Ex-servicemen and women who are seriously injured are to be given priority to specially adapted social homes, the Housing Minister Iain Wright announced today.

Councils are being instructed to treat seriously injured service personnel as a priority when allocating modified housing, under new guidance being issued today.

It will help to ensure better availability of specially adapted housing with features like walk-in bathrooms, wider door frames, lowered light switches, and entry slopes rather than steps, for service personnel as part of the Government’s commitment to support those injured in the service of their country.

The guidance will also reinforce changes to help make sure all members of the Armed Forces can also apply for social housing in areas in which they were restricted by the need to demonstrate a local connection beyond having served there.

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"It is right that our servicemen and women who are seriously injured fighting for their country are given the housing support they deserve," Iain Wright said.

"These new rules mean service personnel must be treated as priority for specially adapted homes. We are determined to ensure our armed forces are recognised for their heroic efforts and helped in their transition to civilian life."

But his Conservative shadow, Grant Shapps, said Labour had been slow to prioritise housing for ex-service personnel.

He said: "We believe that all soldiers returning from war zones should be given priority on the housing waiting lists. The Government have been slow to address this issue.

"These are brave men and women who have fought for our freedom and liberty and it shouldn't require them to be injured in order for them to avoid homelessness."

Today's announcement forms part of the Ministry of Defence’s Service Personnel Command Paper, a package of across-Government measures designed to end disadvantage experienced by the Armed Forces, their families and veterans as a result of Service.

These measures – launched by the Defence Secretary last July – include doubling compensation for injured personnel, establishing community mental health schemes across the UK to provide specialist care for veterans and improving access to education for Service leaders.

(JM/KMcA)