Leaving the Armed Forces

If you are leaving the armed forces or have previously served there are a range of issues you will need to consider.

The Army Welfare Service and the MOD commissioned Career Transition Partnership will help you through the discharge process and can help you with issues such as registering with a local GP, finding appropriate schools for your children and with wider wellbeing needs.

One of the most critical issues to consider is housing. Wiltshire Council offer a housing options and advice service and if you have received your discharge notice it is important you make contact with them as soon as possible so that you can consider your options. If you left the armed forces some time ago the housing options and advice service are also able to help with any housing issues that you face.

Housing advice

Wiltshire Council provides housing advice to people in housing need and homeless persons and works with Army Welfare Officers to share information and advice. If you have a housing need and are seeking re-housing, or believe yourself threatened with homelessness, please make contact with Wiltshire Council on 0300 456 0106 or by email at homeless@wiltshire.gov.uk  (opens new window). A Housing Caseworker will speak with you about your housing situation.  If you are threatened with homelessness, and prefer to have a face-to-face interview, this can be arranged on a weekday at one of the council's hubs at County Hall, Trowbridge; The Council Offices, Monkton Park, Chippenham or The Council House, Bourne Hill, Salisbury.

Under the Government's 'Strategy for Our Veterans', housing advice is also available from the Defence Transition Service (DTS). For information, please see GOV.UK: Guidance - Information and guidance on civilian housing - Service family accommodation (SFA) (opens new window).

Under the Government's 'Strategy for Our Veterans', housing advice is available from the Defence Transition Service (DTS). The DTS offers briefings to help inform and guide service personnel and their families about the civilian housing choices available to them and the need to plan ahead for leaving the armed forces. Briefings are open to all service personnel and their families at any stage of their service career. The briefings are designed to give you the information to help you make informed choices on your civilian housing and cover the following areas:

• house purchase (including Forces Help to Buy), private rental
• independent financial advice (provided by the Service Insurance and Investment Advisory Panel members), social housing
• affordable home ownership schemes

For further information, please see GOV.UK: Guidance - Information and guidance on civilian housing - Service family accommodation (SFA) (opens new window).

The Covenant itself does not set out specific requirements for councils to follow when dealing with housing issues for HM Forces personnel, but it does ask that;

• Publicly provided accommodation should be of good quality, affordable and suitably located
• Priority should be given for government sponsored affordable housing schemes for a period following discharge
• Those injured in service should have preferential access to appropriate housing schemes and access to adaptations as required
• Members of the Armed Forces Community should have the same access to social housing and other housing schemes as any other citizen and not be disadvantaged by their requirement for mobility whilst in service. These requirements are a part of the housing allocation policy and advice services in Wiltshire

Armed Forces Covenant

If you are a former member of HM Forces and are experiencing homelessness, or are threatened with homelessness, it is important that you seek advice from the Housing Options Team urgently as their role is to prevent homelessness.

The team will assess whether the Council has a statutory duty to provide you with accommodation by considering whether you are;

• eligible for assistance
• homeless or threatened with homelessness
• in priority need
• unintentionally homeless

Part of the assessment of your circumstances will be to consider your service in the Armed Forces and whether this is relevant to your circumstances now. For example, when considering whether you are in priority need, the officer will consider whether you are 'vulnerable' as a result of time spent in service. Each case is considered on its own merits in this respect.

If the team find that a statutory duty is owed to you as a result of your circumstances, you will be made an offer of emergency accommodation. This may be one of the following;

• Hostel
• Private sector lease property

Homelessness

You may also be offered the Rent Deposit Scheme (Wilts Let) to assist you to secure private rented accommodation, or invited to make an application for Supported Housing through the housing options team. The Council does not have to provide social housing to fulfil a housing duty to you and can do so through finding you a private rented property that meets your needs.

