Overseas Furniture Provision Scheme (OFPS) Policy
Purpose
The Overseas Furniture Provision Scheme (OFPS) provides essential furniture and furnishings for Service Personnel (SP), irrespective of Personal Status Category (PStat Cat), who are required to live overseas in unfurnished publicly rented accommodation or foreign government quarters.
The Scheme ensures accommodation is furnished to a standard broadly equivalent to that expected in official accommodation within Great Britain, including Service Families Accommodation (SFA), Single Living Accommodation (SLA), Substitute Service Families Accommodation (SSFA), or Substitute Service Single Accommodation (SSSA).
- OFPS applies to SP posted overseas who are necessarily occupying unfurnished accommodation.
- Funding under the Scheme is strictly for the purchase of furniture and furnishings required to make the accommodation habitable.
- The benchmark for quality and style is IKEA or an appropriate local equivalent.
In accordance with JSP 752:
- It is unacceptable to spend a disproportionate amount of OFPS funding on any single item.
- Excessive spending on one item may create deficiencies elsewhere in the inventory, leading to additional costs when a successor takes over.
- Purchases must reflect functional, standard accommodation needs and must not reflect flamboyant, unusual, or contemporary personal tastes.
- All items purchased under OFPS remain Scheme property and must be recorded on the OFPS inventory.
Responsibilities
SP are responsible for:
- Completing all required OFPS forms and spreadsheets accurately.
- Maintaining an up-to-date OFPS inventory from the date of first purchase.
- Ensuring OFPS purchases are kept entirely separate from personal purchases.
- Retaining all receipts.
- Accounting for any loss, breakage, or damage to OFPS items in line with standard Service procedures.
Unit HR Admin staff are responsible for:
- Assessing claims and authorisations in accordance with JSP 752.
- Applying OFPS financial ceilings and rates.
- Determining whether replacement costs or residual value charges apply for damaged or broken items.
- Supporting closure, reallocation, or storage of OFPS stock when required.
The BDLS FA is responsible for:
- Considering and approving requests to set up a new OFPS.
- Authorising purchases (where required).
- Reimbursing approved expenditure.
- Maintaining audit compliance.
Setting Up or Taking Over an OFPS
All SP must complete a Set‑Up / Take‑Over Form.
SP will either:
- Take over an existing OFPS inventory from a predecessor; or
- Apply to set up a new OFPS inventory.
Applications to set up a new OFPS must be submitted via the BDLS FA.
Procedures
To request authority to set up a new OFPS:
- Complete the Application to Set‑Up / Take‑Over Form.
- Complete the OFPS spreadsheet, including:
- Item descriptions
- Links (where applicable)
- Submit documentation to BDLS FA for approval of funds.
- Only proceed with purchases once authorisation has been granted (except where stated otherwise).
Where authority is sought to take over an existing OFPS:
- Complete the Set‑Up / Take‑Over Form.
- Where additional items are required, submit requests via the OFPS spreadsheet for authorisation prior to purchase.
- OFPS rates and financial ceilings are published on the OFPS spreadsheet.
- All figures are inclusive of tax.
- Requests for new or replacement items must be pre‑authorised.
- Items purchased without prior authorisation will not be reimbursed.
- OFPS items must never be purchased on the same receipt as personal items.
Soft furnishings must be claimed within the first 3 months of arrival.
- Pre‑authorisation is not required
- Items do not need to be listed individually on the spreadsheet
Admissible items include:
- Bedding (sheets, pillows, pillowcases, duvets, duvet covers, blankets, mattress protectors)
- Towels
- Bath mats
- Rugs / carpets
- Curtains
- Shower curtains
- Stretch seat covers for sofas and chairs (not cushions)
Soft Furnishings receipts must be separate from OFPS Inventory and GYIP purchases.
- No pre‑authorisation is required for GYIP items.
- GYIP items must be recorded under the correct category on the OFPS spreadsheet.
- Receipts must be kept separate from other OFPS categories.
- All OFPS items must be passed in full to a successor at the end of an assignment.
- The outgoing SP may not select or retain items.
- Items provided under OFPS may not normally be purchased by the holder during their assignment.
- Successors are required to accept the inventory as handed over, subject to inventory checks.
- SP are liable for broken or damaged OFPS items.
- Unit HR Admin staff will assess whether:
- Full replacement cost; or
- Residual value
applies, in accordance with JSP 752.
When an OFPS is no longer required:
- Inventory checks must be completed.
- Unit HR Admin staff will assess whether furniture can be:
- Reallocated locally or to a neighbouring unit;
- Stored for future use; or
- Disposed of, where appropriate.
- Cost‑effectiveness of transport and storage must be considered.
To request authorisation or reimbursement:
- Complete and submit the OFPS spreadsheet to BDLS FA.
- Await confirmation of authorisation.
- Purchase approved items and update the spreadsheet with actual costs.
- Number receipt items to match spreadsheet line entries.
- Submit spreadsheet and receipts for reimbursement.
- Once paid, transfer items to ‘Inventory Held’.
- Submit further requests as a new spreadsheet version (e.g. V2).
Failure to comply with this policy may result in:
- Delays to reimbursement
- Rejection of claims
- Personal financial liability
SP are strongly advised to engage BDLS FA and Unit HR Admin staff early to ensure compliance.
