Armed forces to get top housing priority

Housing Minister Grant Shapps made the announcement today (Friday) adding that government housing agents will be told to go out and recruit military personnel for such schemes.

The move comes following a Military Covenant Housing Summit on Monday which announced that serving members of the armed forces and those recently retired, will be able to benefit from a £400 million nationwide scheme aimed at helping 10,000 families buy a home.

The government is also working with credit agencies and Royal Mail to help those living on a base or serving abroad apply for mortgages.

Mr Shapps said: ‘This Government is not in the business of giving out pointless sympathy or hand outs. Instead we’re pulling out all the stops to give our brave armed forces a helping hand onto the property ladder.

‘So I can confirm that military personnel are being promoted - instead of being just one of the priority groups for schemes like FirstBuy, they will now become the absolute top priority.

‘Our armed forces are being moved to the very front of the queue. And when the first keys to these new FirstBuy homes are handed over in September, I want to ensure that the brave and loyal men and women who serve in our armed forces, and have put their lives on the line to preserve our freedom and way of life, have had an opportunity to benefit.’