Military Housing Predicament; Are The Winds of Change Blowing in Our Favour?

Housing has long been a tricky area for military leavers, current armed forces personnel, estranged armed forces spouses and veterans alike.

The Royal British Legion have been campaigning for some time now to enable easier access to social housing for those recently or awaiting discharge from the Armed Forces, and estranged partners requiring re-housing. They wanted an overhaul in attitudes and legislative change in the way current and ex armed forces personnel and their families are dealt with by Local Authorities’ housing departments. Without wishing to rehash the document produced back in 2007 by The Royal British Legion, (available for you to read here) it explains that the most vulnerable service leavers are not being treated with the priority they deserve, and that the “local connection” criteria is nearly impossible to satisfy for armed forces leavers.

This was just one of the areas covered in the Armed Forces Covenant, now recognised by the Government, although not formally in law.

In the past few months, as an increasing number of local press and national tabloids have forced the stories of armed forces personnel and their inability to gain council houses to the forefront of their papers, positive sounds have been coming from the government. Housing Minister Grant Shapps has littered statements to the press with phrases such as “house-hunting heroes on the look-out for their first home” and “marching double-time toward making sure that those who serve our country get the homes and support they deserve”. The cynic within prevents one from becoming too excited too soon; promises have lain unfulfilled before and these come at a time when funding for all facets of government is obviously short.

The good news is that the wheels of change are indeed slowly turning. The various measures that are being introduced were outlined by the Housing Minister Grant Shapps in deposited papers in the Public Library on the 1st December 2011.

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This is important news for all members of the armed forces and their families, but is by no means an end result.  At a time when there are thousands leaving the armed forces due to redundancies brought on by the SDSR and thousands discharged following injuries, change has never been needed so desperately.  Pressure must be kept on the government to deliver what has been outlined above.  We must keep discussing it so that the wider civilian community is aware of the problem and the government’s pledges.  

For housing advice if you or your partner is serving armed forces personnel, contact the JSHAO

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceFor/ServiceCommunity/Housing/

Hat tip to A. Keogh

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