Law change to scrap 'local connections' rule when housing armed forces

Published by 24publishing for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Central Government, Communities, Local Government

The Government is planning to change the law so former armed forces members don't have to prove local connections to get a social home - provided they apply within five years after leaving.

The move would also be extended to bereaved spouses and civil partners leaving services family accommodation following the death of their spouse or partner.

The move was signalled in new guidance published today by housing minister Grant Shapps.

The Government intends to lay the revised regulations "as soon as possible", it said.

Subject to Parliamentary approval, the new regulations will require councils to frame their allocation scheme to give "additional preference" to former soldiers and their families who fall within one or more of the "reasonable preference" categories - homeless, living in unsanitary or overcrowded accommodation, or who need to move on medical or welfare grounds.

In the past, the Government says, members of the armed forces could be "pushed towards the bottom of local waiting lists" as the nature of their job and the need to move from base to base often meant they couldn't prove the local connection to the area they wanted to live in.

The majority of respondents to the government consultation agreed that the armed forces should not be disqualified on so-called residency grounds.

However, a number of the 196 local authorities that responded felt it was important that armed forces members demonstrated a link to the area in which they had applied for social housing.

Examples of links included employment, family or residence before joining the forces.

Most felt that five years from the date of discharge was an appropriate length of time for this restriction.

A significant minority, however, felt that five years was too long, and that two or three years would be sufficient to allow reasonable period for transition and resettlement.

One local authority commented: “As we have such a shortage of social housing we are concerned that having a five year time limit would be unfair to the rest of the priority need groups on the register.”

Housing Minister Grant Shapps said: "This nation's heroes, serving in military hotspots around the world, put their lives on the line for us on a daily basis and it's only right that we should have the support in place for them and their loved ones when they need it most.

"That's why I'm ending the unfair treatment of military families on the waiting list. But I want to be sure that the safety net of social housing is not just there for those serving our country, but also the families that support them. So today, I'm planning for the first time to extend this help to those who lose loved ones on the front line, as well as men and women injured in the line of duty."

The new guidance issued today will also give councils and housing associations more freedom when determining allocation policies. It gives councils greater flexibility and encouragement to consider the importance of a local connection, prioritise families who are in work or seeking employment, and favourable treatment for carers, adopters and foster carers.

Helen Williams, assistant director of neighbourhoods at the National Housing Federation, said: "It is absolutely right that servicemen and women with urgent needs are pushed up the social housing list more quickly. We all want to see affordable homes allocated to those most in need. However, the lack of affordable housing is a problem for many people – service men and women, nurses, bus drivers and low-income families – from across the public and private sectors. That is why we desperately need to build more homes for rent."