The medal is silver, 36 mm in diameter. The obverse bears a right facing effigy of Queen Elizabeth II wearing the Imperial State Crown. In relief around the edge is the inscription ELIZABETH II DEI GRATIA REGINA FID.DEF. The reverse depicts a scroll with four lines of text FOR / HOME SERVICE / IN / NORTHERN IRELAND. Surmounting the scroll is a crown, with shamrocks on either side above, and laurels with a pair of harps below.
