Grŵp Arbenigol ar Anghenion Cymuned y Lluoedd Arfog yng Nghymru: 13 Mawrth 2024

• Hannah Blythyn MS, Deputy Minister for Social Partnership

External    

• Shabina Aqil (SA) (v), HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS)
• Vickey Brindley (VB) (v), Navy Families Federation (RN-FF)
• Councillor Lis Burnett (LB) (v), Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
• Tom Hall (TH) (v), BLESMA The Limbless veterans
• Richard Goodman (RG) (v), COBSEO (Confederation of Service Charities)
• David Hammond (DH), Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (RFCA)
• Commander Steve Henaghan (SH), Royal Navy
• Adrian Leslie (AL), The Royal British Legion (RBL)
• Rachel Morgan (RM) (v), WLGA
• Julian North (JN) (v), Help for Heroes (HfH)
• James Phillips (JP), Veterans Commissioner for Wales
• Emma Perrin (EP) (v), Army Families Federation (AFF)
• Vanessa Plumley (VP) (v), RAF Families Federation (RAF-FF)
• Morgan Price (MP) (v), Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA)
• John Shivas (JS), Ministry of Defence (MoD)
• Gareth Thomas (GT) (v), Department for Work and Pensions
• Air Commodore Robert Woods (RW), Air Officer Wales, Royal Air Force
• Colonel Sion Walker (SW), Deputy Commander 160th (Welsh) Brigade

Supporting staff    

• WO1 Robert Govier (RG) (v), Executive Warrant Officer, Naval Forces Wales
• Lieutenant Colonel Will Peltor (v), 160 Brigade
• Major Donna Greaves (v), SO2 G1 Personnel, 160 Brigade

Deep Dive    

• Simon Frith (SF) (v), Alabaré Homes
• Sarah Ferguson, Alabaré Homes
• Steve Townley (ST) (v), AFLO North Wales

AFLO Evaluation 

• Gareth Chapman    

Welsh Government   

• Peter Evans  (PE), Armed Forces Branch
• Karen Faulkner (KF), Policy Manager, Equity in Education
• Ceri Griffiths (CG) (v), Senior Policy Manager, Equity in Education
• Richard Hockey (RH) (v), Mental Health and Vulnerable Groups
• Peter Kellam (PK), Head of Armed Forces Branch
• Beverly Luchman (BL), Head of Homelessness Prevention
• Karin Phillips (KP). Deputy Director, Community Safety Division
• Sarah Rhodes (SR), Deputy Director, Housing Policy

Apologies

• Brigadier Graeme Fraser (represented by Comd Steve Henaghan), Senior Naval Officer Wales
• Neil Kitchener, Veterans NHS Wales
• Darren Millar MS, Chair, Senedd Cross Party Group Armed Forces and Cadets
• Dominic Morgan (represented by David Hammond), RFCA
• Paul Morris, Police Liaison Office
• Vanessa Plumley, RAF Families Federation
• Brigadier Nick Thomas (represented by Colonel Sion Walker), 160 (Wales Brigade)

The DMSP welcomed attendees to the meeting. 

The DMSP welcomed Air Commodore Woods to his first meeting. The DMSP noted that this was Fiona Jenkins’ last meeting, as representative for the Health Champions’ Forum, and thanked her for her contribution to the Group. Fiona Jenkins identified Matt Phillips as her successor Armed Forces Champion within the Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust, and also identified the need for Welsh Government to identify a new NHS Representative to the Expert Group.

Action: Welsh Government Health (RH) to liaise with the Health Champions Forum to identify a successor. (Agenda item for 21 May Forum meeting).

The minutes from the last meeting were agreed and the actions agreed as complete/closed. 

Members noted the update paper without comment. 

Members took part in a deep dive on housing and homelessness. This included short briefings to aid discussion from:

• Sarah Rhodes, Deputy Director Housing Policy, on Welsh Government’s approach to housing and homelessness
• The Armed Forces representatives and Families Federations on how Service People and Families are supported through transition.
• Stephen Townley, Armed Forces Liaison Officer for North Wales, on the role of local authorities.
• Si Frith from Alabare on the challenges of temporary accommodation

The main learning points identified from the discussion were:

Welsh Government approach 

• Ending all forms of homelessness is Welsh Government’s long-term vision, as outlined in the Ending Homelessness Strategy in 2019.
• The pandemic had evidently provided major challenges with a shift in focus to immediate support ‘everybody’s in’. This had put considerable pressure on temporary accommodation which remains to this day.
• Wales has 11,500 people in temporary accommodation, including a significant number of families.
• Welsh Government is also working on the supply side with a commitment to build 20,000 homes for social rent.
• Additional pressures on the system include Ukraine and Afghanistan. The Armed Forces Community is one of many groups identified as having particular needs.
• There has been a recent consultation paper on ending homelessness and the Armed Forces sector contributed to the White Paper.
• With regard to the Armed Forces, under current rules anyone homeless when leaving the forces is classed as in Priority Need. However, there is recognition that for veterans, challenges can occur later in life also. Welsh Government is looking to remove Priority Need in its entirety.
• The White Paper includes a recommendation to exempt veterans, and those who have cohabited with them, from local connection rules, recognising the transient nature of service life. The other relevant recommendation is to update the Wales Armed Forces Housing pathway.
• Welsh Government is now reviewing the consultation responses and updates will follow later in the year.

