The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that service families will no longer need to seek permission to keep a pet at home, as part of reforms under the Defence Housing Strategy, the government stated.
The change was outlined by Defence Minister Luke Pollard in response to a written parliamentary question from Liberal Democrat MP Ian Roome on 18 February 2026, which asked what progress had been made on the Pillar 1 recommendations of the Defence Housing Strategy. Pollard said: “We have modernised outdated policies and streamlined processes, giving families greater freedoms to make improvements to their homes.”
He added: “We have streamlined the process for those who wish to run businesses from home and removing the need to seek permission to have a pet at home.”
Pollard also said the MOD had upgraded 1,000 of the worst service family homes ahead of schedule: “We have transformed 1,000 of the worst homes ahead of schedule in time for Christmas, with hundreds more military properties to be upgraded by Spring 2026.”
The minister said additional measures had been delivered, including named housing officers, photographs and floorplans, and a new online repairs service.
“We’ve delivered named housing officers, photos and floorplans and a new online repairs service – promises made to families previously, but only now delivered.” He concluded: “Service Family satisfaction with their Defence Homes is rising and now at the highest level since 2021.”
Get a goldfish and call it Rachel.
or a Sloth and call it “DIP”.
Or a snake and call it Andy.
I wonder if they’ll have a list of pets you can’t have. Can you dig a pond for your pet alligator? Can your home business include getting rid of dead bodies using your pet alligator?
Defence homes needs to go back to the old model where companies do not make a profit from them. Serving personnel deserve better than to be made a means to profit from.
Didn’t the NoD just buy back the accomodation that was privately held and run?
They did agree a deal for 36,000 homes, but is that all the homes that are in private ownership? There is also no indication at this time that those who serve our nation will not be charged for their accommodation while they are serving.
Padre, 36,000 homes is not enough, by a long way. 50% of service personnel are married and many who are unmarried have a right to a Quarter too.
Payment by service personnel ie rent for service-provided accomodation whether it is a Quarter or a room in a barrack block (and food) has been the case since 1972, when the ‘Military Salary’ was introduced. Troops also pay Council Tax, TV licence, all utilities etc etc. Are you American or just a bit out of date!!
Unless your accomodation is of a standard that is so low that the rent is waved.
Graham …..
I never said it was enough ….
I’m definitely out of date, but I also think it’s disgraceful to charge rent, council tax, and TV license for any serving members of the Armed Forces. Utilities I would understand, but in this day and age, they should all have solar panels on the roofs to help reduce the burden of utilities and head towards carbon neutral. There have been plenty of government schemes for solar, so it seems ridiculous not to provide them for service accomodation.
I believe it was all that was privately owned and 70% of the total stock, not completely certain though