The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has introduced online total reward statements for its 215,000 personnel to help increase their understanding of its remuneration package.
The move comes at a time when the armed forces have faced criticism from members and their families over housing conditions and other elements of their total reward package.
Armed forces staff will be given access to a benefits calculator, which provides them with the indicative value of their remuneration package, including basic pay, specialist pay, individual allowances, pension and benefits.
The Armed Forces' Benefits Calculator, which has been designed in conjunction with Thomsons Online Benefits, will also be used as part of the MoD's recruitment process, allowing potential staff to investigate the reward package they would get on joining up. Air Commodore Ross Paterson, director of service personnel policy (pay and allowances), said: "The benefits calculator is a significant step forward in giving clearer visibility of the overall remuneration package the MoD has to offer. It builds on the pensions calculator first introduced in 2005."
The benefits calculator will also provide information on discounts, pay and allowances, and has links to the Financial Services Authority's website and the online Defence Discount Directory.