The Ministry of Defence confirmed on 24 December 2025 that upgrades to 1,000 of the worst Service Family Accommodation have been completed ahead of schedule, fulfilling an early Consumer Charter pledge. The programme has been extended, with a further 250 properties to receive priority works in the coming months.
This first delivery phase, known as Raising the Minimum Standards, is focused on urgent fixes and basic modernisation so homes are safe, warm and functional. Initial refurbishments within the wider strategy include new kitchens, bathrooms and heating systems where required.
The upgrades sit within the Defence Housing Strategy, published on 2 November 2025 and backed by £9 billion over ten years. The strategy commits to modernising, refurbishing or rebuilding more than 40,000 military homes as part of a long-term renewal of the defence housing estate, with additional plans to unlock up to 100,000 new homes on surplus MOD land.
The scale of renewal has been enabled by the government’s move to bring 36,347 military homes back into public ownership-an agreement reached on 17 December 2024 and formally completed on 9 January 2025. The buyback ends an annual rental bill of around £230 million and allows larger redevelopment to proceed.
Alongside physical works, the Consumer Charter announced on 18 April 2025 sets service standards for families: a more robust move‑in standard, clearer pre‑move information, and faster repairs with set timelines for urgent issues consistent with Awaab’s Law. The Charter also identified the initial target to tackle the 1,000 worst homes.
Governance and delivery are being restructured through a new Defence Housing Service to manage homes in public hands. The MOD has also signalled additional accommodation investment in this Parliament, while proposing improved allocation policies, interim rental support where supply is constrained, and an urgent review of Single Living Accommodation.
For families, near‑term changes include a named Housing Officer for every household and modernised policies that make it easier to personalise homes within agreed rules. The department says these measures are designed to provide a single point of accountability and clearer expectations at move‑in.
The department reports that the April 2025 Charter commitments remain on course to be in place by 31 December 2025, with monthly surveys of Service personnel showing a rising trend in overall satisfaction. These survey results will be one of the key indicators of whether service standards are holding.
The MOD states that “hundreds more” homes will be upgraded by the spring; given the 24 December 2025 publication date, this implies delivery by spring 2026. Officials also expect nine in ten military homes to be improved over the life of the programme.
For defence households planning moves in early 2026, the practical takeaway is straightforward: expect stricter move‑in checks, faster response to urgent defects, and a direct named contact to resolve issues while longer‑term estate renewal continues under the £9 billion strategy.