Council to raise housing priority of armed forces
A council has announced plans to give former members of the armed forces greater housing priority in recognition of their contribution to society.
Southwark Council said today that ex-service personnel who have been discharged from active service within the last three years before making a new housing application with the council, will now be granted additional priority on the housing list within their assessed priority band.
The authority already gives higher housing priority to ex-soldiers who have been injured in conflict, but the decision now extends this to cover all former service personnel seeking a home in the borough.
Ian Wingfield, cabinet member for housing at Southwark Council, said: ‘This move is befitting of the privilege anyone who has served in the armed forces deserves. Often when people leave the forces, especially after seeing active conflict, they are traumatised or face difficulties finding work which can lead to a struggle to find a home.
‘Their contribution to their country and society should not be rewarded with potential homelessness and I’m glad the council can help in some way by giving these men and women greater priority for a home and the chance to feel proud of where they live, and their achievements.’
Wandsworth, Edinburgh and Westminster already give ex-armed forces housing priority while Grant Shapps, the housing minster, said last year that he wanted ex-services personnel to get priority for low cost home ownership schemes.
