Action call on homeless vets

‘Use empty MoD sites’

Clackmannanshire and Dunblane SNP MSP Keith Brown this week called for empty Ministry of Defence buildings across Scotland to be used to help house homeless veterans.

Mr Brown, a military veteran himself, asked the Scottish Government what action it was taking to support veterans into housing, in a question in the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Brown was a member of the Royal Marines and served in the Falklands War.

His question came after the latest figures revealed that up to 1136 properties owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) currently sit empty in Scotland – a rise from 690 from the 2013 figure.

Of the 36,465 homelessness applications received by the Scottish Government 2018-19, three per cent were from those who had served in the Armed Forces.

Mr Brown spoke in a debate at Holyrood on the armed forces and veterans community.

He later said: “Our armed services members serve with dignity, and it is only right that they are treated the same way once they return.

“The staggering figure of 1136 empty MOD properties makes a mockery of UK Government claims to be taking veterans’ rights seriously.

“It’s time that the UK Government matches Scotland’s ambition and opens up these properties to get homeless veterans off the streets.”

In response, a spokesperson for the MoD said: “While the vast majority of former service personnel transition successfully into civilian life, no one, including veterans, should spend their lives on the streets. Any service leaver who is at risk of homelessness is referred to their local authority for support.

“The MoD allows veterans who have recently left service to remain in service family accommodation for up to twelve months, in order to all them and their families to adjust to civilian life.”

The MoD said it has a “duty to ensure our heroic military personnel get the support they need when applying for a social home”.

Since 2012, current and former service personnel who have been recently discharged have not had to be resident in an area to get access to a social home for their families, as part of the Armed Forces Covenant.

MoD officials refer to their local authority any service personnel who are assessed as being at risk of homelessness as they move into civilian life.

It’s time that the UK Government matches Scotland’s ambition and opens up these properties to get homeless veterans off the streets Keith Brown