"Key milestone": More dogs and other pets to be allowed in Royal Navy, Army and RAF houses among other changes
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Adorable animals will be allowed in military accommodation as obstacles for military personnel are being removed.
New rules being introduced this week will make it easier for troops living in armed forces housing to own pets. They have previously faced bureaucratic challenges, with families having to apply for permission to own a dog, cat, or other animal, in service accommodation.
Under the new changes, they will be allowed to keep up to two dogs, cats, or smaller animals, without needing permission. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said these animals play a “vital role” in family life and mental wellbeing.
Minister for veterans and people, Al Carns, said: “As a dog owner and Royal Marine who served for 24 years, much of it in service accommodation, I’m delighted to be making it easier for our dedicated personnel to own family pets.”
Government pushes for housing reforms
Other changes include military personnel being given more freedom to personalise accommodation. Processes for allowing family members to run businesses from their home will be also be made simpler.
Service accommodation and associated red tape has been considered substandard for a long time, with houses being blighted with damp and mould, and repairs taking far too long to be made. The defence housing strategy, outlining further changes to military accommodation, is due to be published later this year.
These recent changes are part of defence secretary John Healey’s pledge to “stop the rot” and improving accommodation standards. He said: “Our armed forces make extraordinary sacrifices to keep us safe every day.
“But for too long, military families have lived in substandard housing without basic consumer rights. These new measures are a key milestone as we deliver on our consumer charter to stop the rot in military accommodation and ensure our heroes and their loved ones live in houses they can truly call home.”
In April, Mr Healey announced a new “consumer charter” for service accommodation, including more reliable repairs, a named housing officer for every service family and a higher minimum standard for housing. The Government has brought 36,000 military homes back into public ownership in an effort to reduce costs and improve standards.