£1.5bn in extra funding for military homes as part of defence review
Cash will be used on urgent repairs such as fixing boilers and roofs, and other issues including tackling damp, the MoD said.
Speaking on a visit to some military homes in Cambridgeshire, Defence Secretary John Healey said: 'I'm announcing through the strategic defence review a record increase – £1.5 billion in the next five years – to upgrade military family homes.
'Our forces make extraordinary sacrifices to keep us safe and to serve this country and yet for years, we've forced their families to live in substandard homes that you or I … just wouldn't tolerate.'
He also said the review will 'recognise the fact that the world is changing, threats are increasing'.
'In this new era of threat we need a new era for defence.'
It will be 'the vision and direction for the way that we've got to strengthen our armed forces to make us more secure at home, stronger abroad', he said.
The strategic defence review was launched by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer last year, as the Government looks to overhaul Britain's military in the face of rising global tensions.
Ahead of the review, the UK has already committed to spend 2.5% of gross domestic product – a measure of the size of the economy – on defence from April 2027, rising to 3% during the next Parliament.
Last month, the Government launched a consumer charter aimed at improving the living conditions for service personnel and their families.
It commits to higher move-in standards, more reliable repairs and a named housing officer for every family.
It also pledges a shorter complaints process and more freedom for families to be able to make improvements to their service homes.
Liberal Democrat defence spokeswoman Helen Maguire called on the Government to go further in its pledge, by bringing military accommodation up to the decent homes standard – the minimum standards that social homes should meet.
She said she was 'glad to see this Government has finally come to their senses and listened', and added: 'Those bravely defending our country deserve proper housing without leaks, mould, floods and freezing temperatures.
'But it's disappointing to see the Government refuse to commit to bring all military homes under the decent homes standard – a change the Lib Dems will continue to champion, so no military family has to suffer in a second-rate home.'
Ms Maguire previously told the PA news agency that military families were 'struggling over the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day', after the Government revealed it had logged 442 urgent repair requests for service family accommodation during the week which began on May 5.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
British families of Hamas hostages blast Keir Starmer's plan to recognise Palestinian state that they claim will leave loved ones 'rotting in dungeons'
Keir Starmer 's recognition of Palestine will not help the hostages still held in Gaza and is likely to leave them 'rotting in Hamas dungeons', relatives said last night. British families say they were told that the release of those still in the hands of the group would 'play no part' in the UK's plans to recognise statehood. They urged the Prime Minister to change course. Sir Keir announced earlier this week that the UK would take the step of recognising Palestine at the UN General Assembly in September unless Israel meets certain conditions. Members of four British families met with Foreign Office officials on Thursday night seeking clarification on whether conditions would also be placed on Hamas, their lawyers said in a statement. 'However, it was clear from the meeting that the British Government 's policy will not help the hostages, and could even hurt them,' they said. 'We do not say this lightly, but it was made obvious to us at the meeting that although the conditions for recognising a Palestinian state would be assessed 'in the round' in late September, in deciding whether to go ahead with recognition, the release or otherwise of the hostages would play no part in those considerations. 'In other words, the 'vision for peace' which the UK is pursuing... may well involve our clients' family members continuing to rot in Hamas dungeons.' Sir Keir had said the UK would only refrain from recognising Palestine if Israel allows more aid into Gaza, stops annexing land in the West Bank, agrees to a ceasefire and signs up to a long-term peace process. While he also called for Hamas to immediately release all remaining Israeli hostages, disarm and 'accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza', he did not explicitly say these would factor into whether recognition would go ahead. The families have a range of views on what the future political settlement should look like but their priority is to keep the hostages 'above political games', their lawyers said, as they urged the PM to 'change course before it is too late'. Sir Keir said that he 'particularly' listens to hostages after criticism of his plans from Emily Damari, a British-Israeli woman who was held captive by Hamas. The families of Ms Damari and freed hostage Eli Sharabi were among those who met with the Foreign Office. Also present were relatives of Nadav Popplewell and Oded Lifshitz, who both died while in captivity, as well as those of Yocheved Lifschitz, who was released. US President Donald Trump disagrees with Sir Keir's plans, as well as those of France and Canada. The two countries have also pledged to recognise Palestine. