What you need to know

It is important that you have read and understood JSP 754 Tri-Service Regulations for Pay (chapters 2 to 4) before proceeding.

You will be paid on the last working day of the month if you are a full-time serviceperson or on the first working day for part-time reservists.

The levels of pay are set by the Government following recommendations made by the independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body or, for two-star officers and above, the Senior Salaries Review Body.

You are paid through a system which allocates a level of pay based on a number of factors including:

This system features Yearly Incremental Progression, which is conditional upon the performance level you achieved, as determined by the annual appraisal process. The current system for allocating levels of pay is Pay 16 - The Armed Forces Pay Model. Trades are allocated to a level of pay using evidence informed by a process called Job Evaluation, which is a tried and trusted method of assessing the relative value of different roles, used by the Ministry of Defence since 1970.

All pay is ‘pensionable’, (i.e. the amount of pay you receive determines the amount of pension accrued).

Included within Annual Salary is X-Factor, which is an addition to pay to remunerate for the relative disadvantages of Service life. X-Factor for Regulars is set at 14½% and 5% for PTVR and ADC, with FTRS levels dependent upon the commitment level dictated by the appointment, at either 0%, 5% or 14½%.

Some groups of personnel, such as pilots, special forces, and chaplains, are paid from Bespoke Pay Spines as they require long-term bespoke alternative pay structures. If you would like to find out more information on how much extra you get on top of your standard salary, visit the 'Offer' site for your Service in the Related Content section.

Part Time Volunteer Reserves (PTVR) personnel are also paid an annual tax-free bounty if they complete the specified training requirement and achieve their annual certificate of efficiency. The level of the bounty offered generally relates to the number of years served.

Scottish Income Tax mitigation payments

Since  2017, the Scottish Government has been able to to set different income tax rates and thresholds in Scotland than the rest of the UK. If you are a Regular ‘Scottish taxpayer’ Service Person then each June you will receive a  mitigation payment if the income tax in Scotland is sufficiently higher compared to elsewhere in the UK. There is a maximum cap on the amount paid and this will be reviewed annually following the Scottish Government’s announcement on tax rates and thresholds. More information can be found on the Pay Pol Rem page Scottish Income Tax (DefNet access required).

What you need to do

There is no action to take. Your pay will be processed automatically by your Unit HR Admin or Personnel Office.