If you’re preparing to leave the armed forces, or have recently left, the chances are you’ve heard of the Armed Forces Covenant. But you may not know what it actually means in practice when it comes to finding ex-military employment, housing and access to services.
In this guide, we’ll answer the key question of what is the Armed Forces Covenant, including the areas it applies to, how it relates to initiatives like the Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) and the benefits it can help you secure when moving back into civilian life after a career in the military.
“The Armed Forces Covenant is great way for companies to show their support to the veteran community and getting them back into work after they have served their country. The covenant has grown since its inception, with 1000s of companies now signed up and has emphasised the benefits to hiring EX-Military and the skills that come with a career in the military which are so often very relevant to roles in a civilian environment.”
The Armed Forces Covenant is a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served should be treated with fairness and respect. It exists to make sure military service never leaves someone worse off in areas such as housing, employment or access to public services.
The Covenant applies across the whole armed forces community. This includes:
It rests on two guiding principles:
The Covenant itself is a promise rather than a legislated requirement. However, the Armed Forces Act 2021 introduced the Covenant Legal Duty, which imposes mandatory obligations onto certain public bodies.
In force since 22nd November 2022, the Covenant Legal Duty requires specified public bodies to pay due regard to the Covenant principles when carrying out certain functions in healthcare, education and housing. Those bound by it include local authorities, NHS organisations and the governing bodies of certain state-funded schools.
This differs from the wider Covenant pledge, which remains voluntary for other public and commercial organisations. Businesses, charities and other employers can sign the Covenant to show their support, but they have no legal requirement to do so. For these organisations, their commitments are made by choice.
The Covenant isn’t a single benefit. It’s a set of commitments spread across everyday life to ensure that those who’ve served are never worse off than their civilian neighbours. This principle is enacted in housing, healthcare, education and employment, with support and protections offered in these areas for veterans and their families as they settle into life after the military. Here’s what to know about each.
The Covenant ensures that armed forces community members cannot be turned away from social housing for lacking a local connection, which is an issue that often affects those who move frequently. Serving personnel can also borrow up to £25,000 interest-free through the Forces Help to Buy scheme towards a deposit for a home. Veterans who are homeless or at risk of losing their home can turn to Op FORTITUDE, a government-backed referral pathway into veteran supported housing.
Veterans are entitled to priority access to certain NHS treatments for conditions linked to their service, subject to clinical need, while dedicated schemes such as Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE address service-related mental and physical health. Registering with a veteran-friendly GP practice ensures this history is recorded, understood and acted upon.
The demands of military life can cause disruptions to the families of service members, especially when it comes to educating their children. In England, schools receive the Service Pupil Premium, which provides extra funding to support children from military families during postings and deployment. Admissions rules let parents secure a school place before relocating, provided they confirm a moving date in writing. These measures protect continuity of education when family life is rarely settled.
Employment support works differently, being voluntary rather than a legal requirement. While services like the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD’s) Career Transition Partnership (CTP) help service leavers retrain and find work, the ERS rewards companies that pledge to hire and support the armed forces community. Many signatories run guaranteed interview schemes, recognise military experience in recruitment and offer flexibility to reservists and military spouses.
A key part of the Armed Forces Covenant framework is the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS). This rewards employers who support the armed forces community and align with the Covenant. Its three tiers track a clear progression: pledging support, then demonstrating it, then advocating for it across the wider business world. The levels available are:
While any organisation can self-nominate for Bronze, the upper tiers demand proof and advocacy rather than a signature. For a veteran weighing employers, a Silver or Gold badge identifies a workplace as genuinely committed and is a quick signal that support is real and meaningful.
Employers of every size take part, from small businesses to household names such as Amazon, Boots and Savills. Defence firms feature strongly too: BAE Systems and Leonardo have both earned Gold. At VeteranUK, we hold a Gold award of our own, highlighting that we practise what we preach when it comes to supporting service leavers.
The Covenant can offer practical benefits to anyone searching for a new career path after leaving the armed forces. Employers who have signed up, especially those holding a Silver or Gold ERS award, have chosen to make their recruitment work for veterans, so they understand the unique experiences and challenges these candidates face.
One immediate benefit is access. Many forces-friendly employers run ex-military recruitment schemes such as guaranteed interviews, so as long as you meet the essential criteria, you’ll have an excellent chance to progress and get yourself face to face with a potential employer. The Civil Service runs one of the largest programmes through its Great Place to Work for Veterans scheme, which guarantees that any veteran who meets the minimum criteria will move to the next stage of selection.
Beyond the interview, forces-friendly employers understand the realities of service life and the benefits of hiring veterans. They’re familiar with discharge notice periods and make allowances for reservist commitments. They also recognise how experiences built in the armed forces may translate to civilian roles, valuing leadership, discipline and problem-solving skills that other recruiters might overlook.
The Covenant doesn’t guarantee you a job, but it can remove friction from finding one. Knowing which employers have made the commitment lets you focus your energy where it is most likely to be rewarded.
There are several ways you can spot a forces-friendly employer when looking for your next role. Start with their careers page and job adverts, where signatories frequently display the Armed Forces Covenant logo or an ERS Bronze, Silver or Gold badge. The official list on GOV.UK is another quick way to check, as this offers a searchable database of businesses that have signed the Covenant, including their locations, company size and sectors.
The government also publishes lists of ERS award holders at each tier, although these are not as easily searchable. If an ERS award is not obvious, ask. A recruiter can soon tell you whether the organisation has signed the Covenant and what support it offers ex-forces applicants.
Better still, meet employers in person. Veteran-focused careers fairs, such as those run by VeteranUK, put you face to face with companies actively looking to hire service leavers. These events can give you a clear idea of how firms support the military covenant and put their commitments into practice.
Button: Register for the next VeteranUK careers fair
Look for the Covenant logo or an ERS badge on their careers pages and adverts, check the ERS holders list on GOV.UK or simply ask the recruiter.
No. The legal duty applies only to certain public bodies in healthcare, education and housing. Businesses that sign the Covenant do so voluntarily, with no legal obligation.
The Covenant is the overarching promise to treat the forces community fairly. The Employer Recognition Scheme is the MOD programme that formally recognises employers who uphold it, through Bronze, Silver and Gold awards.
At veteran-focused careers fairs. Free events such as the VeteranUK careers fair bring service leavers together with employers who are actively looking to recruit from the armed forces community.
It covers the whole armed forces community: serving regulars and reservists, veterans, their families and the bereaved.
Register to attend Veteran UK the largest careers fair for Veterans and Service Leavers.
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