Armed Forces Covenant - Who in the Armed Forces are covered by the Covenant?

Published: 14 April 2025

The Act defines the following under the category of 'Service People': 

  • members of the regular forces and the reserve forces
  • members of British overseas territory forces who are subject to Service law
  • former members of any of Her Majesty’s forces who are ordinarily resident in the UK
  • relevant family members (of those in (a) to (c) above)

Service Law

Members must be ready and willing to move at short notice and cannot opt out, take strike action or be politically active.

The wider public have such rights, but not members of the Armed Forces.