- Forces families living in military housing will enjoy greater freedoms to make their house feel more like home.
- The new Consumer Charter will cut the red tape and make it easier for families to own pets, decorate properties and run businesses from their homes.
- Reforms follow the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) commitment of more than £1.5 billion extra for forces family housing, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change.
Thousands of Armed Forces families will benefit from new freedoms to keep pets and personalise their homes as part of the Government’s commitment to improve forces housing.
The measures, announced today, include greater freedoms to own pets, decorate and personalise houses, and run businesses from home.
The latest improvements to military family housing — some already in effect from 9 August — mark a key milestone in delivering the Government’s new Consumer Charter. Defence Secretary John Healey has pledged to put forces families at the heart of defence housing reform, vowing to “stop the rot” and raise standards across service accommodation nationwide.
The Charter is part of the forthcoming Defence Housing Strategy, which will set out plans for a generational renewal of forces housing, helping renew the nation’s contract with those who serve and supporting the Government’s Plan for Change.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:
Our Armed Forces make extraordinary sacrifices to keep us safe every day. But for too long, military families have lived in substandard housing without basic consumer rights.
These new measures are a key milestone as we deliver on our Consumer Charter to stop the rot in military accommodation and ensure our heroes and their loved ones live in houses they can truly call home.
By introducing greater freedoms, including pet ownership, we are ensuring forces families up and down the UK can live and work in homes fit for modern life.
Until now, military families faced a lengthy and bureaucratic approval process to own pets. From this week, they can keep up to two dogs, cats or smaller pets without needing permission — recognising the vital role pets play in family life and mental wellbeing.
The comfort and companionship that pets provide is especially important for military families, whose partner or parent may be away for many months at a time on deployment. Safeguards remain in place to protect the welfare of animals and support families if any issues arise.
Minister for Veterans and People, Al Carns, said:
As a dog owner and Royal Marine who served for 24 years, much of it in Service accommodation, I’m delighted to be making it easier for our dedicated personnel to own family pets.
Recognising the unique demands of Service family life, it is also right that we make it easier for family members to run businesses from military housing.
Another measure, that comes into effect this week, involves streamlining processes for service family members running a business from their home, ensuring a standardised approach across the UK. Those already running a business will also benefit from a named housing officer, who can offer advice and support on processes, delivering on another promise set out in the Consumer Charter.
In the future, families will also have more freedom to decorate their houses. This could include adding wireless wall lamps and decorative decals for creative wall designs or borders.
Improvements to housing are underpinned by an investment of more than £7 billion this Parliament in military accommodation, which includes an extra £1.5 billion through the Strategic Defence Review to support urgent repairs and the long-term renewal of military family homes across the UK. This record investment follows the Government’s landmark deal to bring back 36,000 military homes into public ownership, as part of the Prime Minister’s pledge to deliver homes fit for heroes.