Service leavers

• The transition process includes housing advice along with broader help to assist those leaving, including employment. This includes Careers Transition Partnership (CTP) support for two years leading up to leaving and two years after.
• Whilst support is provided, which many take up, there remains a cohort who are at risk: those who may not be prepared for the transition to civilian life; or, who do not engage with support, in particular those who leave early.
• An element of personal responsibility is required to access support available. The Defence Transition Service (DTS) provides enhanced support for those identified as vulnerable.
• Affordability of housing remains a challenge for service leavers, particularly those who leave with a lower rank and potentially with short-term discharge.
• Support includes the Forces Help to Buy scheme. One of the challenges for the Scheme is keeping pace with the increasing costs of housing. Events including the Cardiff City Stadium employment event (November 2023) and scheduled Wrexham jobs fair (June 2024) have enhanced the offer in Wales.
• For 160 Brigade a staff officer leads on life skills and transition matters.  His remit is to support personnel in Wales but 160 Brigade are also seeing how the role can also work with Service People and families outside Wales, particularly Welsh cap-badged units based outside Wales. 

The Benefits of ‘Asking the Question’

• AFLOs have been working with local authorities in relation to the Duty of Due Regard and encouraging Housing services to identify and record their interaction with the Armed Forces Community. The Due Regard Duty in November 2022 had provided a spur to provide training for staff and improving local data.
• Not everybody will identify themselves as from an Armed Forces background if asked but asking the question ‘have you previously served’ can provide useful data.  An example was provided from Flintshire County Council asking the question, the results suggested that the number of those who had previously served in the Armed Forces presenting with the threat of homelessness (4.6% of all presentations) were broadly consistent with those who had served as a percentage of the general population (5.3%).
• Also, the number of applications from the Armed Forces Community for social housing was 4.8% of the total, again reflecting broad consistency with general population share.
• The local authority had 1 identified rough sleeper and this person was not from the Armed Forces Community. Snapshots can provide useful data but being able to observe trends over time would be better.

Data collection

• The local authority case study identified different approaches across 6 local authorities.  A more standardised approach would offer the opportunity for more consistent data across Wales.

Temporary accommodation: Alabare case study

• The charity currently has 37 bed spaces across 7 homes in Wales.
• Alabaré are currently delivering as part of the Office for Veterans Affairs Op FORTITUDE programme including the supported accommodation element. They provide short to medium term housing and improving social mobility, working with Defence Medical Welfare Services (DMWS).
• Challenges identified included managing higher risk individuals, of the 243 Op FORTITUDE referrals received, the charity could not accept 10 individuals due to risk.
• Another 65 referrals would not engage / could not be contacted therefore there is a need to work with partners to improve engagement.
• The challenge of Local Connection and a lack of housing availability also provide challenges in moving people on from temporary accommodation.   
• Housing Benefit ‘drop off’ was identified as a current issue for some in supported accommodation, employment secured but unable to afford to move out. This is true for all supported housing and not only veterans. This disincentivises people from moving on if accommodation is available as it remains unaffordable. In limited cases this can lead to 4-year stays in supported housing.
• Alabaré’s intention is to examine a tiered system where a veteran would be subsidised as they leave accommodation, avoiding a ‘cliff edge’. SF extended an invitation to others interested in the cliff-edge issue to make contact with him.
• Alabaré are conducting a scoping study to look at provision and potential solutions to supporting veteran homelessness in Wales. It is hoped that this might identify and embed good practices. Sarah Ferguson, who is leading on the Scoping Study for Alabaré, would be engaging across Wales as she conducts the study.
• Whilst homelessness can’t be ‘cured’, processes can be improved by shining light on best practice.

Relationship breakdowns

• The Families Federations highlighted issues around relationship breakdown which can lead to disadvantage for spouses with regard to Local Connection to an area.  Acknowledged that this is being considered by Welsh Government within its response to the ending homelessness Consultation.
• Lack of awareness of the Covenant amongst local providers can exacerbate issues.
• Assuming that the tenancy agreement is in both names, should a relationship breakdown it may be possible for the spouse to remain in the property. However, at the end of the 93-day Notice to Vacate period, the MOD allowance will cease and the deposit will need to be repaid to the MOD by the Service Person (SP). In order for the spouse to remain in the property they may need support to access funds in order for them to repay the deposit on behalf of the SP so that they can retain the tenancy in their own name. At present it is unclear whether or not a deposit can be repaid and replaced during a tenancy agreement.

