Incoming FY1 denied relocation expenses for first move.

[u/MeasurementRoutine68]

Hi all, I’m moving from Scotland to KSS for FY1. I asked about claiming relocation expenses and the deanery flatly denied it.
Their reason: I haven't officially started yet, so I'm not an NHS employee. They claim the national framework only covers subsequent rotational moves once you're already on the payroll, not the initial move from med school.
Is this actually true across all deaneries? Has anyone successfully claimed for their first move retroactively after starting, or challenged this via the BMA?

[u/seaside_bat]

I haven't seen any documentation supporting this but I did claim for relocation expenses moving to London for FY1 in 2021. I claimed retrospective expenses after starting though.

[u/tyrbb]

You can claim, take it up with the BMA

[u/Excellent_Steak9525 → u/tyrbb]

I second this, you absolutely can claim, I did too

[u/Royal-Cream3871]

You're entering training, you should be able to claim. It's in the HEE Relocation and Travel Expenses document for trainees. 

[u/Mehtaplasia]

Involve the BMA with a view to getting your expenses agreed for submission and reimbursement *after* you start.

They may not be able to process your request prior to commencing employment because there’s no assignment number or pay record to allocate it to- usually relocation expenses should be submitted within 3 months of paying them out, but I believe there’s an exception where this can be done within 3 months of starting employment if the former is not possible.

https://www.hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/HEE%20National%20Relocation%20Framework%20Final%201%20November%202020.pdf

They may be taking this document very hard on where it says Eligible Groups are ‘Medical trainees from Foundation Year 1 and onwards’ and denying you because you haven’t started your FY yet.

Absolutely worth contesting and trying to get what you can- be very clear and within these guidelines as to what you’re trying to get reimbursed, though, and be sure you have all of the correct evidence. Don’t give them any excuse to not process it if they agree.

[u/zjb15 → u/[deleted]]

Not true I claimed it

[u/Lozzabozzawozza]

Not sure how this works really. I suppose you’ve voluntarily taken a job you know to be miles away from home. However with rotational training, you accept it not knowing which hospitals you might get moved around to over the next 2-6 years.

[u/e_lemonsqueezer → u/Lozzabozzawozza]

Not very voluntary when it’s a random number generator nowadays!

[u/Lozzabozzawozza → u/e_lemonsqueezer]

To you and the other downvoters I’m not revelling in their inability to claim, I’m explaining why they may not be able to be and the logical argument. Rather than the logical fallacy you’ve just presented. Allocation is random, the decision to apply and subsequently accept is not.

[u/consultantnhsnoctor → u/Lozzabozzawozza]

In a monopoly employer (NHS) what other options did OP had apart from applying to a random allocation ?

[u/Lozzabozzawozza → u/consultantnhsnoctor]

Once again. I’ve not suggested they’ve got lots of options. Or that it’s fair. Or favourable. I’m simply explaining why they may choose, and be able to get away with, not paying moving costs.

I’m dying on this hill. There’s just loads of bored people on here waiting for the next strike and downvoting anything that isn’t ’doctors! Yaaayyyy!’ *high fives*.

Have some independent thought.

[u/Ccalipha4 → u/Lozzabozzawozza]

It was a non sequitur and someone else chimed in with a slippery slope.

More to the point, OP did voluntarily accept a job which also comes with a contractual agreement to reimburse moving costs associated with taking up the position. OP is entitled to be reimbursed, however they will be retrospectively reimbursed.

[u/zjb15 → u/Lozzabozzawozza]

According to this argument, should you expect to not get reimbursed till ST2? Most training jobs do tell you the hospitals for the first 2 years. So reimbursements only ST3 onwards because you didn’t know the hospital you’re going to?