Tens of thousands of Armed Forces personnel will receive government-funded travel support this Christmas to help them reunite with family and friends, the Ministry of Defence has announced.
The initiative will allow around 30,000 junior personnel in their second to fifth year of service to claim the cost of a return journey home. This cohort is among the most likely to be posted far from home early in their careers and is less likely to qualify for existing travel support schemes.
A further 5,000 separated parents with non-resident children will also receive travel credit to help them spend time with their children over the festive period.
Targeted support for those most affected by distance
While many in the Armed Forces already qualify for help with travel costs, roughly 35,000 personnel currently fall outside that eligibility. The new support package is intended to bridge that gap over Christmas and into early 2026, with those unable to travel over the festive period still able to claim support later.
The announcement was made as Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited RAF Lossiemouth to thank personnel for their service ahead of the holidays. The Defence Secretary John Healey also met sailors returning to Portsmouth aboard HMS Prince of Wales following an eight-month deployment.
Part of wider commitments to Armed Forces families
The government says the measure reflects its commitment to “renew the nation’s contract” with serving personnel, alongside recent steps such as a significant military pay rise and plans to overhaul military housing.
Ministers said the travel support recognises the pressures placed on those posted away from home and the importance for serving personnel of spending time with loved ones.
