Future Accommodation Model (FAM)

01   FAM pilot

The pilot for FAM which ran at HMNB Clyde, RAF Wittering and Aldershot Garrison came to an end on 31 March 2023. So what does that mean going forward?

If you were on the pilot and are either staying at a pilot site or are due to be posted elsewhere you may continue to receive FAM benefits. All Service personnel currently in a FAM pilot site should have received a letter outlining your preserved rights.

ALL PRESERVED RIGHTS INCLUDING PAYMENTS FOR MAINTAINING YOUR OWN HOME AND THE PRIVATE RENTAL ALLOWANCES WILL CEASE ON 31 March 2026. AFF strongly advises that you ensure you have made alternative financial arrangements well in advance of that date

You are strongly advised to contact the Accommodation Support Cell (ASC): People-Accom-ASC@mod.gov.uk

If you are posted into an old FAM pilot site AFTER 31 March 2023 (or any other location), you will come under the usual accommodation entitlements as per JSP 464 volumes 1 & 2 until such time as the Modernised Accommodation Offer policy comes in.

For more information on the existing policy, please see the AFF housing pages.

02   What now?

Under the FAM pilot, the MOD was testing various options:

• Allocation based on need vs rank
• Allowances for home ownership (both as a Selected Place of Residence (your own home further than 50 miles from your duty station) and Residence at Work Address) (your own home within 50 miles of your duty station))
• Entitlement for those in established long-term relationships (LTRE)
• Entitlement for those Service personnel who were Pstat Cat 3 or 4 but had their children for more than 80 nights a year
• The option for Service personnel and their families to choose private rental rather than SFA and receive an allowance towards the rental costs.

Policy is now being reviewed to work out which options will be carried forward into what will become the Modernised Accommodation Offer (MAO) policy.

The new Defence Accommodation Strategy (DAS) has confirmed that in the new policy accommodation will be offered based on need not rank and that those in LTRE will become entitled to subsidised accommodation.

03   When?

The MAO has now been paused – see  the MAO page for more details.

04   Information

AFF appreciates that families want to understand how the changes will affect them. As soon as the MOD provides detailed information about the new policy, we will share this as soon as possible.

Future Accommodation Model: what you need to know – GOV.UK

FAM pilot surveys – report – GOV.UK

Defence Accommodation Strategy – GOV.UK

Defence Accommodation Policy | Defence Connect

Families can now log onto the Defence accommodation page on Defence Connect to keep up to date.

You’ll need to fill in the form and you’ll then receive a confirmation email.

Once signed up, you can also download the JIVE app to access Defence Connect.