Minister calls for closer working on housing for veterans

Welsh Labour’s Housing Minister, Carl Sargeant, has said that public and voluntary sector organisations must work together more closely to address the housing needs of vulnerable veterans.

Speaking ahead of this week’s Armed Forces Day, the Minister said that he is passionately committed to the armed forces and is determined to do all he can to meet the housing needs of veterans in Wales.

The Welsh Government’s Ten Year Homelessness Plan recognises the need for organisations to be more proactive in identifying veterans’ housing needs and for services to join together to help them find secure housing. Many of the commitments contained in the Welsh Government’s package of Support for the Armed Forces Community in Wales have also been delivered.

The Welsh Government’s Code of Guidance on housing allocations and homelessness has been strengthened to give priority to veterans with service-related health needs and injured veterans now have priority in our guidance on low cost home ownership and Disabled Facilities Grants.

The Welsh Government believes that it is vital that local authorities work with the voluntary sector and the armed forces welfare services to prevent homelessness wherever they can.