Stoll CEO responds to election pledges

11 November 2019

In response to today’s election pledges by the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties, Ed Tytherleigh, Co-Chair of the Cobseo (Confederation of Service Charities) Housing Cluster, says:

“We welcome policies that support those who have served in our Armed Forces and urge all parties to prioritise help for those in most need.

“The majority of veterans make a smooth transition from military to civilian life, but it is still too easy for ex-Service personnel, especially younger veterans and early Service leavers, to end up homeless. In fact, studies suggest that up to 3000 veterans are currently homeless – 3% of the homeless population.

“We know, from our research, that 85% of the British public believes we have a duty to solve veterans’ homelessness. In fact, over three quarters (80%) of those surveyed want to see political parties make specific commitments to reduce it, in their election manifestos.

“We believe we can cut the incidence of homelessness among veterans as close to zero as possible. But this will only happen if we ensure we are effectively identifying veterans and providing a clear housing pathway. That is why we established the No Homeless Veterans campaign and are calling on Local Authorities to identify veterans in housing need and channel them through to appropriate support as quickly as possible.

“We look forward to working with the next government to ensure that every person who has served their country has access to a roof over their head and to end this shameful but avoidable situation.”