Following the release of the draft New Accommodation Offer policy – now known as the Modernised Accommodation Offer – a petition has been launched to ask the government to review it and undertake further consultation with Service personnel before it is launched.
AFF has been raising the questions and concerns of soldiers of all ranks and their families around this significant change in the provision of Service housing with the MOD. In particular, we remain concerned about the ability of the Service Family Accommodation (SFA) estate and private rental markets in some key Army locations to meet the increase in demand.
We are also concerned about the continued lack of clarity on how the allocations process will work, and what support is available for families who are placed on the private rental route when no SFA is available.
Our evidence over several years, including surveys from 2021 – AFF Big Survey: FAM – The Future of Housing for Army families and 2018 – The Offer Survey, shows that SFA is an important part of the offer for soldiers of all ranks and their families, particularly the most mobile. They need surety of accommodation close to their duty station as they move around the UK and return from overseas postings, so they can move as a family unit without facing extended periods of separation.
We are urging the MOD to now pause and look carefully at how it rolls out this policy. We are maintaining a constant dialogue with policymakers, for example by giving evidence at the House of Commons Defence Committee and raising concerns at the Armed Forces Pay Review Body.
If you would like to feed back concerns directly to the AFF housing team, please email housingsupport@aff.org.uk so that they can be recorded.
POSTED ON 22 FEBRUARY 2024
UPDATED ON 26 FEBRUARY 2024