Defence accommodation policy
The People Accommodation Policy Team is responsible for Defence accommodation policy on behalf of Chief Defence Personnel (CDP).
Defence accommodation policy governs the provision of subsidised accommodation and the substitute equivalents to Service personnel and their families on a worldwide basis. This does not include accommodation in operational theatres and temporary accommodation at training areas, where separate single Service arrangements will apply.
JSP 464 is the policy for the provision of service family accommodation, single living accommodation and the substitute equivalents.
Overview
We recognise the importance of homes and families to the wellbeing of Service Personnel, especially when making such extraordinary sacrifices in the UK and overseas.
Defence continues to consider how we best support our people and ensuring that they have access to high quality subsidised accommodation in line with modern living standards and the support that meets their varied needs, health, and wellbeing.
The concept of ‘family’ and ‘modern home’ has changed over time, and we need to reflect this in the accommodation we provide.
We are committed to improve the fairness with which accommodation is allocated, the quality of that accommodation, the way that we make best use of our accommodation to ensure best value for money, and its sustainability.
We continue to gather and use data to improve the information that we have about our Service personnel, how they use Defence accommodation and what their expectations are in order to support our future strategy, decision-making and policy development.
Defence must ensure that all Service personnel have access to accommodation which supports them, not only in the execution of their duties, but also in their private lives.
From 1 January 2023, The Forces Help to Buy Scheme became an enduring policy, ensuring its availability to all service personnel now and in the future. The scheme enables service personnel to borrow up to 50% of their salary, and up to a maximum of £25,000 interest-free towards the purchase of a property.
The Defence Estate Optimisation Programme (DEOP) will deliver a more modern and right-sized estate, enabling new investment and improvements in quality and maintenance as well as a reduction in the number of non-compliant facilities.
There has been significant investment in Single Living Accommodation (SLA) which has led to improvements on multiple sites. This is reflected in the Defence Accommodation Strategy.
The need for targeted improvements and consistency of approach is recognised across Defence and for SLA is guided by the recommendations of the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee. This has led to the introduction of the Defence Minimum Standards for SLA (DMS) and subsequent work on SLA aspirational standards.
It is more important than ever that Defence accommodation policy and spending focuses on what matters most to our people. We need to iterate and further develop accommodation policy with the operational work to rationalise our accommodation portfolio, improve its condition and standards, and target investment where it is most needed to modernise and take greater consideration of sustainability.
Continual development of our estate must give value for money, which, in a world of rising costs, means a period of significant challenge. As the homes we supply for service personnel are heavily subsidised in comparison to the private market, any improvements to the estate will need to be reflected in costs going forward.
The Defence Accommodation Strategy and outcome from the Future Accommodation Model pilot must reflect modern lifestyles, working patterns and support the wellbeing of our forces and their families in the execution of their duties and in their private lives. The accommodation offer also needs to be agile and flexible to ensure that Defence can respond to emerging priorities and take into account the Department’s Net Zero commitment.
It’s important to make sure that policy, programmes and projects work together well; and that the delivery of existing accommodation is also well managed. This will maximise efficiency while also allowing policy to develop and improve
New standards articulated in the Defence Accommodation Strategy set a baseline from which we can continue to improve the quality of our accommodation, alongside bespoke delivery plans to ensure we can achieve our commitments to meet the needs of our people.
Latest news on Defence accommodation
Update on the Modernised Accommodation Offer (Previously New Accommodation Offer) for Armed Forces personnel
Our Armed Forces personnel make extraordinary sacrifices to protect our nation. Defence’s Modernised Accommodation Offer (MAO) puts fairness first and will inject £200m of further investment for accommodation.
The Modernised Accommodation Offer, previously known as the New Accommodation Offer, was announced on 19 September 2023 and was designed collaboratively with the single Services. Lessons have been implemented from the FAM pilot and research undertaken with Service personnel and families.
The MAO will improve the standard of Single Living Accommodation (SLA), and waivers of SLA charges will be extended so that more Service personnel who maintain a main home away from their duty station can benefit, no matter their age, service or relationship status.
