Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the number of military veterans in emergency accommodation.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold this information. Emergency accommodation is provided by local authorities and charitable organisations, working with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

Tackling homelessness and rough sleeping is a key priority for this Government. The MOD works closely with DCLG to honour the commitments made by the Armed Forces Covenant to ensure fair treatment of Service families in need of social housing and ensure they are given proper priority on housing waiting lists.

In 2014, LIBOR funding was used to launch the £40 million Veterans Accommodation Fund (VAF). The most recently announced VAF project was £8.5 million to the Aldershot Accommodation Pathway, which caters for veterans making the transition from hostel accommodation to independent living. Approximately 275 vulnerable, injured or sick ex-Service personnel from across the country will benefit.

The MOD provides extensive help to minimise the risk of military personnel becoming homeless on leaving the Armed Forces through the provision of targeted housing advice during resettlement and the Forces Help to Buy Scheme.

As an indication of the current position, according to the latest figures, 5% of people sleeping rough in London once served in the UK Armed Forces, whereas around one in ten of the UK adult population is a veteran.