Over 900 Plymouth military families to benefit as Labour restores military housing

More than 900 military families across Plymouth and the surrounding areas are set to benefit from a new Consumer Charter for Service Family Accommodation, as the Labour government pushes ahead with a landmark overhaul of military housing standards and ownership.

The announcement comes as 36,000 military homes across the UK - including 485 in Plymouth Moor View, 420 in South West Devon, and 34 in Plymouth Sutton and Devonport - have been brought back into public ownership in a deal completed this January. The move reverses a controversial 1996 sale of military homes to a private firm, a decision since described by Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee as “disastrous.” That sell-off had been costing taxpayers an estimated £600,000 per day in rent payments to the private sector.

Defence Secretary John Healey declared the new Consumer Charter a key part of his mission to “stop the rot” in defence housing. The Charter outlines minimum property standards and introduces basic consumer rights for Armed Forces families, including timely repairs, transparent information before moving in, and a simpler complaints process.

Labour MPs Fred Thomas (Plymouth Moor View) and Luke Pollard (Plymouth Sutton and Devonport) have both welcomed the reforms. Thomas, who has campaigned on housing conditions since his election, said: “Many military homes in Plymouth are in an unacceptable condition. We’ve brought almost 500 homes back into public hands and are now giving military families the rights they deserve. This Labour government values our Armed Forces and is committed to providing them safe, clean, and secure homes.”

Luke Pollard added: “We inherited an awful picture from the last government, with military families enduring leaky roofs, broken boilers and mouldy bedrooms. By bringing 36,000 homes back into public ownership, we’ve taken control to drive up standards.”

The reforms come after years of declining satisfaction with military housing. In 2023, under the Conservative government, satisfaction with Service Family Accommodation (SFA) hit record lows. A Defence Select Committee report found that two-thirds of SFA homes were ‘no longer fit for purpose’, warning that poor housing was harming morale and affecting Armed Forces recruitment and retention.

Labour’s new Defence Housing Strategy, due later in 2025, will set out further plans to upgrade accommodation, with a commitment to refurbish 1,000 of the worst homes as an initial step.

The Consumer Charter also introduces:

• A named housing officer for each family

• Predictable repair timelines consistent with Awaab’s Law

• Improved transparency, including photos and floor plans of homes during the application process

• Greater freedom for families to make home improvements

• Satisfaction data published publicly to hold housing services accountable

These reforms are due to be fully implemented by December 2025, one year after the government’s decision to buy back military housing.

The Consumer Charter and housing reforms are part of Labour’s broader efforts to restore the social contract with service personnel. In February, the government announced a historic increase in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, alongside the largest Armed Forces pay rise in over 20 years.

With this renewed focus on the living standards of service families, Labour aims to re-establish military housing as a key pillar of support for the UK’s Armed Forces.

For more information about the Defence Housing Strategy and Consumer Charter, visit gov.uk