Steve McCabe

This Government is committed to making sure that our veterans and their families have equitable access and opportunity to a full range of career options after leaving military service, and to working with employers to make this vision a reality.

The recently announced Op PROSPER backed by £2.1 million in government funding will work closely with employers and industry bodies to establish new clear and accessible routes for veterans and their families into employment which makes the most of their skills and capabilities, in key industries at the forefront of innovation and economic growth.

We have also introduced and continued 12-month National Insurance relief for eligible employers recruiting veterans in their first civilian role after leaving military service, which is of benefit to all businesses and employers across the country.

This work is supported by the OVA-launched Employers Guide to Hiring Veterans which showcases innovation and best practice and the OVA-hosted Veteran Employers’ Group brings together leading employers from across the UK.

This Government is committed to making sure that all veterans have equal opportunities and can access valuable, sustainable careers, including in the Civil Service, after they leave the Armed Forces.

A breakdown of demographics and locations of veterans who apply to Civil Service roles is not held in the format requested.

This Government is committed to making sure that all veterans have equal opportunities and can access valuable, sustainable careers, including in the Civil Service, after they leave the Armed Forces.

A breakdown of demographics and locations of veterans who apply to Civil Service roles is not held in the format requested.

This Government is committed to making sure that all veterans have equal opportunities and can access valuable, sustainable careers, including in the Civil Service, after they leave the Armed Forces.

A breakdown of demographics and locations of veterans who apply to Civil Service roles is not held in the format requested.

The Government launched the £20 million Veterans Capital Housing Fund to ensure the sustainable supply of veteran housing through the refurbishment of affordable rental accommodation and the delivery of new build projects for veterans.

The Fund is a three-year programme with multiple awards planned over that period. Grants supported to date are located in North East England; South East England; and Wales. More details on these grants can be found at https://covenantfund.org.uk/veterans-capital-housing-fund-refurbishment.

The information is not held in the format requested.

This Government has successfully reduced inflation by more than half, which will make the cost of living more affordable for veterans along with every other resident in the UK.

Veterans’ employment is at an all-time high, with 89% of those leaving service finding employment within six months, but we're determined to go further. The recently launched OP PROSPER backed by £2.1million in government funding will support veterans and their families into valuable, fulfilling employment in roles which fully utilise their skills and capabilities, based in sectors at the forefront of innovation and economic growth.

This government also introduced, and continued for at least one further year at the Autumn statement, 12-month National Insurance relief to eligible employers recruiting veterans in their first civilian role after service.

My officials continue to drive forward efforts to ensure that veterans and their families are fully aware of the benefits and support available to them, including in relation to easing the Cost of Living.

This Government is committed to making the United Kingdom the best place in the world to be a veteran. This includes making sure all veterans have equity of opportunity and access to valuable, sustainable careers after they leave military service.

Veterans’ employment in the UK is at an all-time high, at 89% within six months of leaving service for those who engage with the available support. Previously, this was at 88% in 2021/22, and 86% in 2018/19.

Op PROSPER, the first-of-its kind initiative backed by £2.1 million of government funding, will further support our veterans into valuable, fulfilling roles which make full use of their capabilities, in sectors at the forefront of the UK’s innovation and economic growth.

The Veterans Strategy Action Plan sets out over sixty commitments from across government to deliver on the vision and principles of our 2018 Strategy for our veterans, including on housing.

The Government is committed to providing high priority access for social housing and temporary accommodation. To improve access to social housing, we changed the law so that veterans with urgent housing needs are always given ‘additional preference’ (high priority) for social housing, and that those who left the forces within the preceding 5 years cannot be disqualified from social housing because of a local connection or residency requirement.

We have also published dedicated statutory social housing allocations guidance which sets out how local authorities can support veterans and their families to access social housing.

To ensure the sustainable supply of social housing, the £20 million Veteran Capital Housing Fund continues to award grants to fund the refurbishment of existing, affordable and social rental properties, as well as the development and delivery of new build projects.

This Government is investing record amounts to support our veterans and their families.

The Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan totals more than £70 million from across government, with an injection of a further £33 million in the Spring Budget 2023, topped up by a further £10 million in the Chancellor's Autumn statement. As of 22 April 2024, 58 people work in the Office for Veterans’ Affairs.

