Veterans get social housing precedence in rule change

Armed forces veterans and their households will get precedence entry to social housing in England beneath new guidelines revealed by the federal government.

Councils should prioritise veterans for social housing and waive guidelines requiring candidates present a connection to the native space for veterans’ households, beneath new tips.

The announcement follows Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s promise to present veterans, alongside care leavers and home abuse survivors, a “assured roof over their head” in his Labour Get together convention speech.

However housing charity Shelter mentioned rule adjustments would haven’t any impression until the federal government addressed a power lack of social housing within the UK.

In his speech to Labour’s annual celebration convention in September, Sir Keir mentioned the difficulty of homelessness amongst veterans was an “injustice hiding in plain sight”.

He mentioned: “We are going to repay those that served us and home all veterans in housing want. Properties will probably be there for heroes.”

In November, the federal government introduced it would spend £3.5m to assist homeless veterans, funding psychological well being care, job assist and impartial residing by means of to 2026.

The federal government doesn’t publish figures on what number of veterans are at present on ready lists for social housing, however within the first three months of 2024, official figures present 650 veteran households in England certified for social housing to keep away from homelessness.

Pointers revealed on Wednesday ask councils to put aside housing models and provides veterans further desire.

Any monetary compensation obtained for accidents obtained throughout armed service will now be ignored relating to means-testing social housing want.

The rules state for the primary time that these with psychological well being circumstances associated to serving within the navy – akin to Put up Traumatic Stress Dysfunction (PTSD) – ought to get precedence entry to social housing.

Councils will even be anticipated to exempt estranged spouses and companions of service members from native connection guidelines, significantly in instances of home abuse or important disruption attributable to frequent relocations as a consequence of navy postings.

Beforehand veterans, and their households, had solely a five-year exemption from the native connection check.

Below the brand new regime, councils should additionally enhance strategies to identify veterans amongst housing candidates.

The transfer is a part of the manifesto pledge to place the Armed Forces Covenant – a promise to deal with those that have served with equity and respect – absolutely into regulation.

Polly Neate, chief govt of Shelter, welcomed the adjustments however mentioned to present veterans correct housing the federal government would wish to construct 90,000 social hire houses a 12 months for 10 years.

“It’s completely proper that veterans and everybody going through homelessness are given precedence entry to a safe, genuinely reasonably priced dwelling,” Ms Neate mentioned.

“Tinkering with the foundations for who qualifies for houses the place will not handle the truth that there’s simply essentially not sufficient social housing obtainable.

“A long time of failure to construct sufficient houses for social hire has left us with an enormous scarcity, and condemned greater than 1.3 million households to years on ready lists.”