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Civilian housing options
There are a number of housing schemes available to the Service and ex-Service community – including the Ministry of Defence Nominations scheme, Low Cost Home Ownership and the Key Worker Living Programme.
Where to find out about your civilian housing options
If you are thinking of buying your own home or you are just about to leave the RAF and want to know what housing options are open to you Defence Transition Services (DTS) is a great resource.
Defence transition Services
DTS is a tri-service organisation that can provide you with a wide range of information about the civilian housing opportunities available to you and offer regular briefings which we would recommend.
Visit the DTS Civilian Housing pages (gov.uk) >
Contact the DTS Team at anytime in your career: [email protected]
Housing Briefings
DTS deliver online civilian housing briefings designed to provide information to help you make informed choices on your civilian housing options.
Affordable Housing Options
Service Personnel and Service leavers (within 12 months of discharge) have priority status for government affordable housing initiatives. Schemes include Forces Help to Buy, shared ownership, shared equity loans and the mortgage guarantee scheme.
Information on the current government housing schemes (gov.uk) here>
FHTB could potentially reduce your the timeline to home ownership, by providing you with a larger deposit for a property and, potentially, open up better mortgage deals.
Shelter offers support for members of the armed forces and veterans, including local authority homeless help, social housing allocations, rights of separated partners, and where to get help with housing.
Some veterans struggle to adapt to civilian life when they leave the Armed Forces. Stoll support the most vulnerable by assessing an individual’s needs and then arranging appropriate support, including affordable housing. Once a veteran is living independently they provide support to move on from Stoll and encourage this where possible.
- The VNS team has found a home for nearly 800 veterans
- By partnering with social landlords, we are able to arrange accommodation for people across England
- This scheme works well for single veterans and couples without children with low support needs who otherwise might struggle to get accommodation through a local authority
Stoll do not able to accept direct applications from veterans, instead they run a Veterans’ Nomination Scheme (VNS) where organisations can refer veterans.
The RAF Families Federation are an authorised referral organisation. Contact us to raise an enquiry.
Haig Housing is proud to have served the British Veteran community for almost a century. As the leading housing provider for ex-Service personnel in the UK, the charity now owns over 1,500 properties across 50 locations. The Trust assists eligible Veterans in housing need, whether they are transitioning into civilian life or are simply in need of a helping hand.
This scheme may be able to offer help if you are looking for Affordable Housing to rent on leaving the Service. It has links with Local Authorities and Housing Associations within the UK, who have available housing they wish to be specifically allocated to Service Personnel.
Ministerial guidance has been issued to local authorities on housing allocations for members of the Armed Forces. It demonstrates commitments to the seriously injured and disabled personnel and the removal of the exemption regarding Local Connection which has to date prevented some leaving the Service from setting in their area of choice.
Guidance to local authorities on the allocation of housing to members of the Armed Forces >
The Op FORTITUDE team works with individual veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness, supporting them either into suitable accommodation, or to maintain their current home.
Useful links:
Guidance on the housing options and services available to serving personnel and veterans, and their families who live or intend to live in England. A home in civilian society – a guide for the armed forces community (gov.uk)
Civilian housing options and advice available to serving personnel who are seeking or due to leave service. I am serving personnel: I am seeking or due to leave (gov.uk)
Non-military housing options and advice available to serving personnel who are not seeking or due to leave service. I am serving personnel: I am not seeking or due to leave (gov.uk)
- Office of National Statistics Property price, private rent and household statistics. (gov.uk)
