Tri-Service

Minister defends Government decision to increase charges for military housing

A minister has defended the decision to increase some charges for military accommodation, insisting that Armed Forces personnel get a "good deal" on housing.

The charges were revealed as the Government announced the majority of military personnel would receive an above-inflation pay rise of 6%.

Some accommodation charges are increasing by up to 6%, but Minister for Veterans and People Al Carns maintains the cost of military housing remains cheaper than on civvy street.

"Everything's got to be balanced... look at the private pay and rental sector and then compare that to what’s provided in the military and the military do get a good deal," Mr Carns, a former Royal Marines colonel, told Forces News.

"The reality is when you align or review accommodation charges in the military with those within the civilian sector, it's still far cheaper to have, either accommodation, whether that's single living accommodation or family accommodation.

"I can speak for my own personal experience of living in families accommodation. That is a good deal."

Mr Carns said over the next six to 12 months, the Government will work "really, really hard" to improve the standard and availability of military housing.

The Government's pay announcement on Monday also included financial changes for submariners, aimed at improving recruitment and retention issues.

The changes include a retention payment of £25,000, payable between eight and 12 years' qualified as a submariner.

"The reality is submariners do one of the hardest jobs in the military. And I think that's reflected within the pay announcements that we've come out with.

"I've always said this, and I joke about it every now and again, I don't know anyone else that would go away for, you know, eight, nine months at a time and the service that they deliver is absolutely commendable.

"I've got the greatest respect for the Submarine Service and I've worked with them in the past."

When asked what he hopes the Armed Forces pay rise will achieve, Mr Carns said: "So, I think, as well, there's a couple of things.

"One, it will make us competitive in a civilian market specifically for those joining too.

"Two, it's a great signal to defence, both those serving and those wanting to serve, that we value highly, from a Government perspective, from a Labour perspective, and that you're front and centre of the public sector pay rise."

The pay increase for the Armed Forces is described as the biggest in 22 years, with Mr Carns calling it a "significant step".

Personnel can check whether the cost of their military housing is going up here.