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: '[Mr Trump] feels as though that's rewarding Hamas at a time where Hamas is the true impediment to a ceasefire and the release of all of the hostages.' Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, suggested Sir Keir's 'clumsy' pledge 'has reduced the chances of a ceasefire'. Meanwhile pro-Palestinian groups are planning a 'siege' on Labour MPs, councillors and staff in a bid to force the party into an even tougher stance against Israel. The Palestinian Youth Movement has sent instructions to 'solidarity groups' across the UK to take part in a national day of action against the party.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Labour's border chaos is fuelling public fury and fear as dangerous foreign offenders vanish into thin air
Labour's not smashing it IT is little more than a year since Labour came to power promising to smash the people-smuggling gangs. Instead they have smashed the economy — with inflation up, unemployment up and business confidence at a record low. The only significant growth is in the number of illegal migrants coming here in small boats. Already over 25,000 have arrived this year — a 50 per cent rise on the 2024 figure by this stage, which was shocking enough. That number is dwarfed by the UK's astonishing 700,000 population increase in just a year — almost entirely due to legal immigration — which itself is utterly unsustainable. The arrival of thousands of mostly undocumented illegal migrants is symptomatic of just how badly Britain has lost control of its borders. It's not just the millions of pounds it costs taxpayers every day to shower the migrants with handouts and put them up in hotels, nor the fact that so many of them find black market jobs. Most of the arrivals are young men of fighting age — yet the authorities seem to have little idea who they are, even if they end up in court. National emergency We discovered earlier this week that the number of foreign sex offenders and violent criminals in prison in England and Wales is at a record high, and that 40 per cent of people charged with sex attacks in the capital were foreign nationals. Now we learn foreign criminals are simply walking free mid-trial and disappearing under false names because of a dangerous 'disconnect' between prosecutors and immigration enforcement. It is little wonder that people — not least mothers — worry about migrant hotels on their doorsteps, or that protests are growing, or that polls show immigration is the number one issue concerning voters. So what is the Government doing about this national emergency? Reform UK's rising star Laila Cunningham It seems to have no plan, beyond a sketchy one-in-one-out deal with France and setting up a spy unit to track anyone on social media discussing anti-migrant sentiment or two-tier justice. While Britain continues to house soaring numbers of uninvited guests in four-star hotels, America has seen a massive drop in illegal border crossings because tough detention centres and deportations await those who do. President Donald Trump has shown the problem CAN be tackled, if only the political will exists. The Government, which ditched the Rwanda scheme — the only viable deterrent — as its first act in power, has shown precious little will so far. It's about time Sir Keir Starmer realised the urgency of the situation... and started taking tough action of his own. 1
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Labour's plan to recognise Palestine even if Hamas does not release hostages SLAMMED by families of captives
HOSTAGE families blasted Labour's plan to recognise Palestine — after being told failure to release loved-ones will not stop the move. At a Foreign Office meeting, the relatives of four British-linked captives were told the UK would press ahead with state recognition even if Hamas terrorists refuse to free any of the 50 it still holds. A statement issued by their lawyers Adam Rose and Adam Wagner KC said the conditions for recognising a Palestinian state would be assessed in late-September. But it added: 'It was made obvious to us at the meeting that, in deciding whether to go ahead with recognition, the release or otherwise of the hostages would play no part in those considerations.' They warned the UK's new position would not help 'and could even hurt' hostages. They said PM Sir Keir Starmer's plan 'appears to be to put pressure on the Israelis only to reach a deal'. It abandons efforts to press both sides, they add. Sir Keir outlined the route to recognising a Palestinian state this week. He was met with outrage by hostage families and concern from Jewish community leaders. Emily Damari, 29, who was held in Gaza and released in January, called it a 'moral failure'. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump vowed to 'get people fed' in Gaza after sending envoy Steve Witkoff to tour a US-backed aid site in Rafah. Hamas agrees to release 10 hostages as terror group issues ceasefire red lines after Trump pressured Israel to end war 1
