Finding a civilian home as a veteran
Find out about how to find a civilian home if you're a veteran of the UK armed forces.
Finding private-sector housing
In general, being a veteran doesn’t give you any priority in the private housing sector.
For general civilian advice in the private sector, find out more about:
Finding social housing
Being a veteran does improve your chances of getting rented social housing. Councils are required to list veterans for preference in their allocation schemes.
When applying, veterans are exempt from a ‘local connection test’ for up to 5 years after leaving service. This means they can apply to any local council in the country during this period.
However, it’s important to note that being a veteran doesn’t guarantee you’ll be given rented social housing. Find out how to:
- apply for council housing in England, Scotland and Wales
- apply for social rented housing in Northern Ireland
The Veterans’ Nomination Scheme
The Veterans’ Nomination Scheme has been set up to help veterans find rented social housing. It’s aimed at:
- single people and couples without children, who would not normally be able to get rented social housing, and
- service leavers who are making the transition to civilian life
Find out more about the Veterans’ Nomination Scheme.
You cannot self-refer to this scheme. You must be referred by a third party, such as your local council or a charity. The Veterans Welfare Service or Defence Transition Services may refer you to this scheme if it’s appropriate for you.
The scheme is run by the organisation Stoll, which helps veterans find suitable affordable accommodation.
Low-cost home ownership schemes
There are a number of government schemes available to help people buy their own home. These are available to anyone who meets the qualifying criteria.
Find out more about:
- low-cost home ownership in England
- low-cost home ownership in Wales
- low-cost home ownership in Scotland
- low-cost home ownership in Northern Ireland
Finding veteran-specific housing
Most veteran-specific housing is focused on veterans with additional needs beyond housing, such as care needs.
If you have additional care needs, you may wish to consider finding a care home or managed accommodation as a veteran.
A limited amount of general housing for veterans does exist, based on need and eligibility.
Haig Housing is a housing provider for ex-service personnel, with over 1,500 properties in over 50 locations across the UK.
Find more organisations
To search and filter support organisations by topic and location, visit the GOV.UK directory for veteran support.
If you’re at risk of homelessness, find out about getting homelessness support as a veteran.
If you’re in the process of leaving the armed forces
If you’re still in the process of leaving the armed forces, Defence Transition Services (DTS) may be able to help.
DTS is part of the Ministry of Defence and can provide advice on:
- housing queries
- the MoD Referral Scheme
The run regular online civilian housing briefings, which are open to all service personnel.
For more information, or to book a place on a briefing, you can find out about getting help to find a civilian home when leaving the armed forces.
You can contact DTS by email at: DBSVets-DTS[email protected]
The following support is available for those in service who are transitioning to civilian life:
Surplus service family accommodation
You may be allocated surplus service family accommodation if you’ve recently retired or been made redundant from service. You can live in service family accommodation at market rates for a maximum of 12 months. This is to assist you with the transition to civilian life while you’re looking for a home.
Find out more about service family accommodation.
Forces Help to Buy
The Forces Help to Buy scheme enables you to borrow up to 50% of your salary, up to a maximum of £25,000 interest-free, towards the purchase of a property. You must be a full-time regular and have completed at least 12 months’ service and phase one training.
Find out more about the Forces Help to Buy scheme.
Discounts on new builds for serving personnel
Some house builders offer discounts to service personnel for new-build properties. Ask the house builder if any discount is available.
Adaptations to private accommodation
If you’ve been injured while serving in the armed forces and are in the process of transition out of service, adaptations may be provided to your home. You may also be relocated to another property more suitable for your needs. Speak to your support staff.
The full policy can been seen in the tri-service accommodation regulations (Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 3, Annex C).
Getting independent financial advice
If you’re considering purchasing a property, you may wish to contact the Services Insurance and Investment Advisory Panel (SIIAP). SIIAP members are insurance and independent financial advisers who specialise in providing services to members of the armed forces community.