Armed Forces: Housing
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the announcement on the establishment of the Defence Housing Service, what estimate he has made of the number of homes currently below the Decent Homes Standard; and whether he plans to publish annual performance targets for the new organisation.
Answered by Mr Calvin Bailey
As of 1 June 2026, 1,153 military homes (2.42%) were assessed as falling below the Decent Homes Standard.
Under the Defence Housing Service, the Department will report annually to Parliament on how Defence family homes perform against the Decent Homes Standard and any additional standards set by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. These arrangements are provided for in the Armed Forces Bill, under which the Secretary of State for Defence will specify the relevant housing standards, the Defence Housing Service will be required to comply with them, and an annual report will be laid before Parliament.
The Armed Forces Bill will establish the new Defence Housing Service, which will bring greater focus and coherence to the improvement of family accommodation by placing the needs of Service Personnel and their families at the centre of delivery.
The MOD is already delivering on its mission to transform Armed Forces housing, completing a raft of commitments made to Service families. This includes upgrades to 1,250 homes in the last 12 months, with a further 2,000 more planned this financial year.
Through the Defence Housing Strategy, the Department is delivering a step change in the quality and standard of military housing. This includes a ten-year renewal programme under which around 90% of military homes will be modernised or upgraded, with approximately 14,000 homes to be rebuilt, replaced or substantially refurbished.
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