Service family homes across the UK are being upgraded as part of improvement works to rapidly raise the standards of military accommodation. DIO is on track to deliver on our commitment to carry out targeted renovations to 1,000 homes before the end of 2025.
Over 100 of the properties selected for rapid upgrade works are in Wales, 50 are in Scotland and over 150 are in Northern Ireland, with immediate priority being given to homes most in need.
Refurbishment works will vary from site-to-site but will focus on fixing unreliable boilers and heating systems, repairing leaky roofs, eliminating damp and mould, and upgrading electrics and plumbing.
These upgrades form part of the delivery to commitments made in the SFA Consumer Charter earlier this year. This is only the beginning of a decade long improvement in military accommodation that has been promised in the recently published Defence Housing Strategy. With over £9bn worth of investment in the next ten years, more than 40,000 service family homes will be modernised, refurbished or rebuilt.
One area that has already benefited from these works is Bassingbourn Barracks, where almost half of their homes were selected for upgrades including new heating systems and solar panels to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy bills.
Captain Simon Martin, Unit Welfare Officer to the Mission Ready Training Centre at Bassingbourn Barracks, said:
“We’re delighted to see this investment being made to improve accommodation for families at Bassingbourn. This initiative marks a turning point for the site and will provide high quality, energy-efficient homes for our Service families. Service personnel and their families sacrifice a great deal to keep the UK safe, and they deserve good quality accommodation. This project reflects a commitment to ensuring Service families have modern, comfortable and sustainable living spaces. The upgrades will not only improve quality of life but also reduce energy bills supporting both affordability and environmental responsibility.”