Modernised homes for military families in Woolwich returning from Cyprus deployment

• Upgrades to housing for Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment returning from Cyprus.
• Defence Secretary and Housing Minister meet families already benefitting.
• Investment is part of an overhaul of UK military properties, which will see 9 in 10 Defence family homes - over 40,000 - modernised or upgraded.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP and local MP and Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook met today with some of the families benefitting from the renewal of Armed Forces housing at Woolwich Barracks in South London.

They toured several freshly refurbished properties where a full suite of upgrades such as new kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, and heating systems had been completed, giving military families homes fit for heroes. The properties they visited are the first of over 120 which are being upgraded ahead of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment returning from deployment in Cyprus.

Backed by £9 billion investment Armed Forces personnel and their families are benefitting from the most significant transformation of UK military housing in more than 50 years, with more than 40,000 service family homes to be modernised, refurbished or rebuilt.

This investment in housing is backed by the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, hitting 2.6% of GDP from April 2027.

The upgrade of military housing follows the publication of the Defence Housing Strategy last year - a ten-year plan to transform Armed Forces accommodation across the nation.

In recent weeks, the Defence Secretary announced that thousands of military homes across Britain - such as those in Woolwich - will be upgraded over the coming year, building on the 1,250 worst-condition properties already brought up to standard.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

Our Armed Forces and their families give so much in service to this country, and when they return from deployment they deserve to come home to a property they can be proud of.

That's exactly what we're delivering here in Woolwich - modern, refurbished homes fit for heroes, backed by our government's record investment. I'm determined that every service family gets the decent home they deserve.

Backed by a record £9 billion investment, this 'generational renewal' of service family homes will see tens of thousands of Armed Forces houses modernised or upgraded, with around 14,000 receiving substantial refurbishment or replacement, ensuring homes fit for our forces and their families.

It follows the Ministry of Defence's landmark deal to bring 36,000 properties back into public ownership, saving taxpayers £600,000 per day.

The renewal of defence housing builds on the government's commitment to renew the contract with those who serve. It follows personnel being awarded the largest pay rise in over 20 years, the appointment of the Armed Forces Commissioner to act as an independent voice for personnel and families, and the scrapping of 100 outdated recruitment policies.

Background

Recently-announced expansion of upgrades to military homes across the country for the coming year: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/good-homes-at-the-heart-of-military-life-mod-to-build-first-new-forces-homes-in-a-decade