Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 28
28
Acknowledged
Mishandling Modernised Accommodation Offer caused personnel grievance, impacting morale and retention.
Conclusion
By mishandling the implementation of the Modernised Accommodation Offer (MAO), the MOD has created a situation in which groups of service personnel are now more likely to feel aggrieved, whatever form the scheme takes. With a limited supply of housing, some personnel will inevitably lose out. It is vital that the Government manages the morale and retention consequences. (Conclusion, Paragraph 136)
Government Response Summary
The MOD agrees, noting that bringing the SFA estate back into ownership offers new opportunities but will take time. It commits to supporting personnel, has undertaken further modelling, and aims to mitigate negative impacts while pursuing wider SFA entitlement.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The MOD agrees with the conclusion at 28. Bringing the SFA estate back into MOD ownership presents new opportunities to develop an estate that reflects the wants and needs of our people into the future, but this will take time. In all cases, the Department will support our people to find accommodation that meets their family’s needs. Further modelling has been undertaken to ensure we can make best use of the current estate to give as many families as possible what they want. In wider society, there is a growing expectation that couples will be able to live together before or outside of marriage and civil partnership. We remain confident that widening entitlement to SFA remains the right thing to do, benefitting thousands of our people and improving morale and retention for the armed forces as a whole. However, we also recognise that we must do what we reasonably can to mitigate any negative impacts on individual families.