What recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of homelessness among armed forces veterans; and what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help prevent veterans from becoming homeless after leaving the military.
This is a Government that will always stand up for those who serve our country. I am working across Government to ensure veterans across the UK have access to the support they need on housing, as well as health, employment and other areas. In November 2024 the Prime Minister announced an additional £3.5 million for the cross-UK Reducing Veterans Homelessness Programme, including Op FORTITUDE. This is in addition to the reforms which mean that veterans are now exempt from local connection and residency tests when applying for social housing in England. This Government has removed local connection requirements for veterans applying for social housing, ensuring that those who have served our nation can access housing where they choose to. We are taking a cross-Government approach to tackling homelessness more broadly, developing a strategy alongside Mayors and Councils across the country, to put Britain back on track to ending homelessness. I attend the regular meetings chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister to represent veterans in the formulation of this strategy. Finally, the Defence Housing Strategy will turbocharge the development of surplus military land, supporting the delivery of affordable homes for families across Britain as part of the government’s Plan for Change. Through these measures, the Government is ensuring that homes will be there for heroes.