To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many ex-military personnel were sleeping rough as at (a) 1 January 2020 and (b) 1 December 2020.

Our veterans have played a vital role in keeping our country safe and we owe them a duty to ensure they are provided with all the support they need.

The annual Statutory Homeless Release for April 2019 to March 2020 showed that, of the total number of households assessed as owed a homelessness duty, 0.7 per cent had a support need relating to having served in Her Majesty’s armed forces.

The Homelessness Reduction Act requires certain public authorities to refer members of the regular forces in England they consider to be homeless or threatened with homelessness within 56 days to a local housing authority, with the individual’s consent. A person who is vulnerable as a result of having been a member of Her Majesty’s regular armed forces has a priority need for accommodation.