Demanding Homes Fit For Heroes

3 in 8 of service personnel in Merseyside are living in the lowest grade of service accommodation, shocking figures have revealed.

MOD data uncovered by Labour shows that 240 of personnel in Merseyside live in Grade 4 Single Living Accommodation, the lowest rating given by the Ministry of Defence.

Across the country, almost 39,000 members of the armed forces live in Grade 4 accommodation. A further 4,360 personnel live in accommodation so poor that no rental charge is levied. Just 21% live in the top ‘Grade 1’ accommodation, the lowest proportion since 2018.

The Ministry of Defence awards grades to its Single Living Accommodation based on ‘deficiency points’ allocated across 14 categories. Points are apportioned for the condition of bedroom decoration, fixtures and fittings, adequacy of heating systems and the proximity of toilet and washing facilities, among other factors.

There is currently no minimum quality standard set for Single Living Accommodation and no minimum acceptable conditions that service personnel should expect. A 2021 National Audit Office report on Single Living Accommodation exposed ‘decades of underinvestment’ and ‘problems with heating and hot water.’

Labour has commissioned an independent review of defence accommodation, chaired by crossbench peer and former Head of the Civil Service, Lord Bob Kerslake. The commission will bring together experts from fields including health, housing and the armed forces.

Labour’s Homes Fit for Heroes campaign is compiling evidence on the state of military accommodation which will be submitted as evidence to review. Personnel and their families can submit their views at https://labour.org.uk/homesfitforheroes/.