Continuity of Education allowance (CEA)

If your family needs to move around for Service reasons, you may be able to claim Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) and CEA (Day) to help achieve continuity of education for your children. CEA or CEA (Day) are available to all Regular Service personnel.

It is important that you have read and understood JSP 752 Tri-Service Regulations for Expenses and Allowances (chapter 14, sections 1 and 3) before proceeding.

It isn’t for Service personnel who are unaccompanied from their family at their duty station, unless they have been granted Involuntary Separated Service (INVOLSEP) status. Service personnel who are separated from their immediate family, normally for Service reasons, are classified as INVOLSEP and are eligible for unaccompanied service benefits as detailed in JSP 752.

To claim this allowance, both the child(ren) and the school must met the detailed eligibility criteria set out in JSP 752.

You’ll receive a contribution towards boarding and/or tuition fees up to a maximum rate, with a minimum parental contribution of 10% for each eligible child. This will be paid with your salary.

If your child has special educational needs, you may be eligible for a higher contribution if the needs of the child cannot be reasonably met by the school.

Maximum allowance rates from 1 Aug 21:

• boarding school: £7,847 per term (senior school) or £6,096 per term (junior school)
• day school: £4,715 per term (senior school) or £3,524 per term (junior school)
• maximum allowance rates for special educational needs:
  • boarding school: £11,724
  • day school: £7,527

You must notify the Allowances Checker of any change in personal circumstances which may lead to the cessation of entitlement.

A separate claim needs to be made for each school term.

If you are required to move your family home for Service reasons, you can choose to leave your children in the care of a guardian so that they can continue their education in the same day school.

It is important that you have read and understood JSP 752 Tri-Service Regulations for Expenses and Allowances (chapter 14, sections 1 and 3) before proceeding.

The Continuity of Education Allowance (CEA) (Guardians) is designed to help cover the additional costs of a child living away from home, such as postage, telephone calls and stationery. It is not intended to cover school fees.

It is not for Service people who are unaccompanied by their family at their duty station, unless they have been granted Involuntary Separated Service (INVOLSEP) status. Service personnel who are separated from their immediate family, normally for Service reasons, are classified as INVOLSEP and are eligible for unaccompanied service benefits as detailed in JSP 752.

To claim this allowance, both the child and the guardian must meet the detailed eligibility criteria as set out in JSP 752.

CEA (Guardians) is a fixed rate of £10 per day, which you will receive with your pay.

Before you make your claim on JPA you must ensure that:

• JPA holds appropriate current UK Bank Account details for CEA payments to be made to.

Your current main UK Bank Account Information should be recorded on JPA as 'UK Main Bank Account' and not 'JPA BACS' in the name field - this can only be confirmed/amended by Unit HR Admin or the JPAC Enquiry Centre. If you are unsure you are to seek further guidance from your Unit HR Admin.

• details of your dependant child(ren) must be recorded within JPA and should be 'Certificate Verified' by Unit HR Admin (i.e. Unit HR Admin have had sight of the respective child's birth certificate)
• the Eligibility Certificate is current, in date and details of this must be entered on your JPA record (information on eligibility criteria can found in JSP 752 chapter 14, sections 1 and 3)

To submit your claim:

• logon to JPA
• click JPA Self Service-Employee, Armed Forces then Continuity of Education Allowance
• select the appropriate child from the list by clicking the appropriate Select button
• click Next

• enter the Claim Type from the drop-down list
• select the appropriate Category from the drop-down list
• select the appropriate School
• click on the search icon and enter the name (or part of the name)
• click Search
• select the appropriate School by clicking on the Quick Select from the list displayed

• insert the value of the Main Claim
• insert the value of any Extras

• click on the Apply to Override Participant Eligibility box
• enter details of your Justification (max 150 characters)

• click Save
• click Next

• click the I agree to the terms and conditions box
• the Submit icon will become active - or click Back to make amendments
• confirm the details are correct and in accordance with extant policy
• click Submit

If you don’t have access to JPA, then you need complete JPA Form F001 and submit it to your Unit HR Admin office with the required documentation, details of which can be found in JSP 752, chapter 14, sections 1, annex G.

If you have a Defence Gateway account you can submit expenses from your own personal device on the MyExpenses app (part of the My Series).

Claims are to be submitted monthly in arrears.

You need complete JPA Form F002 Claim for continuity of education allowance (guardians) CEA (guardians) and submit it to your Unit HR Admin.

You will need the following information:

• child's name
• name and address of child's school
• date child started school
• date child started living with guardian
• name and address of guardian

More information can be found in JSP 752, chapter 14, section 5.