This Government has successfully reduced inflation by more than half, which will make the cost of living more affordable for veterans along with every other resident in the UK. We’re also getting support directly to those who need it, with the £104 billion Cost of Living package worth an average £3,800 per household.

Veterans’ employment is at an all-time high, with 89% of those leaving service finding employment within six months, but we're determined to go further. That is why we recently launched OP PROSPER, our dedicated employment pathway for veterans, alongside introducing a 12-month National Insurance relief to eligible employers recruiting veterans in their first civilian role after service.

The Office for Veterans' Affairs has conducted extensive research with veterans and charities to understand the current service provided by the Veterans' Gateway. Based on the feedback received, we plan to improve information and content on GOV.UK as well as developing a new comprehensive signposting tool, ensuring veterans receive the right help as quickly as possible.

We plan to regularly assess, iterate and improve the services we provide to veterans to ensure that they meet individual needs and align with the principles in the Government Service Standard.

The Office for Veterans' Affairs works with partners across and beyond government to monitor the effectiveness and impact of the commitments outlined in the Veterans' Strategy Action Plan.

Since the publication of the Action Plan in 2022, the Government has published four updates on progress; two six monthly reports in August 2022 and August 2023, and two updates within the Armed Forces Covenant and Veterans Annual Report laid before parliament in December 2022 and December 2023.

The most recent report highlighted notable achievements against the Action Plan and 2018 Strategy for our Veterans, outlining where commitments have been delivered and where more work is needed to deliver on our government’s ambition to make the UK the best place to be a veteran. The Office for Veterans' Affairs engages with its partners regularly to ensure the commitments in the action plan are delivered, with updates on progress provided to the Veterans Advisory Board and departments across government.

The Office for Veterans’ Affairs’ definition of homelessness is in line with the Government’s definition of homelessness. Statutory homelessness is defined as households or individuals who are owed a homelessness duty by a local authority.

This Government is committed to supporting all veterans with securing appropriate accommodation.

In 2023, we launched Op FORTITUDE, the dedicated referral scheme for veterans facing homelessness and rough sleeping, which is part of a broader £8.55 million of funding for specialist help and wrap-around support for veterans in more than 900 supported housing units.

This is in addition to establishing the Veteran Capital Housing Fund, which is dedicating £20 million over three years to fund the refurbishment of existing affordable and social rental properties and the development and delivery of new build projects.

Through these programmes, the Government is not only supporting the sustainable supply of veteran housing, but also ensuring that no veteran is forced to sleep rough due to a lack of provision.

This Government is committed to making sure that all veterans have equal opportunities and can access valuable, sustainable careers, including in the Civil Service, after they leave the Armed Forces.

There are a range of Civil Service recruitment initiatives for veterans, offering a fulfilling career in public service which makes the most of the skills and capability they have to offer. Over 1,000 veterans to date have secured a job in the Civil Service through the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative and a further 200 veterans have been recruited through the 'Going Forward Into Employment' initiative.

Whilst a breakdown of demographics of veterans who apply to Civil Service roles is not currently available, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is committed to enhancing the collection, use and analysis of data across the public, private and charitable sectors to build our evidence base to effectively identify and address the needs of veterans

This Government is committed to making sure that all veterans have equal opportunities and can access valuable, sustainable careers, including in the Civil Service, after they leave the Armed Forces.

There are a range of Civil Service recruitment initiatives for veterans, offering a fulfilling career in public service which makes the most of the skills and capability they have to offer. Over 1,000 veterans to date have secured a job in the Civil Service through the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative and a further 200 veterans have been recruited through the 'Going Forward Into Employment' initiative.

Whilst a breakdown of demographics of veterans who apply to Civil Service roles is not currently available, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is committed to enhancing the collection, use and analysis of data across the public, private and charitable sectors to build our evidence base to effectively identify and address the needs of veterans

This Government is committed to making sure that all veterans have equal opportunities and can access valuable, sustainable careers, including in the Civil Service, after they leave the Armed Forces.

