Housing

We support over 500,000 members of the Armed Forces community in Scotland.

This community is made up of both veterans and those who currently serve. It includes men and women from the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, both regular and reserve. It also covers members of the Merchant Navy who have served in a commercial vessel in support of UK military operations. And finally, it is important to note, it includes their families as well.

The service and sacrifices made by the Armed Forces community can create unique challenges and difficulties.

These difficulties often require a different type of support than those readily available to the civilian population. In recognition of this, we provide a wide range of practical support designed specifically to meet those challenges, enabling men and women in our Armed Forces community to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.

Our support starts after one day of service and continues through life, long after service is over.
We hope the information below helps to answer any questions but, if for any reason you’re unsure about whether you're eligible for support, please give us a call on 0131 550 1557.

Who is eligible?

If you live in Scotland, we’re dedicated to supporting not only serving and ex-serving personnel but the whole of the Armed Forces community, including family members. This includes:

- Serving personnel, or those who have previously served, who have received one day of pay and were aged 16 or over at the time of service
- Reserve or Auxiliary personnel, or those who have previously served
- Those who have served with the Mercantile Marine afloat in hostile waters
- Current or previous full-time members of Allied Civil Police Forces

Housing...

One of the most difficult challenges faced by members of our Armed Forces community can be finding, keeping and staying in their own home.

As well as directly funding home improvements and adaptations, much of the money we raise goes to support housing for veterans and their families, provided by specialist housing organisations.

Without a home, it can be hard to get your life back on track. So, whatever your housing problems, we are here to help.

Need help with housing?

Call us at 0131 550 1557 or to email info@britishlegion.org.uk.

In need of disabled-friendly or accessible accommodation?

Finding suitable housing is a challenge for anyone leaving the Armed Forces — but for those with a disability, it can present even greater challenges. Military Matters gives disabled Service leavers and veterans expert help in finding the right home. For more information, contact Housing Options Scotland on 0131 510 1567 or visit them online at https://housingoptionsscotland.org.uk/services/#military.

Financial support to housing organisations

Over the past 3 years we have supported the work of housing organisations such as Scottish Veterans’ Garden City Association, Scottish Veterans Residences and Housing Options Scotland.

In October 2019, in conjunction with the Veterans Scotland Housing Group, we published a housing guide aimed at frontline staff working in local authorities and housing associations to support veterans with housing related matters. The guide aims to highlight common problems faced by the Armed Forces community while outlining the existing responsibilities of Government and housing authorities.

Our guide provides a toolkit of practical advice on how to improve services, and shows good practice from across Scotland as a source of inspiration. The guide acts as a quick reference resource for frontline professionals providing housing and homelessness services.

To view the Poppyscotland Housing guide, please seehttps://www.poppyscotland.org.uk/get-help/housing.