The Services Cotswold Centre (SCC) is a tri-Service facility, managed by Headquarters Army Welfare Service (AWS), providing short-term transit accommodation for Service Personnel (SP), family members and MOD civil servants.
The key role of SCC is to accommodate varying numbers of troubled and vulnerable families, often with diverse and complex welfare needs. The SCC accommodation consists of 60 self-contained chalet style homes and a 37 bed residential unit and is located in Neston, near Corsham Wiltshire.
Eligibility
Personnel eligible to be accommodated at SCC comprise:
- Tri-Service SP in Personal Status Category (PStat Cat) 1 or 2 and their immediate family members. OC SCC has discretion to accommodate those in PStat Cats 3, 4 and 5 depending upon individual situations.
- Tri-Service SP and those with whom they are in a Long-Term Relationship (LTR) which is recognised by Defence and recorded as such on JPA. Children meeting the JSP 464 definition of Child/ren of LTR are also eligible.
- Estranged immediate family members of SP. Estranged partners in an LTR with a SP and children of the LTR (as defined above). They must be able to cover the costs of their accommodation and living expenses for the duration of their stay; this may include those in receipt of a Family Maintenance Grant. Those based within the UK are considered on a case-by-case basis and authorised by the OC SCC.
- MOD civil servants and immediate family members for Leave and Duty Transit purposes. Not normally eligible in cases of estrangement; exceptional cases will be considered by the OC SCC and referred to CO AWS for decision if required.
- NATO SP and their immediate family members for the purposes of conferences, courses and leave only.
Categories of use of the SCC
The SCC normally provides short-term temporary transit accommodation for SP and MOD civil servants and their immediate family members for periods of up to 6 months. Priority for accommodation of eligible personnel at the SCC is in the following order:
- Welfare needs (referred to throughout this DIN as ‘welfare needs families’).
- (1) Family disruption including estrangement, separation, divorce, domestic violence or abuse.
- (2) Wounded, injured and sick SP, their carers and/or immediate family members for the purposes of recuperation during rehabilitation.
- (3) Those returning to the UK from overseas for compassionate reasons including medical treatment.
- Emergency accommodation. Families, spouses and civil partners who are evacuated from overseas assignments.
- Accommodation between assignments. For immediate family members. This may include those on call-forward to an overseas assignment or repatriated to the UK at short notice for other Service reasons.
- Short-term temporary accommodation for those leaving the Services. Those who are able to cover the cost of their accommodation and living expenses.
- Contact house facility. Generally, for separated/divorced family short term parental visits.
- SP entitled to Service Families Accommodation (SFA) after completing Phase 1 training. Those entitled to SFA who (in exceptional circumstances) require temporary accommodation until SFA or substitute SFA are allocated.
- Duty transit accommodation.
- Conferences and courses. As a training venue (with or without accommodation).
- Burlington Lodge Residential Stays. Dormitory style accommodation for children with a military connection, accompanied by Tri-Service Community Development Workers.
- Leave (including use by NATO forces). Eligible personnel taking inter- assignment leave or seeking accommodation for a short break. Accommodation is on the understanding that other categories take priority at short notice,
For more details and to book a place at the Services Cotswold Centre, please visit the website below:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/services-cotswold-centre/services-cotswold-centre