Long-term relationships: Closing the gap on allowances
If you’re in a long-term relationship, a range of allowances and support are now available to you – the same as your married or civil-partnered colleagues.
What’s changed?
Many allowances were only available to Service Personnel who were married or in a civil partnership. That wasn’t fair – not everyone wants to get married, even when they’re in a committed relationship.
From 1 May 2026, if you are in a Long-Term Relationship (Established) – known as an LTR(E) – you can claim allowances and provisions that were previously unavailable to you, just like your married colleagues.
Sarah Houghton, Director Armed Forces People Policy said:
“This is a real step forward for our people and their families. Around 20,000 Service Personnel are set to benefit – with those in long term relationships being treated the same way as married colleagues for nine allowances.”
The following are now available to Service Personnel in an LTR(E):
Disturbance Expense (DE)
Duty Travel
Get You Home (Travel)
Home to Duty Travel
HM Forces Railcards
Longer Separation Allowance (LSA)
MOD Passport provisions
Movement and Storage of Personal Effects (MSPE)
Subsistence
This means, for example, that when you move home for service reasons, you can now claim expenses that reflect your real situation living with a partner – rather than being treated as single.
HM Forces Railcards and MOD-provided UK passports for service travel can also be extended to your partner, where eligibility criteria are met.
Are there still some allowances not covered?
A small number of areas are not changing yet. Service Personnel in an LTR(E) won't currently qualify for involuntary separation-based allowances if they're living apart from their partner.
Accompanied status for overseas assignments is also unchanged for now. This is mainly because of local laws and visa rules in other countries, rather than UK policy.
Work continues to widen access to family accommodation for those in an LTR(E), and these allowance changes help lay the groundwork for that.
What is a Long-Term Relationship (Established)?
An LTR(E) is a committed partnership between two people who plan to stay together – just without the legal status of marriage or civil partnership. Defence formally recognises this type of relationship.
To claim allowances now available, you must register your LTR(E) status on the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) system and provide the right evidence. If you’ve already registered, you don’t need to do anything else.
Full details on how to register – including the application form – are available in the Recognition of an Established Long-Term Relationship: Defence Instruction Notice on defnet.
How will LTR(E) allowance claims be managed?
Unit HR will treat Service Personnel with a registered LTR(E) on JPA in the same way as married couples for these allowances.
Next steps…
If you think you’re eligible, speak to your Unit HR team or check JPA to register your LTR(E) status.
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