Helping servicemen through their own front door

The government has now agreed to treat serving military personnel as "key workers" and therefore eligible to participate in the Homebuy scheme. The loans provided under this scheme increase buying power by a third and will hopefully enable more members of the Armed Forces to get a foot on the housing ladder.

Although this scheme will be of help to those who can afford to meet the mortgage and loan payments, it will probably do little to help the many veterans in this country who are currently homeless. Local councils must be encouraged to support ex-servicemen struggling to find accommodation. The relaxation of the "local connection" rules may go some way to improve eligibility for assistance but it is only by councils giving our veterans their rightful priority in the housing stakes that a real difference will be made. As the Parcels43 campaign Priority Housing4XForces says: "On leaving the forces the troops have a very different fight on their hands. The new fight is that to keep a roof over their heads. This is shameful. They shouldn't have to fight, or wait to be classed as homeless as many are"

Link> The Telegraph: Loans help forces to get on housing ladder
Link> Parcels43 - Supporting Our Troops
Link> 'Devil in detail' of home loan aid for military personnel, say Tories