Welcome to British Forces Cyprus

The normal rules for DE apply. You can apply for this through your JPA Self-Service account no sooner than 45 days prior to your arrival in Cyprus. Disturbance Expense is paid to single, married and married unaccompanied personnel.

You will receive Local Overseas Allowance (LOA) at the appropriate rate for your location regardless of rank. The rate will be determined by your marital status and family circumstances. The current rates for Cyprus can be obtained from your current Unit Administration Office or HR Centre.

LSA is only paid to BFC personnel when they are away on detached duty for 7 days or more, or as married personnel serving unaccompanied. The detailed regulations on LSA can be found in JSP 752.

This allowance assist towards the cost of you and your family travelling to and from the UK or, in the case of non-British and dual nationality passport holders, to the country of domicile origin.  This is one per year during your tour of duty in Cyprus. This allowance will contribute most of the flight costs and you also receive a motor mileage allowance payment that will help to cover the terminal travel costs in Cyprus and the UK or country of domicile origin. The allowance can only be used by you and your family members on a return journey from Cyprus to the UK or country of domicile and back. It cannot be used to bring friends or relatives from the UK to Cyprus and you cannot use the allowance to pay for a family holiday in any other such location. Details on this allowance can be obtained from the Unit Admin Office on your arrival in Cyprus or via JSP 752.

Respite Provision is an allowance for the SP and every eligible family member. Each person is entitled to 4 days Respite provision. The detailed regulations and rates for RP can be found in JSP 752.

The aim of OPVP is to assist Service Personnel permanently assigned to or from Cyprus with access to a private motor vehicle. The detailed regulations and rates for OPVP can be found in JSP 752.

If you buy/sell or let a privately owned house as a direct result of your assignment to Cyprus, you may be eligible for a refund of legal or letting expenses. Check with your present Unit Admin Office as early as possible.

BFC is not an operational theatre and BFC personnel, whilst located in Cyprus, do not qualify for the DWP. However, personnel deployed with the UN on Op Tosca are entitled to the full DWP and full details will be provided by the HR admin office at the beginning of the deployment.

All leave journeys, except for Get You Home (Overseas) journeys, are undertaken at your own expense.

When posting overseas for 12 months or more UKBCs are entitled to claim an OTG which is a tax-free lump sum payment to cover essential incidental expenditure when posting overseas that is not covered by the usual package of allowances and entitlements. There are three rates dependant on marital/accompanied status which are available from DBS. DBS will include the form for this allowance in your on boarding pack.

The primary aim of COLA is to ensure that UKBCs serving overseas maintain a standard of living broadly equivalent to that which they would enjoy in the UK. COLA is a monthly allowance, tax free and non-pensionable. The amount paid is variable dependent on grade and family circumstance.  Your line manager should start this for you on arrival in Cyprus. Current rates can be obtained from Civilian HR.

COLA rates are reviewed twice yearly with a CIN being released in March & September detailing the rates.  

As well as being entitled to free accommodation overseas, UKBCs are also entitled to free utilities within reasonable limits. They will receive an electricity allowance and a tax-free Local Utilities Allowance to cover bottle gas, firewood etc. This can be applied for via PowerApps on arrival in post. Those Specially Recruited for Overseas, i.e Teachers, are entitled to the provision of free accommodation and reasonable utilities for 5 years from taking up their initial appointment.

The purpose of the LTS is to enable you and your entitled family members to travel back to the UK (or other place of normal residence) in order to maintain links with family and friends at home. It is funded by the department and costs can be reclaimed following travel up to a pre-determined limit. Over a four year posting there would be an entitlement to 3 LTS journeys with rates reviewed biannually.

When posted overseas or back to the UK, you are entitled to request an advance of salary.

This is done via HR Form 062 (PowerApp – only accessible via MODnet).