Recommendation 25

The condition of the Department’s estate is set to continue to decline despite an additional £500m to be spent on ‘preventative’ maintenance until March 2025.55 Service accommodation remains in a very bad way which risks harming recruitment and retention of personnel with key skills. The Department told us it recognised the need for investment in the estate and that it was a priority. It said that the imminent accommodation strategy would include a clear articulation of standards for service personnel and families.56 55 NAO report, paragraph 2.33 56 Q16, Q24 Ministry of Defence Equipment Plan 2021–31 15 3 Financial capability and Departmental culture