IOT Living Costs

[Calamity_Jane]

Little Help!

Can anyone tell me what your typical Living Costs will be during IOT, either on a weekly or monthly basis??

[Biggles1211]

There's plenty of things that'll sap your money on IOT...lots of charities to pay money in to etc. Mess Bills can be horrendous..especially towards the end!

[gr4pilot]

Hey guys,

About living costs, I'm married with a kid and we're on my single income - from the NHS so i isn't a lot! Is everone expected to put in vast amounts into the charities etc and does anyone know if I'll get any allowance for it?

[Biggles1211]

Sorry to confuse...my comment about charity payments was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. RAFA and RAFBF are usual...plus the charity events that your IOT Sqn may choose to support (usually through running events rather than just coughing up cash).

If you're concerned about your finances, ask at the AFCO. Basically, you should know your salary in training (dependant on whether you're a graduate or not), deduct the usual tax and NI payments. Food is about £4 a day and accomodation about £25 a week (varies according to status though). Put aside an extra £200 per month for Mess Bills as TJD suggested and you'll have your living money left.

There is no reason that you couldn't survive through IOT whilst supporting family and kid on Officer pay.

[gr4pilot]

Thanks guys,

I'll get in touch with the AFCO. The allowance thing was because I saw in another post somewhere, something about getting some kind of allowance or rebate or sommit if you were supporting a family. I'd never heard of it but thought I'd ask. I'll see if I can find the post to shed a little more light on it.

[Biggles1211]

No allowances of that sort in the RAF. You can get extra when away from home if you're married etc though

[rawli]

GR4, during during you will get what is called 'abated mess charges' which means that you will pay less for your accommodation and food because you are married.

[Blotra]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but what are mess bills?

[Biggles1211]

They are the bills you get for living in an Officers' Mess.

They comprise of your subscription - contributions for newspapers etc, and your bar bill (you don't pay cash at the bar).

[sittingstress]

Officers and SNCOs are quite rightly treated differently to the lower deck junior oiks. During training other ranks are punished for having dirty kit/rooms by being issued physical jerks. This sort of behaviour is unbecoming of an Officer irrespective of his time in service. However, the Officers in training do transgress the parade muster and inspection standard. Their punishment for being in a "Mess" is a mess bill. Sums vary dependant on the level of grotiness discovered.

The history and tradition of HM Armed Forces is fantastic.

Regards

ss

PS Us SNCOs are theoretically eligible to receive a Mess Bill but to date none of us ever have!

[Biggles1211]

Their punishment for being in a "Mess" is a mess bill. Sums vary dependant on the level of grotiness discovered.

Think you're getting confused...or maybe the RN call it something different. A Mess Bill (RAF) is what you pay to live in a mess. It is your living expenses for what is essentially a 'private club'. That payment includes your bar bill...and may also include 'port fines' that get dished out as a traditional punishment at formal dinners. However, these are neither common nor enforced. It is purely 'the spirit of things'.

Us SNCOs are theoretically eligible to receive a Mess Bill but to date none of us ever have!

EVERY SNCO recieves a Mess Bill EVERY month....as they live in a Sgt's Mess. From your answer, it would indicate that you actually have very little knowledge of living in a Service Mess?!?!?!?

Officers are covered by the same rules and regulations as any other member of the Armed Forces. When some transgressions occur within the Officer's Mess (i.e. broken property) then it is expected that the responsible officer should appear at the Mess Manager's office the following morning with his cheque book to make necessary payment to correct any damage etc. An officer who failed to do this would be formally disciplined in the same way as any Jnr Ranks would be.

The reason that this differs from the treatment of Jnr Ranks is because the Mess has Non-Public property (possessions of the Mess) wheras Jnr Ranks accomodation is furnished with Public Property (possessions of the Queen).

During training, officers ARE NOT punished through their mess bills. In the same way as Jnr Ranks, they will recieve exercise or restrictions (simular to a training charge). However, as Officers are scrutinised & punished far more intensely than Jnr Ranks during training, the process of 'restrictions' at Cranwell (dished out for any minor balls-up) is not as serious as a 'training charge' at Halton (which reflects a real misdemeanor).