From service to support: Govt unveils £50m strategy to transform veteran network

More than 1.8 million veterans across the UK are set to benefit from a new network of local support centres, unveiled as part of the government's Op Valour initiative.

The new centres will offer veterans a single contact point for support needs, and will help improve access to support services such as health, housing and employment, and may extend to finance, wellbeing, welfare and integration into society. 

The Ministry of Defence said £27m in funding has been released for local bids, which forms part of the £50m Valour programme that was announced in May.

• Rent, food bank vouchers and therapy: How a military charity helped veteran back on his feet
• We celebrate your service: PM calls veterans a national asset ahead of Armistice Day
• Thousands of Armed Forces veterans to benefit from new UK-wide support network

Supporting our veterans 

The local centres will fundamentally transform how assistance is provided, and will link to a new Valour headquarters within the MOD – with regional centres and field officers working in communities.  

Announcing the strategy today, Veterans and People Minister Louise Sandher-Jones said: "Organisations can bid for the first tranche of this funding to become part of a network of support centres across the country for our heroes – ensuring easier access to the assistance they need, when and where they need it. 

"This strategy has been informed by those who it seeks to benefit – veterans – and we remain committed to stand by those who have stood by us."  

The announcement comes after the government announced a commitment to support Second World War veterans to travel to overseas commemorative events and expanded the eligibility for the Nuclear Test Medal, allowing more British veterans who contributed to the US atmospheric nuclear test programme to receive metallic recognition. 

Defence Secretary John Healey said: "The first duty of government is to keep our country safe, and that is only possible through the extraordinary men and women in our Armed Forces. 

"Our nation owes a duty to those who have served, and this new strategy recognises veterans as one of our greatest assets."

Mr Healey said the announcement will boost support for veterans across the UK, from better healthcare to housing and jobs.

"Our message to veterans and the Armed Forces community is simple: we are on your side," he added.

The strategy, the first of its kind in seven years, was developed alongside the Strategic Defence Review and the Armed Forces Covenant.

On top of the £50m Valour fund, the Government is also committing an additional £12m to vital homelessness services through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme.

Op Fortitude – a referral system put in place to help ex-service personnel find housing support – will also be extended, putting the service that has already housed more than 1,000 veterans on a sustainable footing.

The government has said the first Valour-recognised support centres are expected to open in spring 2026, with further sites to follow across the UK.