Defence Secretary John Healey has vowed to “stop the rot” in military housing by introducing a new consumer charter that aims to overhaul living conditions for armed forces personnel and their families. The announcement comes as the Ministry of Defence prepares to unveil a comprehensive defence housing strategy later this year.
The charter introduces a set of core commitments designed to improve standards across the military housing estate. Key measures include guaranteeing higher move-in standards, ensuring quicker and more reliable repair services, and appointing a named housing officer for every military family to act as a single point of contact for housing issues.
Speaking from Whitehall, Mr Healey said: “Our armed forces serve with extraordinary dedication and courage to keep us safe. It is only right that they and their families live in the homes they deserve.
“For too long, military families have endured substandard housing without the basic consumer rights that any of us should expect in our homes. That must end, and our new consumer charter will begin to stop the rot and put families at the heart of that transformation.”
The Defence Secretary acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying that the issues plaguing military housing would not be resolved overnight. However, he highlighted significant progress already underway, including the Government’s move to bring 36,000 military homes back into public ownership, giving ministers greater control over standards and maintenance.
“This is about providing homes fit for the heroes who serve our nation,” he added. “I’m determined to deliver the decent, affordable housing that our forces families have every right to expect.”
Alongside the charter, the Government has unveiled the membership of an independent review team, tasked with shaping the forthcoming defence housing strategy. The team will be chaired by Natalie Elphicke Ross, the former Conservative MP for Dover who defected to Labour in the final weeks of the previous administration.
Ms Elphicke Ross is no stranger to housing reform, having chaired the New Homes Quality Board, which oversaw standards and redress for buyers of new-build properties, and co-chaired the influential Elphicke-House Report in 2015. In May 2024, she made headlines after publicly criticising former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s “tired and chaotic government” and joining Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on the campaign trail.
Speaking on her new role, Ms Elphicke Ross said: “Our pride in our armed forces must include pride in our military homes. Delivering better housing, boosting home ownership opportunities for service personnel and improving the experiences of service families will be at the heart of our work.”
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The upcoming defence housing strategy, set to be published before the end of the year, will further outline long-term objectives for military housing. Among its priorities will be a new refurbishment programme, targeting homes in the worst condition. Up to 1,000 homes are expected to benefit from the initial wave of improvements.
Campaigners and military charities have long called for greater investment and transparency in service housing, citing poor maintenance, mould, faulty heating, and a lack of accountability from private contractors.
The charter marks a shift in the Government’s approach, placing families’ needs and consumer rights at the forefront. It is also seen as a signal of Labour’s commitment to restoring confidence in the armed forces housing system after years of mismanagement and neglect.
The strategy’s full details remain under wraps, but with experienced leadership at the helm and a clear mandate from the Defence Secretary, expectations are high that real change may finally be on the horizon for military families across the UK.
