As an independent charity, we provide support and guidance on matters affecting the daily lives of Naval service families, acting as an advocate when appropriate to resolve complex issues.
As subject matter experts we continue to contribute to academic research and implementation of The Armed Forces Covenant providing evidence and the Naval families’ perspective to shape change and influence policy.
One of the ways in which we capture evidence about how you are finding life as part of a serving family is by carrying out anonymous surveys. We also promote surveys and studies that other agencies and academic research teams are leading on, if they are relevant to serving Royal Navy and Royal Marines and their families.
Help inform policy changes by completing the following live surveys:
In partnership with the Army Families Federation (AFF) and RAF Families Federations (RAF FF), we would like to know more about the unique challenges non-UK Service personnel, veterans and their families face when it comes to immigration. Who did you contact for information and advice and why? Did you get everything you needed straight away, or did you find it difficult?
This survey aims to find out who people turn to when they need immigration information or advice.
If you are not British by birth and you or a family member are serving or have previously served in the UK Armed Forces, we would love to hear from you! British Service personnel with non-UK family members can also fill in the survey. It should take less than five minutes to complete.
Closing date: 31st January 2025.
Greenwich Hospital and the RAF Benevolent Fund are undertaking a joint and large-scale research project to understand the scope of support required to meet the needs of serving and former Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force personnel and their families.
The evidence collected will help unlock the needs of serving and non-serving partners to understand their individual requirements and examine the impact of socio-economic trends on the family unit. As the size and demographics of Service personnel, veterans and their families change, so too do their support needs in areas such as wellbeing, employment, finance and housing.
RAND Europe are leading this research and plan to engage through surveys and participant interviews.
Researchers from Oxford Brookes University are conducting research exploring the educational experiences of children from Armed Forces backgrounds who have additional learning or support needs and/or disability. This research is funded by The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust under the MOD Armed Forces Family Fund Research Programme
This part of the study is looking into the educational experiences of any school-age children with additional needs. They would love to hear from you, whether or not you have any connection to the Armed Forces.
Parents or carers of a child aged 4- 18 with additional needs in UK education or MOD schools overseas, whether diagnosed or not (including children who are currently out of school for any reason) can take part.
How do I find out more?
Contact Claire Lee: Email clairelee@brookes.ac.uk / Tel: 01865 603398 or scan the QR code on the leaflet
The online survey will take between 10 – 25 minutes to complete
Researchers from Oxford Brookes University are conducting arts-based research exploring the educational experiences of children with additional learning or support needs and/or disability from UK Armed Forces or veteran families. This research is funded by The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust under the MOD Armed Forces Family Fund Research Programme
These sessions will be informal, small group art workshops, at a location convenient to you, where you can tell the team about your child’s or your own educational journey. Materials and refreshments will be provided, and no artistic ability is needed!
Parents or carers of a Service child aged 4-18 with additional needs, or recent school leavers aged 16-25 who were Service children with additional needs can take part in these workshops. To take part, contact Claire Lee: Email: clairelee@brookes.ac.uk / Tel: 01865 603398 or use the link below.
Researchers at the King’s Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) would like to form a panel of people who have a personal connection to someone who is/was in the UK Armed Forces. The aim of this group is to support and inform a variety of military-connected research projects.
MICFAM members will support decisions which influence research including:
Open to adults (18+) who have a personal connection to someone who is/was in the UK military (from any branch of Service)
If you have any questions, ideas or would like more information, please email the team at micfam@kcl.ac.uk
Here are examples of where your voice has helped to shape support for RN and RM families.
During 2024, Forces Children Scotland (FCS) worked with children and young people to create a child-friendly emotional cycle of deployment resource.
The visual of the rollercoaster was developed by the children and young people themselves to help explain the different stages of the cycle.
During the development, the NFF’s The Emotional Cycle of Deployment in our Parental Absence Guide helped to inform discussion with the children and young people around different stages of deployment, including anticipation of loss, withdrawal and renegotiation.
We are delighted that children and young people from all families, wherever they live, now have access to this interactive, child-friendly emotional cycle of deployment.
The rollercoaster is supported by accessible resources for children, young people and parents to help support their child’s mental health and wellbeing at each stage of the ride: The Deployment Rollercoaster
NHS England have a statutory duty to engage with patients and they have established a Patient & Public Voice Group especially for the Armed Forces community, to better understand your unique needs.
The Naval Families Federation are part of this PPV Group, ensuring that the anonymised evidence and feedback you share with us about NHS England services is presented to those who manage and deliver the policies that impact upon the whole community. You can learn more about this in their latest Impact Report.
In May 2023, the Armed Forces community were acknowledged in the Further and higher education – residency criteria for access to financial support: consultation analysis.
We presented evidence to the Scottish Government using the experiences you shared with us about access to funding in Scotland. Their response details some of the complexities in this area for our families and states that “Scottish Government officials will consider this matter further”. We continue to advocate on this subject – to share your experiences get in touch with us at contactus@nff.org.uk.
In 2021 we contributed to the Immigration Fees Public Consultation.
Following the consultation and contributions from specialists in the armed forces immigration world, the government announced a fee waives for personnel who meet certain requirements on termination of service. More details on this can be found here NFF – Immigration Fees Public Consultation Non-UK Military Personnel: The Outcome!
Armed Forces families are subject to ‘Appendix Armed Forces’ of the immigration rules and previous successes in this area include the elimination of serving families paying the immigration health surcharge (IHS), which saves them (from January 2024) £1035 a year, on a standard 5 year limited leave to enter visa which is how the majority of spouses and children enter the UK, this saves them a massive £5175! The IHS fee until January 2024 is £624 per application, per year.
A new protocol was launched in June 2022 to help ensure that motor finance works better for those who are assigned overseas.
After being contacted for advice by Service personnel, our team took the experiences shared to the MOD and the Defence Relationship Management (DRM) team, alongside other stories and feedback from the wider Service community.
We are available 09:00 – 17:00 Monday to Thursday and 09:00 – 13:00 Friday. We are closed during weekends and Bank Holidays. For any out-of-hours emergencies, use the link below for help.