Jessica O'ConnorNew legislation introduced to Parliament yesterday will establish a standalone Defence Housing Service, marking a significant reform of how housing is delivered and managed for UK armed forces personnel and their families.
The Armed Forces Bill, brought forward by the Ministry of Defence, will put the new Defence Housing Service into law and underpin the government’s £9bn Defence Housing Strategy, announced in November.
The service is intended to address long-standing underinvestment in military accommodation and drive what the government describes as the biggest renewal of forces housing in a generation.
Under the proposals, the Defence Housing Service will be responsible for renewing around nine in ten existing forces homes and supporting the development of up to 100,000 new homes on surplus defence land, with serving personnel and veterans given priority access.
The service will also oversee higher accommodation standards and provide each family with a named housing officer to improve day-to-day support.
The Bill will also extend the Armed Forces Covenant across all areas of central government, devolved administrations and local authorities for the first time.
This will place a legal requirement on public bodies to consider the specific needs of service personnel and their families when delivering services such as housing, social care and employment support.
As part of a new Consumer Charter for forces housing, the Ministry of Defence has committed to accelerating repairs and refurbishments.
According to the department, rapid improvement works have already been completed on 1,000 homes, with further upgrades underway, including more than 200 properties in Helensburgh.
Alongside housing reform, the Armed Forces Bill introduces changes to strengthen the UK’s Strategic Reserve by adjusting recall arrangements for former service personnel.
Measures include increasing the maximum recall age from 55 to 65, aligning recall periods across services, and lowering the threshold for recall to include preparation for conflict, in line with approaches used by several NATO allies.
Defence Secretary John Healey said: “Our Armed Forces make extraordinary sacrifices to keep this country safe. In return, they deserve homes fit for their families and the support of a nation that proudly values their service.
“This Bill delivers rapidly on our commitment to renew the nation’s contract with those who serve.
“Through this legislation, a new Defence Housing Service will drive the biggest improvement in forces accommodation for a generation, we will ensure reserve forces can step up when needed and we will extend legal protections so that every part of government considers the needs of our service personnel and their families.”
The Bill also includes provisions to strengthen protections for victims of serious crime within the armed forces, introduce new powers to counter unauthorised drone activity over defence sites, and build on recent measures such as the largest military pay rise in over 20 years and the creation of an Armed Forces Commissioner.
The legislation forms part of a broader package of reforms aimed at improving conditions, support and retention across the armed forces as the Government seeks to modernise defence infrastructure and policy.
