Over £7bn is now being put towards forces accommodation as a new Defence Consumer Charter is signed
The new charter will deliver 36,347 homes brought back into public ownership for military family housing.
Funding will also be allocated towards the repair and renewal of military housing in the UK.
Military family housing in a dire state
A report by the House of Commons Defence Committee in December last year found that both Service Family Accommodation (SFA) and Single Living Accommodation (SLA) in the armed forces were at their lowest levels yet in 2023.
Issues stemming from a lack of investment meant that two-thirds of SFA housing and a third of SLA were not fit for purpose.
Issues in both include broken ceiling panels, outdated bathrooms and washing facilities, old furniture and fittings, issues with hot water, heating, flooding, damp, and rats.
In one instance, twenty-three occupants had to share three working toilets and showers between them.
At the time of the report, there were 133,000 permanent and temporary bed spaces in the UK and 17,000 bedspaces overseas, while 21,000 covered the UK training estate. This housed 81,000 service personnel, 56% of which were living in SLA.
The current investment into military family housing will tackle malfunctioning boilers, leaky roofs, damp and mould, as well as develop new housing.
The new Consumer Charter will immediately affect 1,000 homes in need of repair, and will introduce new consumer rights for military families, such as having access to property information and higher move-in standards, repairs, and having a named housing officer for every family alongside a robust complaints system.
“Decisive action to fix the dire state of military accommodation”
Defence secretary, John Healey MP said: “Our Armed Forces personnel make extraordinary sacrifices to serve our country.
“For too long, many military families have lived in sub-standard homes, but this government is taking decisive action to fix the dire state of military accommodation and ensure that our heroes and their loved ones live in the homes they deserve.
“We are investing and acting fast, to fix forces housing and renew the nation’s contract with those who serve and deliver on our Plan for Change.”
Shortly after the report last year, the Ministry of Defence signed a deal with Annington, repurchasing 36,347 homes for military use.
The deal is valued at £10.1bn, with the MoD paying £5.9bn to Annington for the homes. The deal will save those renting the homes £230m per year, and allow immediate and urgent repair work to be carried out rapidly.
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