There are a range of Civil Service recruitment initiatives for veterans, offering a fulfilling career in public service which makes the most of the skills and capability they have to offer. Over 1,000 veterans to date have secured a job in the Civil Service through the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative and a further 200 veterans have been recruited through the 'Going Forward Into Employment' initiative.

Whilst a breakdown of demographics of veterans who apply to Civil Service roles is not currently available, the Office for Veterans’ Affairs is committed to enhancing the collection, use and analysis of data across the public, private and charitable sectors to build our evidence base to effectively identify and address the needs of veterans

This Government has conducted extensive research with veterans and charities to improve the offer to the veteran community.

As a result of this feedback, we will improve access to guides and information by working with the Ministry of Defence and stakeholders to dramatically improve the information on GOV.UK. This will make content more accessible and easier to understand.

We also plan to improve referrals and signposting so veterans can make a more informed decision about where to go to seek help. This will take account of the offers available from both statutory and charitable providers.

A joint assessment with the Ministry of Defence is also underway to consider offline support, ensuring veterans receive the right help as effectively as possible.

Veterans’ employment is at an all-time high, with 89% of those leaving service finding employment within six months.

This Government's £700,000 Veterans’ Career Development Fund aims to build on that, increasing the provision and enhancing access to qualifications, training and skills development for veterans and their families across the UK.

The grant seeks to support veterans of all backgrounds, and encourages applications in particular from groups and organisations which seek to engage with and support minority groups and individuals within the overall veteran population, including those of ethnic minority backgrounds.

The fund closed for applications from organisations in January this year, with successful applicants due to be notified later this month. Activity and delivery of the projects will then commence after that point

Regular updates on a range of veteran specific initiatives, including Going Forward into Employment, are published as part of the Veterans’ Strategy Action Plan 6 monthly report and in the Armed Forces Covenant and Veterans Annual Report.

The latest updates report that over 200 veterans have been employed in the Civil Service through Going Forward into Employment, and over 1,000 Civil Service jobs secured through the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

This is matched by the all-time high of veterans’ employment in the UK, with 89% employed within six months of leaving service when engaging with available support.

There are a range of Civil Service recruitment initiatives for veterans, offering a fulfilling career in public service which makes the most of the skills and capability they have to offer.

Over 1,000 veterans to date have secured a job in the Civil Service through the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative and a further 200 veterans have been recruited through the 'Going Forward Into Employment' initiative.

The Civil Service has career opportunities for veterans from all walks of life, backgrounds, identities and geographic locations throughout the UK.

There are a range of Civil Service recruitment initiatives for veterans, offering a fulfilling career in public service which makes the most of the skills and capability they have to offer.

Over 1,000 veterans to date have secured a job in the Civil Service through the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative and a further 200 veterans have been recruited through the 'Going Forward Into Employment' initiative.

The Civil Service has career opportunities for veterans from all walks of life, backgrounds, identities and geographic locations throughout the UK.

The Government remains committed to ensuring that our welfare services for veterans are fit for purpose. This is why the response to the Welfare Services Review was published on 11 December 2023, and included commitments on taking forward the intentions of the recommendations.

Work is already underway in both the Office for Veterans’ Affairs and Ministry of Defence, and with stakeholders to implement changes. These include the retirement of the Veterans UK brand and improvements to the Veterans’ Gateway.

This Government understands that recruiting veterans is one of the most effective business decisions that any employer can make, and is committed to ensuring that all veterans have equity of opportunity and access into sustainable employment, including in the Civil Service, after they leave the Armed Forces.

The Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative provides an enhanced opportunity for all veterans, whatever their accessibility requirements, to secure employment and pursue a career in the Civil Service. It enables those who meet the minimum requirements to proceed to the next stage of the application process, which is usually an interview.

The Government has also introduced a range of measures to support veterans and members of the Armed Forces community in the workplace, including the Service Leavers’ Adjustment Passport. The passport enables veterans to have empowered, and where appropriate, confidential conversations with current or future prospective employers, including the Civil Service, to communicate any reasonable adjustments or any other support requirements they may require or benefit from.

The Office for Veterans’ Affairs, alongside partners across and beyond government, continue to monitor the progress of delivery against commitments in the 2022-2024 Strategy Action Plan, and regularly publish updates on progress. The most recent update was provided in the Armed Forces Covenant and Veterans Annual Report laid in Parliament in December 2023. Additionally, the Veterans Advisory Board receives verbal updates on progress made to delivering the Strategy and Action Plan at regular intervals.

