Supporting veterans in Newcastle
Newcastle City Council is working hard to support Armed Forces veterans throughout the city, including to find a safe and stable home.
While most veterans make the transition to civilian life smoothly, some can find themselves without the support networks, employment, or housing they need to build a stable future.
That’s why in 2012, the council signed the Armed Forces Covenant, pledging to support ex-service personnel who need extra help. This includes its service to help veterans struggling with housing to find private rented homes when social housing isn’t available, or doesn’t meet their needs.
In its first year, the Veterans’ Support Scheme, funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority, helped nine veterans living in temporary or insecure accommodation to move into their own home.
The service covers upfront costs like deposits and advance rent payments and offers advice on benefits, tenants’ rights, setting up utilities and sustaining their tenancy long-term.
But the scheme is about more than just finding a place to live. It also helps veterans turn a house into a home with access to good quality, affordable furniture through the Newcastle Furniture Service, giving veterans access to the same service they would receive if they were council tenants.
Newcastle has a long and proud history of supporting our Armed Forces and the Veterans’ Support Scheme is another opportunity for us to thank them for their service to our city.
This scheme has made a huge difference to the lives of the veterans we have been able to support and we have been able to use the funding in a really flexible way to meet the needs of each veteran. Each grant has made a genuine impact on veterans who had been unable to secure a safe and secure home for some time.
The scheme has been easy to set up and administer and has added extra value to our existing offer. I would highly recommend other local authorities adopt a similar scheme.
Councillor Charlie Gray, Armed Forces Champion
