About the covenant

When considering who would be included as a member of the Armed Forces Community, the key issue is whether the individual claiming Covenant support has been impacted by Service life - whether they are the serving person themselves or someone in the serving person’s family.

Within the Covenant and new Covenant Duty reference to ‘Service people’ means the Armed Forces Community.  This includes, but is not strictly limited to, the following:

• Members and former members (veterans) of the Regular and Reserve Forces of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, British Army, and Royal Air Force 
• Anyone currently or previously in a relationship with a Service member, including spouses, civil partners, and anyone whose relationship is akin to this, such as a cohabiting couple in a committed relationship
• Other family members such as children, or other relatives living in the same household as the serving person, or relatives for whom the serving person or their partner has some financial or caring responsibility
• Bereaved family members such as the immediate family of Service Personnel and ex-Service Personnel who have died, whether or not that death has any connection with service.

Merchant Navy Seafarers who were involved in a legally sanctioned operation are covered by the Covenant, but not the Covenant Duty.