Boarding Education

Continuity of Education Allowance application process

With effect from 29th Sept 2011 CEAS will no longer issue CEA Eligibility Certificates.  The new CEA Governance Team will be taking on this responsibility.  DIN 2011 DIN01-195 refers.  Initial claimants and those renewing their eligibility must still come to CEAS for issue of the application form

The allowance is called the 'Continuity of Education Allowance' (CEA) and is to help provide continuity of education for a child and enable the spouse of a service person to accompany them on postings. The allowance is available for children of 8 years of age and over. If you are interested in claiming this allowance you should check your eligibility with your pay office.

The costs of boarding schools can vary greatly and you are expected to contribute a minimum of 10% towards the fees. The fees are only part of the costs and you need to be clear what extras the school charges for. There is a junior and senior CEA and which allowance you are eligible for depends on the fee structure of the school you choose. The junior and senior rates are not related to your Rank.

If you have a child who has been boarding for at least a year you may be able to have a day place and claim a day allowance. This would be on the understanding that when you were posted away from the area your child would revert back to full boarding and you would continue with an accompanied posting.

There are many types of boarding school to cater for different age ranges, different abilities and different interests. Most boarding schools are Independent and you can find out more about them by visiting the Independant Schools Council Website. There are also a number of State Boarding Schools which provide excellent value for money because they are only allowed to charge for accommodation costs and not tuition costs.  For more information on these school visit the State Boarding School Association website.

To claim CEA you must contact CEAS to obtain advice and the relevant application form. CEA (Board) Forms cannot be downloaded from this, or any other, website.

Day School Allowance (North Wales)
Day School Allowance (North Wales) (DSA(NW)) is available to service families who are serving in an established post in an eligible unit and are resident within the counties of Gwynedd Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire or the Isle of Anglesey and who meet all the criteria for payment of CEA. It is specifically designed to allow the children who move to North Wales following a posting to attend an independent day school as an alternative to a state day school which is operating the bilingual teaching policy. There is no requirement for claimants to pay the 10% parental contribution which applies to CEA. For more information contact your new unit.

Special Educational Needs
If your child has special educational needs and is eligible for CEA, they may be entitled to the Special Educational Needs Addition (SENA). This is a supplement to CEA payable to a Service parent. It is intended to assist towards the higher fees normally payable at specialist independent schools that have appropriate educational facilities. Contact us for further details.

Guardian's Allowance
If your child attends a day school while living with a relative or guardian, you may claim a guardian's allowance. The provision for claiming the allowance is the same as for claiming a CEA. The allowance is not payable if your child is living at home with you.

Children's Visits to Parents Serving Overseas
Children up to the age of 18 years at school in UK are entitled to 3 free return journeys a year to visit their parents serving on accompanied tours overseas. A child over 18, but under 21, who is receiving full-time education is entitled to one free return journey a year. Apply for these visits through your overseas unit. If the child is registered as having Special Needs with CEAS you will be eligible for an additional visit per year at public expense.