A new Defence Housing Service will be set up as part of the Government’s Defence Housing Strategy, putting the needs of military personnel, families and veterans first.
The service will be responsible for managing military homes, keeping them in public hands and prioritising the voices of forces families.
The plan includes new and refurbished homes, which will meet modern property standards in line with professional landlords.
Defence Secretary John Healey said: “Our British forces personnel and our veterans fulfil the ultimate public service.
“Our nation is rightly proud of them. And the very least they deserve is a decent home.
“This new Strategy will embed a ‘Forces First’ approach that tells our forces, our veterans and their families: we are on your side.”
Healey added: “We can’t fix forces housing overnight, but this effort is already underway and will now accelerate.
“By creating a specialist Defence Housing Service, backed by record investment in military accommodation, we will deliver better value for the taxpayer and fulfil our promise to provide homes fit for heroes.”
Healey and Armed Forces Minister Al Carns visited newly improved service family accommodation in West London and met families who have recently moved into refurbished homes. Improvements included new kitchens, bathrooms and heating systems.
The Strategy is backed by £9bn of investment over the next decade.
This will cover a generational renewal of military housing and a ten-year housebuilding programme on surplus defence land.
There will be priority access to homes for service personnel and veterans.
Carns said: “Everyone who has served in uniform has been let down by substandard military accommodation, or knows someone who has.
“Having served in the Royal Marines for 24 years, I saw first-hand the impact this had on the morale of our British personnel.
“Since entering government, we’ve acted rapidly to begin fixing the shameful legacy of unfit forces homes.”
Carns added: “This Strategy is the next step. And we will move at pace to implement it.
“This is the product of months of hard graft and frank conversations with forces families.
“Our new Defence Housing Service – announced today – will put the voices of those families first, with a service ethos at its heart. This is a government that puts our forces first.”
The Strategy will also look at a modern approach to allocating homes, improving forecasting and creating housing zones around operational hubs.
Housing eligibility will be widened to include couples in long-term relationships and non-resident parents.
While new homes are being built, a rental support scheme will allow service personnel to rent privately.
There will also be a review of Single Living Accommodation and a look at overseas family homes to address condition and service standards.
Forces and veterans will get priority access to homeownership opportunities on some surplus defence sites.
The share of new homes given to this group will be agreed between the Ministry, local authorities and developers.
Cat Calder, housing specialist at the Army Families Federation, said: “As a member of the review team, I have seen the depth and rigour of the work undertaken to identify the longstanding issues within military housing.
“This has not only highlighted the challenges that we have been raising on behalf of families for many years, but also delivered a clear and robust strategy to improve existing Service Family Accommodation and develop new housing that truly meets the needs of Service families.
“I am pleased that the voices of families have been heard and acted upon, and I am optimistic about the potential for a transformative decade in military housing.”
