Defence Secretary John Healey has outlined measures aimed at addressing veterans’ homelessness.
Speaking to the Defence Committee, Healey highlighted the importance of targeted interventions alongside broader efforts to tackle homelessness.
“In the end, we will deal with veterans’ homelessness to the extent that we deal with rough sleeping homelessness in general,” he said. “It is not inevitable, and I was proudly part of a Government until 2010 that virtually eliminated rough sleeping homelessness with the proper priority and willingness to lead from the top, lead from the centre and marshal all the efforts. It can be done.”
Healey pointed to recent initiatives as evidence of the government’s commitment to tackling the issue. “We have brought a fresh focus and concern to homelessness in these first four months, led by the Prime Minister in his speech at the Labour party conference. The MHCLG [Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government] is now changing the rules to make it easier for veterans to score a higher priority on social housing lists without necessarily having local connections. That will help.”
Further support includes extending funding for the veterans’ telephone helpline, ensuring continued assistance beyond March. “On remembrance weekend, [the Prime Minister] announced an extension of funding that will allow the telephone helpline for veterans who need help with homelessness and housing advice to continue beyond March. It will continue giving that help with the veterans’ homelessness programme throughout the whole of next year and into 2026,” Healey added.
When questioned by Derek Twigg MP about the challenges he faces in his role, Healey acknowledged the personal weight of decisions involving military deployments.
“What most keeps me awake is the positions of jeopardy and risk to which we ask our service personnel to deploy,” Healey stated. “Not all are as risky as others, but we have 10,000 UK forces deployed around the world in over 50 countries at the moment, and some are in very tight spots.”
Reflecting on the gravity of such decisions, Healey described them as a “special responsibility” that weighs heavily on him. “We are asking people who serve and are willing to take that risk, but nevertheless the decision to deploy and the decisions that come with that are the ones that weigh most heavily,” he concluded.
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so it keeps him awake at night but he’s still cutting capabilities without replacement like watchkeeper which, although many will tell you that it is imperfect, does contribute to situational awareness and because of that the safety of our armed services.
I hope it does keep him awake at night. I hope it gives him nightmares knowing that every life lost because of this loss of capability and the others that have gone before sits squarely on his head and those who have previously refused to adequately fund our armed services.
Homeless veterans living on the streets! Oh hang on what’s just round the corner a hotel full of people with no right to be here🤬
Gov always talk the talk but never walk the walk. He still sleeps in his nice warm house whilst others keep him safe and then discarded once they leave. The UK truly does not care for its Veterns as they should be but that has always been the way. Alway go more respect in other states including those that potentially could be fighting one day.
I’m a veteran. And I got loads of support when I left. The vast majority of service leavers go on to have successful careers and lives overall. The ones that have issues usually had issues before they joined up. Or didn’t take any of the support on offer, then they left. The MOD can’t whipe your arse for you when you leave. You have to want to take the support on offer. which is plentiful. It could always be better though.
The majority of homeless “vererans” served less than 3 years and didn’t deploy anywhere outside the UK.
Anybody remember Cameron’s great idea… “The Military Covenant”?…dire.
For decades the Cambridge 5 were at the top of the S.I.S and were considered good egg, one of us…I wonder if the same type of people are in the Treasury and undermining our armed forces from within
Hit the nail on the head.
So it should keep him awake at night Ex forces on the cold streets at night. And for our men & women deployed over seas in tight spots defence cuts won’t help and he knows it .Time for our forces to be increased and with budget what’s substantial .🙄
Having zero confidence in any of the kit and equipment gives me sleepless nights,
Getting treated like crap because I’m ruining the stats and I can’t figure out what’s broke this time on my 60 year old vehicle and it must be my fault that some spares don’t come in for months give me sleepless nights
If the government wants to effectively tackle rough sleeping then it needs to ensure enough capacity in social housing to meet the need. If it does that then the ‘priority score’ afforded to veterans is irrelevant, and if it doesn’t then the rough sleeping problem will continue.
All MP’s involved with defense should spend a couple of months working alongside a member of the other ranks. learning what they have to put up with. Not being feather bedded in the Officers’ quarters. Only then will they know what goes on and what people have to endure. But then my pipe of dreams has just been rained upon, but I live in hope.