Stirling University is leading a project exploring the environment around veterans housing issues on behalf of Forces In Mind Trust. Initial findings indicate housing transitions are generally smoother than in the past and personnel better prepared, with improving collaboration. Some of the risks and challenges include longer term housing issues and a risk that some improvements we have seen in recent years could still be lost, for example due to Covid and economic factors.
Dr Steve Rolfe, Research Fellow in Housing Studies, University of Stirling, said: “It’s better, but it’s not fixed. There is evidence that service personnel are being picked up by the system, with very few people presenting as homeless on leaving the service. We see issues that develop later and concerns remain around support for people leaving who are experiencing mental ill health and those who are discharged in more complex circumstances.
“We have seen better support where transition is into social housing and the PRS, with charitable support for white goods, etc. However, the complexity of the housing system remains challenging, along with immigration status for foreign and commonwealth personnel. The improvements we have seen in recent years are impressive because they have been rolled out with the background of austerity. However, the future remains uncertain due to continuing pressures from the various factors we all know about.”
The research including a series of recommendations will be published in November on the Forces in Mind Trust website.