
It is possible – a permanent or intermittent failure lasting for between 7 and 93 days may receive up to a two band CAAS reduction however, if adequate alternative provision has been made (heaters, water etc), a full two band reduction will not be awarded.
I had no hot water and no immersion and was put into a hotel – can I still get a TDG?
No.
I was offered a hotel but chose to stay in the SFA – can I still get a TDG?
No.
What other criteria are considered to be awarded a TDG?
For more information see 20220701-JSP464 Policy Amendments-1 JUL 22 (TDG)
How long will my TDG be for?
This will depend on how long the issue lasted for, initially it will be for a maximum of 93 days.
If the issue persists then the situation will be reviewed by DIO and an extension of up to 183 days can be made.
If the issue persists for longer than 186 days the TDG will cease and action will be taken to look to formally reassess the property however, this may not result in a change in the CAAS band for charge.
I have had multiple short periods of less than 7 days for the same issue – can I get a TDG?
It is possible if you have had 4 or more occurrences within a 12-month period which individually didn’t meet the 70-day criteria but which together have had a significant impact on you (e.g. repeated short term failures of the boiler) a TDG of 1 or 2 bands will be considered.
I have had multiple issues in my home – can I have a bigger TDG?
A maximum of 2 band TDG will be offered regardless of the number of issues in the home.
Can I apply for a TDG for my garage?
No, but it is possible to request to have it classed as “sub-standard” if it is not secure, undersized or weatherproof. If a repair to resolve the issues is reported and will take more than 7 days to resolve, a temporary change to “substandard” will be initiated.
How do I request a TDG?
In the first instance you should contact Pinnacle Home Services – all requests must include a start date and an end date and will only be backdated to the point of first reporting. The need to have an end date means that the majority of requests may need to be made AFTER the issue is resolved.
Download the SFA and garage charges WEF July 2025.
Back to topContribution in lieu of council tax (CILOCT) is what all families living in SFA/SSFA or serving personnel in SLA pay instead of council tax. CILOCT is collected by the MOD and then paid to the councils dependent on how many SFA/SLA are in their area. If you are posted abroad, you no longer pay CILOCT (as of 1 April 2016) as part of the enhanced overseas package.
Irrespective of normal entitlement to Service accommodation CILOCT will be always charged at a rate consistent with the accommodation charge. For example, Service personnel who occupy accommodation below their normal entitlement will pay a CILOCT appropriate to the type of accommodation occupied, not their normal entitlement. Similarly, Service personnel who voluntarily occupy accommodation above their normal entitlement will pay CILOCT appropriate to the type of property occupied and not to that of their normal entitlement
In common with council tax (CT) rules, a discount of 25 per cent is applicable to single adults living in SFA or the substitute equivalents who pay CILOCT. Personnel with a Personal Status Category (PStatCat) of 1s or 5s are not eligible for the discount unless the spouse or partner meets one or more of the criteria of paragraphs a to j. To qualify for a discount, an occupant must be living alone, or solely with people who fall into one of the following categories:
Service personnel who claim the 25 per cent CILOCT discount must give immediate notification of any changes of circumstances that may affect their eligibility for the discount.
With effect from 1 April 2025, daily rates of CILOCT are:
| TYPE | £ DAILY |
| I | 9.15 |
| II | 8.71 |
| III | 8.28 |
| IV | 7.01 |
| V | 6.32 |
| D | 5.74 |
| C | 5.45 |
| B | 4.98 |
| A | 4.12 |
CILOCT FOR SLA
| RANK | £ DAILY |
| Officers | 0.68 |
| SNCOs | 0.48 |
| Other Ranks | 0.18 |
Originally a garage that is less than 4.3 metres in length and/or 2.3 metres in width (internal measurements) and less than 2.5m high was deemed sub-standard; DIO has changed the height requirement to 1.85m clearance height (at entrance with the door open).
Well that is what we asked and were given this answer:
If you have questions on garage charges, contact our Housing team at housingsupport@aff.org.uk.
Back to topAll charges for damages and deficiencies on SFA and SSFA in the UK are now recovered from the serving person’s pay – this is to reduce the time and costs involved with chasing those who don’t currently pay on time (or at all). See the Move In / Move Out page for full details.
Back to topService personnel living in SFA may now include their housing costs within their Universal Credit claim. For more information, see the Benefits, National Insurance and Tax page.