I have alot of sympathy with Mr Mouse. Just before I got married my cars' head gasket blew so I borrowed the misses car, the gear box broke. We both needed cars to get to work so we had to but two cars using the money we had saved for the wedding and pay for the wedding and honeymoon on credit. This put us in difficulty for months afterwards. Things happen that you have no control of, so: Mr Mouse ignore all the 'you should be saving' comments that imply that your situation is of you own making.
The point is no-one should have to pay up front for anything. Its unfair to expect anyone to stump up cash and wait for the money to be paid. For starters it costs you money (interest), it also puts pressure on your family budget. I claim advances for everything (even IE - if I can get anyway with it). How have we got into a situation where Airman paying upfront is exceptable? Stick you your guns and say you want an cash advance or your not going. Speak to the Padre as well, you should be able to tell him your exact situation and he will fight your corner without any come back.
Good luck Mr Mouse.
You really haven't read this thread properly have you?
No one, as far as I can see, is saying that he should pay to go on a course.
No one has said it's acceptable for him to pay up front.
As pointed out by many people, there is a mechanism in place to get an advance on the costs for subsistance allowance.
There is a mechanism in place for the B&B element of the hotel to be paid for by the service.
Also, by wise use of his £5 a day unreceipted incidental expenses he could be slightly in profit - I haven't managed to spend £5 on a paper, a letter home or personal phone calls a day yet.
DT_Xtremez_30:
Unfortunately, Mr A Mouse has got himself into a financial position, through no fault of the Service, where the advance through the normal route of JPA isn't acceptable, even though he could put the claim in and get the money paid to his bank account. :S I'm sure the Padre will say a prayer, but unless God works in Accounts Flight, I can't see what he can do. Maybe Mr A Mouse can get a cash advance, but unless he gets off his backside and goes to Accounts and tells them his circumstances and asks, he may never find out.
DT_Xtremez_21:
Another option may be to get the advance for subsistance allowance paid into his account (the Black Hole). If the course is at a service establishment, then have breakfast at the hotel (paid for by his unit adminers as part of his hotel bill) and lunch and evening meal in the Mess (which he'd have to pay for even if staying in service accommodation) - so no way will he incur a £27 a day subsistance charge.
DT_Xtremez_40:
Just how much interest does your current account pay on a couple of hundred quid for a matter of a week? My guess is that it barely runs into a penny, let alone the possibility of tens of pounds that your post would have us think. Even for a claim after the event, JPA in my experience has the money in my bank within 3 days of me entering the claim.