Guidance

Modernised Accommodation Offer (Previously New Accommodation Offer)Offer

Starting from March 2024, the MOD will begin introducing a new accommodation offer for our armed forces.

From:
Ministry of Defence
Published
19 September 2023
Last updated
69 MarchFebruary 2024 — See all updates

Overview

Starting from March 2024, the MOD will begin introducing a modernisednew accommodation offer for our armed forces. Some of the changes will happen immediately, while others may only affect you when you are assigned to a new role or at the end of the three-year transition period.

The planned changes are intended to modernise accommodation entitlements, improve the standard of Single Living Accommodation, supportupdate forthe homeoverseas ownershipaccommodation andoffer updateand, theoverall, overseasgive accommodationour offer.people more of a say in how they live.

What is happening as part of the ModernisedNew Accommodation Offer

The introduction of the offerNew Accommodation Offer will lead to the following changes:

Support
  • Needs-based allocation: The starting point for weeklyallocation commuters

Waiversof family accommodation will be the size of Singlethe Livingfamily, Accommodationnot chargesrank, and Service personnel who have registered their relationship as an established long-term relationship will be extendedentitled soto thataccommodation allon personnelthe same basis as those who are married or in a civil partnership. If you have children whose main home is elsewhere but they visit you for more than 80 nights a Privatelyyear, Maintainedthey Propertywill now count towards your accommodation entitlement. Even if you do not have a partner or retainedchildren, Serviceyou Familywill Accommodationbe (SFA)able to apply for family accommodation.

  • Increased choice of family accommodation: There will receivebe more flexibility to choose what type of home you want for yourself and your family, including going above or below your entitlement. This flexibility means that most personnel who previously had a waiver,rank-based entitlement will still be able to choose the same type of home as before, subject to availability. If they cannot, they will be offered ‘transitional protection’ to a similar-sized property as before until the end of the three-year transition period.
  • Transitional protection: If personnel experience a reduction in accordancetheir withentitlement as a result of the new offer, they will be eligible to ‘transitional protection’. This will give them access to a similar sized property to what they are current singleentitled Serviceto rulesfor irrespectivea three-year transition period after the launch of rank,the agenew offer on the 11 March 2024.
  • Using the Private Rental Sector: Widening entitlement for family accommodation means we will reduce the number of empty Service Family Accommodation properties the MOD holds, but demand for family accommodation is likely to exceed the available Service Family Accommodation at some locations. In the long term decisions will be made about whether to build more Service Family Accommodation but, for now, where Service Family Accommodation is near capacity, you may be given the choice, or maritaleven status.asked, to use the local private rental sector. If you are placed into this route, you will be given guidance and various payments to cover the costs associated with renting and a contribution towards your monthly rent, adjusted for local housing costs. For Service personnel thatwho benefitare fromunable theto existingsource their own accommodation, a private rental property may be provided for them.
  • Support for weekly commuters: If you live in Single Living Accommodation waiversbut your main home is elsewhere, you will continuebe eligible to payclaim nothing.

    back the cost of your Single Living Accommodation up to a monthly cap. It does not matter whether you are in a relationship or not, what kind of relationship that is, or your age, only that you are maintaining a primary home elsewhere.

  • New standards in Single Living Accommodation

    : A minimum standard for Single Living Accommodation has been agreed and we haveare beenalready assessing the entire Single Living Accommodation estate to understand where rooms are currently failing to meet this. This iswill nowinform informing where investment is needed.

  • Increased support to buy a home

    : We have already made Forces Help to Buy a permanent part of our accommodation policy and, under the modernisedNew accommodationAccommodation offer,Offer, we will offer further support for Service personnel becoming a first hometime atbuyers athrough new assignment, refunding up to £1,500 of their legal expenses.

  • Improving the overseas accommodation offer

    : While the ModernisedNew Accommodation Offer will begin its roll out in the UK, we are already looking at how to roll out as much of it as possible overseas, beginning with pilots of needs-based accommodation at selected locations. Overseas accommodation policy will also be broken out from UK policy to make it easier to understand and allow it to consider the different realities of living in other countries (such as where air conditioning is more important than loft insulation).

    • Does the New Accommodation Offer apply to you

    Everyone who lives in Service accommodation will eventually be covered by the New Accommodation Offer, but when it starts to apply to you will be linked to when you are next assigned or when your personal circumstance change. The transition period will end after three years, at which point any remaining personnel will be supported to transition to the new offer.

    What do you need to do

    More information on the application process will follow in due course.

    Revised JSP 464

    Tri-service accommodation regulations (TSARs) (JSP 464) are being revised and a new edition will come into effect from 11 March.

    Parts 1 to 8 of JSP 464, ‘Tri-service accommodation regulations’, are available in draft in advance so that Service personnel can plan future accommodation decisions. These regulations will apply in the UK only from 11 Mar 2024; policy for personnel serving overseas will follow in due course.

    Access ‘Draft tri-service accommodation regulations (TSARs) (JSP 464) - March 2024’.

    Contact

    For more information contact: contact: People-Accom-ASC@mod.gov.uk

    Published 19 September 2023
    Last updated 69 MarchFebruary 2024 + show all updates

    1. Webpage updated with new information on the Modernised Accommodation Offer (Previously New Accommodation Offer).

    2. Section 'Revised JSP 464' updated.

    3. Added: new section, 'Revised JSP 464'.

    4. First published.

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