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<p>This Government is committed to making the UK the best place to be a veteran and
to do more to ensure that each veteran is valued, contributing and supported. This
is why we published the Strategy for our Veterans in November 2018, and its Action
Plan in January 2020, and have been working with a range of partners, including those
in local Government, to make this vision a reality: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategy-for-our-veterans</p><p>Our
commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant has seen tangible progress in 2020, including
through the launch of the Veterans Gateway app in May, which provides local information
on services available to support veterans. Since signing the Armed Forces Covenant,
we have worked closely with Dudley Council through our local liaison officers and
the Council now guarantees job interviews to Service leavers and veterans who meet
the minimum criteria. All past and serving personnel and their families also qualify
for the half price Options Leisure Plus scheme at sports halls, swimming pools and
most events at borough halls. In June, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local
Government published new statutory guidance for local authorities to further improve
access to social housing for members of the Armed Forces, veterans and their families.</p><p>Dudley
Council now allows any veteran or Service leaver family applying for social housing
to have their service years classed as years spent on its housing waiting list. All
four Black Country Local Authorities are participating in the West Midlands working
group supporting the Covenant legislation engagement process, ahead of the legislation
being introduced to Parliament in the Armed Forces Bill next year.</p>
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