Recruiting veterans is one of the most effective business decisions that any employer can make. The Civil Service recognises this, and has in place a range of dedicated recruitment initiatives for veterans in order to make the most of their skills and capabilities, and provide the opportunity of a fulfilling career in public service.

The Great Place to Work for Veterans programme is one of a number of veterans’ recruitment initiatives being delivered across the Civil Service.

Over 1,000 veterans to date have secured a job in the Civil Service through the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative and a further 200 veterans have been recruited through the 'Going Forward Into Employment' initiative.

The Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative enables veterans who meet the minimum criteria to progress to the next stage of the application process, which is usually an interview.

This Government is committed to ensuring that our welfare services for veterans are fit for the future. That is why in March last year, my right hon. friend the Minister for Defence People, and Families and I jointly commissioned an Independent Review of UK Government Welfare Services for Veterans, which I was pleased was published in full in July 2023.

The Government's response, which was published in December 2023, accepts the principle and intended outcome of all of the review's recommendations.

There are a range of Civil Service recruitment initiatives for veterans, offering a fulfilling career in public service which makes the most of the skills and capability they have to offer.

Over 1,000 veterans to date have secured a job in the Civil Service through the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative and a further 200 veterans have been recruited through the 'Going Forward Into Employment' initiative.

The Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative enables veterans who meet the minimum criteria to progress to the next stage of the application process, which is usually an interview.

The Government remains committed to ending the systemic use of hotels, and we do not plan to open new hotels to meet the increased demand from new arrivals from Afghanistan.

The information requested on hotel contracts is not publicly available; however, a small number of hotels with existing contracts have been extended for a limited time period to help accommodate Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme arrivals who have yet to be matched to settled housing solutions in the United Kingdom.

Through Op FORTITUDE, the single referral pathway for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness, this Government ensured that no veteran was forced to sleep rough over Christmas due to a lack of available provision, supporting over 450 veterans into housing to date.

The Office for Veterans’ Affairs uses a number of data sources to monitor the levels of rough sleeping amongst veterans. This includes a number of data sources collected by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Combined Homelessness Information Network (CHAIN) data as well as relevant evidence bases including those collected by the Devolved Administrations.

Through Op FORTITUDE, the single referral pathway for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness, this Government ensured that no veteran was forced to sleep rough over Christmas due to a lack of available provision, supporting over 450 veterans into housing to date.

The Office for Veterans’ Affairs uses a number of data sources to monitor the levels of rough sleeping amongst veterans. This includes a number of data sources collected by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Combined Homelessness Information Network (CHAIN) data as well as relevant evidence bases including those collected by the Devolved Administrations.

Sustainable, gainful employment is one of the most significant ways to enhance life outcomes for veterans and their families.

Over 1,000 veterans to date have secured a job in the Civil Service through the ‘Great Place to Work for Veterans’ initiative and a further 200 veterans have been recruited through the 'Going Forward Into Employment' initiative. Both figures are based on data sent from Government Departments to the Office for Veterans' Affairs.

The Ministry of Defence and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs work collaboratively together to deliver for veterans, as demonstrated by the recent publication of the Government’s response to both the Independent Review of UK Government Welfare Services for Veterans and LGBT Veterans Independent Review.

My officials and I continue to meet regularly with the Ministry of Defence to deliver shared priorities, including ramping up delivery of Veterans Cards to ex-service personnel across the country.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave the Hon. Member for Islwyn on 28 October 2022 to Questions 71037 and 71036.

The Government understands the huge significance of weddings. We recognise that because weddings have not been able to take place in recent months this has caused difficulty and distress for many people. As set out in the Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy, published in May, the Government has been examining how to enable people to gather in slightly larger groups better to facilitate small weddings. We have worked closely with faith leaders and local government on how best to achieve this. The Prime Minister announced on 23 June that wedding and civil partnership ceremonies will be able to take place in England from 4 July. People should avoid having a large ceremony, and should invite no more than thirty family and friends. Venues should ensure they are COVID-19 secure.