The Veterans Strategy Action Plan sets out over sixty commitments from across government to deliver on the vision and principles of our 2018 Strategy for our veterans, including on housing.<\/p>
The Government is committed to providing high priority access for social housing and temporary accommodation. To improve access to social housing, we changed the law so that veterans with urgent housing needs are always given \u2018additional preference\u2019 (high priority) for social housing, and that those who left the forces within the preceding 5 years cannot be disqualified from social housing because of a local connection or residency requirement.<\/p>
We have also published dedicated statutory social housing allocations guidance which sets out how local authorities can support veterans and their families to access social housing.<\/p>
To ensure the sustainable supply of social housing, the £20 million Veteran Capital Housing Fund continues to award grants to fund the refurbishment of existing, affordable and social rental properties, as well as the development and delivery of new build projects.<\/p>
<\/strong> This Government is investing record amounts to support our veterans and their families.<\/p> The Veterans\u2019 Strategy Action Plan totals more than £70 million from across government, with an injection of a further £33 million in the Spring Budget 2023, topped up by a further £10 million in the Chancellor's Autumn statement. As of 22 April 2024, 58 people work in the Office for Veterans\u2019 Affairs.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4485", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Johnny Mercer"}
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, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-01T15:39:52.373Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Office for Veterans' Affairs: Finance and Staff"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the annual budget for the Office for Veterans Affairs is for the (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 financial year; and how many people work for the Office for Veterans Affairs as of 22 April 2024.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Birmingham, Selly Oak"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Steve McCabe"}
], "uin" : "22837"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1697957", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1697957/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " This Government has successfully reduced inflation by more than half, which will make the cost of living more affordable for veterans along with every other resident in the UK. We\u2019re also getting support directly to those who need it, with the £104 billion Cost of Living package worth an average £3,800 per household.<\/p> <\/p> Veterans\u2019 employment is at an all-time high, with 89% of those leaving service finding employment within six months, but we're determined to go further. That is why we recently launched OP PROSPER, our dedicated employment pathway for veterans, alongside introducing a 12-month National Insurance relief to eligible employers recruiting veterans in their first civilian role after service.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4485", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Johnny Mercer"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Plymouth, Moor View"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Johnny Mercer"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-15T16:58:47.113Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Veterans: Cost of Living"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what financial support his Department is providing to help veterans with the cost of living.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1696968", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1696968/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Office for Veterans\u2019 Affairs\u2019 definition of homelessness is in line with the Government\u2019s definition of homelessness. Statutory homelessness is defined as households or individuals who are owed a homelessness duty by a local authority.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4485", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Johnny Mercer"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Plymouth, Moor View"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Johnny Mercer"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-03-27T16:53:42.93Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-03-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Veterans: Homelessness"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what definition of homelessness is used by the Office for Veterans Affairs.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1697070", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
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<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4485", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Johnny Mercer"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-01T15:48:03.397Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Veterans: Social Rented Housing"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Veterans' Strategy Action Plan 2022-24, what steps the Office for Veterans Affairs has taken to improve veterans' access to social housing.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Steve McCabe"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1712785", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
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