The MAO will also provide further support for Service personnel buying a first home at a new assignment, refunding up to £1,500 of their legal expenses.
Defence is still committed to widening entitlement to those in established long term relationships and parents with non-resident children, but we have listened to feedback. We are therefore pausing the rollout of the elements of the policy related to Service Family Accommodation, including the move to needs-based allocation and, in the short-term, the widening of entitlement.
A new launch date for changes to family accommodation entitlements will be confirmed in due course.
Widened accommodation entitlement (limited locations)
The widened accommodation entitlement (limited locations) policy launched on 31 October 2023 as a first step in delivering the commitment made in the Defence Accommodation Strategy (2022) to allocate accommodation to personnel in long-term relationships on the same basis as those who are married. This policy will continue until further notice.
Defence Accommodation Strategy
On 20 October 2022, Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families Sarah Atherton launched the UK Armed Forces Defence Accommodation Strategy (DAS) from Combermere Barracks in Windsor, setting out the roadmap to improve the accommodation across Defence.
The DAS focuses on ensuring the quality of accommodation, that it is allocated fairly, and the way the accommodation is used to ensure best value for money whilst ensuring environmental sustainability.
The DAS sets out principles committing to:
- continuing support for Service personnel through subsidised accommodation and access to the housing market, including looking at making Forces Help to Buy an enduring scheme
- increasing fairness across the allocation of subsidised allocation
- improving the quality of our accommodation offer, with the introduction of a new SLA Minimum Standard
- improving the use of our accommodation estate, ensuring we use data to make best use of properties
- improving the sustainability of the accommodation estate and helping Service personnel to use their properties in a sustainable way
Future Accommodation Model Pilot
The Future Accommodation Model (FAM) will result in an improvement to the accommodation offered to our Service personnel such as a widening of entitlement for established long term relationships to cohabit in Service Family Accommodation (SFA).
The pilot will come to an end 31 March 2023. If you are assigned to or considering one of the pilot sites, find out more about the FAM.
Forces Help to Buy
Regular armed forces personnel can benefit from a £200-million scheme to help them get on the property ladder. The Forces Help to Buy scheme enables Service personnel to borrow up to 50% of their salary, interest free, to buy their first home or move to another property on assignment or as their family’s needs change.
The pilot scheme, which launched in April 2014 has now been made permanent, and aims to address the low rate of home ownership in the armed forces.
Forces Help to Buy: help to get on the property ladder
Tri-service accommodation regulations
Tri-service accommodation regulations (TSARs) (JSP 464) is the definitive policy for the provision of service family accommodation, single living accommodation and the substitute equivalents.
Research and evidence
Learn more about our latest research on topics relevant to Defence accommodation.
Defence accommodation: research and analysis
Accommodation complaints
Stage 1 complaints should be submitted to either the IP or substitute contractor.
Stage 2 should be submitted to DIO accommodation.
Stage 3 complaints should be submitted to the accommodation complaint review Secretariat (ACRP) where it is believed that accommodation policy has been misinterpreted or misapplied at stages 1 or 2 of the complaints process.
The Special to Type complaints process must be completed before a service complaint on the matter is submitted, this may be after stage 2 or stage 3 of process, depending on the circumstances of the complaint.
JSP 464 Vol 1 Part 1 from para 0634 fully details the submission process for each stage of complaints. As each stage has a separate contact point and submission format.
Stage 3 complaints have a 28-day response deadline from the ACRP.
Related content
DIO service family accommodation
Updates to this page
Last updated 8 October 2024 + show all updates
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Added 'Defence accommodation: research and analysis'.
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Added: Update on the Modernised Accommodation Officer for Armed Forces personnel.
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Updated 'Overview' and 'Latest news' sections.
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Added: 'New Accommodation Offer' and 'Widening accommodation entitlement' under latest news, and updates under 'Research and evidence'.
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Added a link to 'Forces Help to Buy: Understanding service personnel experiences' under the 'Research and evidence' heading.
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New section added, 'Research and evidence'.
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First published.