Government announces £1.5bn in extra funding for military homes

31 May 2025, 00:12 | Updated: 31 May 2025, 09:34

More than £1.5 billion in extra funding for military homes will be confirmed as part of the Government’s strategic defence review, the Ministry of Defence has said.

The review, expected soon, will set out the money, which will be put towards work to improve housing and unlock further development.

Cash will be used on urgent repairs such as fixing boilers and roofs, and other issues including tackling damp, the MoD said.

Speaking to LBC, Veterans Minister Al Carns told us: "This is fantastic news for the military. These are individuals who sometimes move in a 20-year career ten times, every two years moving around the country.

"To give them a good standard of family accommodation is the least we can do for individuals that are putting their lives on the line."

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The strategic defence review was launched by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer last year, as the Government looks to overhaul Britain’s military in the face of rising global tensions.

Ahead of the review, the UK has already committed to spend 2.5% of gross domestic product – a measure of the size of the economy – on defence from April 2027, rising to 3% during the next Parliament.

Last month, the Government launched a consumer charter aimed at improving the living conditions for service personnel and their families.It commits to higher move-in standards, more reliable repairs and a named housing officer for every family.

It also pledges a shorter complaints process and more freedom for families to be able to make improvements to their service homes.

Liberal Democrat defence spokeswoman Helen Maguire called on the Government to go further in its pledge, by bringing military accommodation up to the decent homes standard – the minimum standards that social homes should meet.

She said she was “glad to see this Government has finally come to their senses and listened”, and added: “Those bravely defending our country deserve proper housing without leaks, mould, floods and freezing temperatures.

“But it’s disappointing to see the Government refuse to commit to bring all military homes under the decent homes standard – a change the Lib Dems will continue to champion, so no military family has to suffer in a second-rate home.”

Ms Maguire previously told the PA news agency that military families were “struggling over the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day”, after the Government revealed it had logged 442 urgent repair requests for service family accommodation during the week which began on May 5.