If the team make the decision that there is no statutory duty, you will be issued with a decision letter setting out very clearly why they have reached this decision. This letter will also set out the process of appealing this decision. In this situation it is advisable to seek advice from organisations such as Shelter or Citizens Advice Bureau, or from a solicitor.

Advice and assistance will be given to enable you to secure accommodation for yourself, along with other useful information including local housing allowance rates and advice on what to look for and consider when choosing private rented options.

WiltsLet - Find a Tenant

Rough Sleepers

The Council's rough sleeper outreach help is provided by Wiltshire Council and other providers. They will attempt to engage with you if you are sleeping rough and will connect you to services and assistance where possible - many of which are specific for veterans. There are also a number of drop-in centres across Wiltshire that are run by others which include:-

Rough Sleeping?

Career Transition Partnership (CTP)

The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is a partnership between the Ministry of Defence and Right Management Ltd, who are global career development and outplacement specialists and part of the Manpower Group.

The CTP provides resettlement services for those leaving the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Marines. Regardless of time served, all members of the Armed Forces can benefit from CTP support when leaving Service.

CTP offer guides covering every aspect of the return to civilian life, including on Health and Education and the importance of registering with a GP.

Visit:https://www.ctp.org.uk/ (opens new window)

There is also a full service leavers guide recently published by the Ministry of Defence: https://www.gov.uk/topic/defence-armed-forces/support-services-military-defence-personnel-families (opens new window)

Veteran's Gateway

The recently launched Veterans' Gateway provides a single point of contact for veterans seeking advice and support. It can signpost you to other appropriate and specialist services. You can get in contact via https://www.veteransgateway.org.uk/ (opens new window) or 0808 802 1212.

Some of the most prominent service providers include

Combat Stress

Combat Stress provide support for those who have served their country and are experiencing mental health problems.

Within Wiltshire, Combat Stress work closely with Turning Point to support Veterans who have mental ill-health and also require help to deal with substance misuse and provide a specialist recovery pathway for Veterans experiencing substance misuse who may also have mental health problems.

You can get in contact directly 24-hour helpline: 0800 138 1619 Text: 07537 404 719 standard charges may apply for texts Email: helpline@combatstress.org.uk (opens new window).

Help for Heroes

Help for Heroes supports those with injuries and illnesses sustained while serving in the British Armed Forces. No matter when someone served, they give them the support they need to lead active, independent and fulfilling lives. Their specialist team focuses on the five key areas of an individual's life: medical, mind, body, spirit and family. They provide support to the whole family to help them all cope with the challenges they face. Long-term recovery is more than repairing damaged bodies and minds; it's about rebuilding lives.

Tedworth House is based in Tidworth, Wiltshire - you can get in touch on 01980 844200 or getsupport@helpforheroes.org.uk (opens new window).

Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association (SSAFA)

Specialise in casework and identifying the need of veterans, serving military personnel and their families. They ensure they are claiming the benefits they are entitled to and then bring these together to get them back on their feet. They specialise in gaining funding from other Service, employment and niche charities for their clients.

Tel: 0800 731 4880

Army Families Federation (AFF)

AFF communicates, questions and influences policy at all levels, to improve the lives of the serving and resettling British Armed Forces community across the world. They offer support, information and guidance to individuals and Army communities on issues that impact on the quality of their lives. To get in contact, visit: https://aff.org.uk/ (opens new window) or call 01264 382326

Royal British Legion (RBL)

One of the many things the RBL provide is a Benefits, debt and money advice service for those who have served their country; as well as small grants and care homes for ex-service people. To get in contact, visit https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/ (opens new window) or call 0808 802 8080.

Drug and Addiction Support

If you are struggling with alcohol or drug addiction Turning Point (opens new window) are experts in delivering innovative integrated care in communities, and work closely with other veterans' charities and agencies such as Combat Stress where appropriate.

Wiltshire Turning Point, Chippenham and Salisbury Tel: 07885 406308
Wiltshire Turning Point, Trowbridge and Salisbury Tel: 07545 915225.