Naval families

• It was noted that a disproportionate number of naval families are settled in Wales and commuting (weekly or longer) to their place of work. These families are dispersed across the country.

Service Family Accommodation (SFA) / Modernised Accommodation Offer (MAO)

• The MAO relating to SFA is currently paused while a review is undertaken.
• Whilst the MAO is currently under review, it was noted that Service People and their families may be asked to utilise the Private Rented Sector (PRS) where there is a shortage of SFA and will be given a loan to pay the deposit and an allowance to help with the monthly rental costs.
• It was noted that there was potential for a trend towards greater use of the PRS and that this might have consequent local impacts in terms of housing pressures.  It was also noted that there would be a broadening of eligibility for SFA.
• The Families Federations raised the issue of ‘Mesne Profits’ as a source of disadvantage. Due to families occupying SFA under a ‘license to occupy’, separating Service spouses continue to be charged “mesne profit” rather than rent after 93 days of being an irregular occupant of SFA. Being charged mesne profits renders them ineligible for claiming the housing element of Universal Credit to cover these costs; this places spouses of service personnel at a significant disadvantage to their civilian counterparts.
• Plans for the development of a new barracks at Caerwent were identified as important in understanding wider impacts on housing there.

Housing Associations / Registered Social Landlords

• The Wales Veterans Partnership Model was highlighted as an example of how charities and Housing Associations can work together. WVP work with Housing Associations through their Section 106 Agreements to house vulnerable Service Leavers with the charity providing the wraparound care to ensure a successful tenancy.
• Engaging Housing Associations in regional fora was identified as an area for consideration, together with encouraging sign-up to the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (DERS).

Actions

• Action: Welsh Government Housing (SR) to contact 160 Brigade (SW) to better discuss Caerwent Barracks housing provision.
• Action: Members interested in exploring solutions to the cliff edge issue to contact Alabare / SF).
• Action: RFCA to consider opportunities to further encourage Housing Association participation in DERS.
• Action: Armed Forces Branch to work with AFLOs on encouraging regional armed forces fora to engage with Housing Associations.

MOD

• JS informed the Group that UK Ministers were examining expansion of the Covenant legal duty across all UK Government Departments and the Devolved Governments also. There had been initial engagement at officials’ level and this would continue.
• JS confirmed this would require a new Armed Forces Act which is scheduled for 2025 to 2026. As a result, MOD work to evaluate the Covenant had been put on hold. However, a snapshot of delivery of the Covenant Duty was being developed and a New Burdens Assessment of its impact on organisations who came under this new duty is planned. 

160 Brigade

• SW provided an update on a personnel survey they had recently conducted. He identified wraparound childcare and dentistry as key issues for Service families and welcomed the engagement between his staff and WG officials on these issues to date. 

Royal Navy

• SH updated the group on plans to run Candidate Preparation Courses at HMS CAMBRIA. He informed the group that HMS CARDIFF is currently being fitted out and that HMS DRAGON had been re-affiliated to Wrexham.

Royal Air Force

• RW informed the group that a veterans’ hub which had recently opened at RAF Valley and which was open to all veterans.

Reserve Forces and Cadets Association

• DH reported that RFCA had been in contact with Welsh Government officials regarding data on Covenant signings and the Employment Recognition Scheme. For this year RFCA Wales were expecting 13 Gold and 25 silver award applications. 

Veterans Commissioner

• The Veteran’s Commissioner raised his recent correspondence with Ministers and Health Boards on mental health services for veterans following an inquest into a veteran’s suicide. He expressed his concern that services in Wales may be falling behind those offered in England. The Commissioner asked if health services for veterans could be considered for the next Group’s next Deep Dive.
• Subsequent discussion identified the open consultations on a new Mental Health Strategy and a Suicide and Self-Harm strategy as key opportunities to put forward proposals. The invitation to take part in the consultations had been circulated widely, including through the AFLOs.

After a short break, a discussion was held between Gareth Chapman and AFEG external members as part of the AFLO evaluation exercise.

• Welsh Government Health (RH) to liaise with Health Champions Forum to identify a successor. (Agenda item for 21 May Forum meeting). RH / 21 May
• Members interested in exploring solutions to the ‘cliff edge’ issue to contact Alabare / SF).  All / end April
• Welsh Government Housing (SR) to contact 160 Brigade (SW) to better discuss Caerwent Barracks housing provision. SR/SW / end May
• RFCA to consider opportunities to further encourage Housing Association participation in DERS. RFCA / 01 August
• Armed Forces Branch to work with AFLOs on encouraging regional armed forces fora to engage with Housing Associations. PK  / end April
• Consider Commissioner request for mental health as a future agenda item (identified as an Agenda item for 21 May Champions Forum meeting). Secretariat / RH / 01 August