If you’re leaving the armed services, or you are a former member, you may be entitled
to extra help if you become homeless.
Key advice
・ Check Property Pool allocation scheme
・ Get help with housing or apply as homeless before you’re discharged
Register for housing via https://www.propertypoolplus.org.uk/
Homelessness rights for ex-forces
You may qualify for help from Knowsley Housing Options service if you are a former member of the armed forces and are homeless or threatened with homelessness.
Knowsley Housing Options will help you with both emergency and longer-term accommodation if it is accepted that you are homeless and in priority need with regard to needing accommodation.
Housing Options must consider if it can help you using both general rules that apply to
everyone and special rules that apply to people who were in the forces.
General rules for people in priority need
It can be easier to get help if you qualify under the general rules for people in priority need,
for example if you have dependent children or are pregnant.
The Housing Options Officer will also look to see if you are vulnerable in some way. This may
involve showing how a disability, mental health problem, addiction or other issue effects your
ability to secure housing for yourself compared with other people who are rendered
homeless.
Extra homelessness rules for the armed forces
You should also be treated as being vulnerable and therefore in priority need for
accommodation if you can show that your vulnerability is as a result of being a former
member of the armed forces.
When deciding this, Knowsley Housing Options may consider:
・ How long you were in the forces and what role you had
・ If you spent any time in a military hospital
・ If you were released from service on medical grounds (and have a Medical History
Release Form)
・ If you have had accommodation since leaving service and if you have been able to
Obtain or maintain accommodation since you left
・ how long it has been since you left service
To help support your case, you may need to provide medical evidence from the MOD,
including a Medical History Release Form (if you were given one). It can be hard to establish
that you are vulnerable.
You may need to seek independent legal advice or help from a specialist agency to make
representations on your behalf if this council decides that you do not meet the criteria set out
above, and therefore it does not owe a duty to you to provide you with accommodation.
Applying as homeless before discharge from the forces
Contact Knowsley Housing Options service if you think you will be homeless
after discharge from the services. Knowsley Housing Options will not wait until you are made
homeless before it helps you. 0800 694 0280
Ex-forces and single, homeless and on the streets
Not all single people are eligible for emergency accommodation from Knowsley Council or any other local authority. There is a range of services for people who find themselves homeless and on the streets, for example:
・ Day centres are a useful source of practical support – they provide a warm place to
Stay during the day and food, clothing, laundry facilities and showers
・ the Royal British Legion might be able to help with a rent deposit contact www.support.britishlegion.org.uk
・ SSAFA provide housing advice to people currently serving in the forces and ex services
personnel and their families. SSAFA can be contacted through www.ssafa.org.uk
Property Pool Plus Priority Banding
The following categories of applicants will be afforded a priority status.
- Households containing serving or former members of the Armed Forces or Reserve Forces who need to move because of a serious injury, medical condition or disability sustained as a result of their service;
- Bereaved spouses or civil partners of members of the Armed Forces leaving their Services Family Accommodation following the death of their spouse or partner.
- Serving or former members of the Armed Forces and Reserve Forces who do not qualify for Band A, have no medical need and are due to be discharged within 3 months or who have served in the armed forces or reserve forces and been discharged within the past 12 months will qualify for Band B.
Contact us
You can email the team on info@knowsley.gov.uk or If you prefer to speak to an officer at Knowsley Housing options regarding your situation call 0800 694 0280.