Housing Minister (): As we set out in
our manifesto and the Prime Minister reiterated in his conference
speech on 24 September, this Government is committed to
supporting our armed forces communities and ensuring veterans
have access to the housing support they need.
To honour that commitment and facilitate access to social housing
for veterans, I am today laying regulations to exempt all former
members of the regular armed forces from any local connection
tests for social housing applied by local councils in England.
Having a connection to an area should not be a barrier to housing
for those who put their lives on the line for our country.
The regulations laid today will ensure that no veteran of the
regular armed forces will need to meet a local connection test
for social housing regardless of when they last served.
The Deputy Prime Minister has already written to local councils
to remind them of the guidance and flexibilities to facilitate
access of veterans to social housing.
Statutory guidance will be updated to reflect these changes. This
includes specific guidance on improving access to social housing
for members of the Armed Forces with examples of ways in which
councils can ensure that Service Personnel and their families are
given appropriate priority for social housing. We know that
councils use the flexibilities available to them, but we must
ensure that no veteran is unfairly penalised.
In addition to these measures, the government has committed a
further £3.5 million to the Reducing Veteran Homelessness
Programme. This includes Op FORTITUDE, the single referral
pathway for veterans at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness.
We will continue to work with the sector to deliver affordable
homes to meet the needs of veterans as part of our broader
commitment to deliver the biggest increase in social and
affordable housebuilding in a generation, and in the development
of our long-term housing strategy.
Veterans represent the very best of our country. The Government
is committed to honouring their sacrifices and ensuring homes
will be there for heroes across the UK.
