Brokenshire

New social housing proposals to support former armed forces personnel



Former service personnel suffering from PTSD or other mental illnesses will be prioritised for social housing under new proposals.


Under the measures published for consultation by James Brokenshire, secretary of state for housing, communities and local government (pictured above), all applicants for social housing will be asked at the outset if they have served in the armed forces.

Council staff will be given extra training to give current and former armed forces personnel effective housing support.

An eight-week consultation has started on the new rules.

The measures will also help people who divorce or separate from their partners in the armed forces by exempting them from being required to be a local resident before being given a property.

At present, people who spilt from a partner in the forces are made to move out of military accommodation and can be denied social housing due to them not being a resident in the area for long enough.

Brokenshire said: “We have a duty to ensure our heroic military personnel get the support they need when applying for a social home. 

“We want to see that applying for social property should not be a challenge in the transition from military service to civilian life. 

“These new measures are part of our continuing commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.”



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