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Veterans: Social Housing

Asked by Ben Obese-JectyConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 12 May 2025UIN 50262

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress she has made with local authorities on removing local connection tests for veterans seeking social housing.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook

On 18 December 2024, the government brought into force regulations to exempt all former members of the regular armed forces from local connection and residency tests to facilitate their access to social housing.

The regulations removed the five-year limit and will ensure that no veterans of the regular armed forces will need to meet a local connection test for social housing regardless of when they last served.

Statutory guidance was updated on 18 December 2024 to reflect this change, and can be found on gov.uk here.

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