November 10, 2026 - 194 views
The Welsh Conservatives are calling on the Welsh Government to make a commitment to provide accommodation for homeless military veterans in Wales this Christmas, amid concerns about the availability of specialist housing and support.
Party leader Darren Millar MS has written to First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth asking him to use additional funding expected to come to Wales following the UK Government's latest announcement on tackling rough sleeping.
The UK Government has pledged an additional £874 million towards its wider programme to tackle rough sleeping, and says councils in England will be asked to draw up specific plans to offer accommodation to veterans sleeping on the streets before Christmas.
A separate £8.7 million package is also being allocated to eight organisations across the UK through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme. The organisations include Alabaré, which provides supported housing and assistance to veterans in Wales.
Mr Millar wants the Welsh Government to make a similar commitment for veterans in Wales and work with the Welsh Conservatives on a wider Veterans Strategy, including a plan to eliminate veteran homelessness.
He said: “No veteran should be left sleeping on the streets, particularly at Christmas.
“Our Armed Forces put their lives at risk to keep our country safe and the least we can do is ensure that our veterans have a roof over their head.”
There is no definitive official figure for the number of veterans experiencing homelessness in Wales, with current homelessness statistics not routinely identifying whether someone has served in the Armed Forces.
However, a report commissioned by the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and funded by the Office for Veterans' Affairs has highlighted gaps in specialist accommodation.
It estimated that Wales had 51 dedicated bedspaces in temporary supported accommodation for veterans in 2025. Alabaré provided 39 of those, with a further 12 at the Salvation Army's Ty Dewr Lifehouse in Wrexham.
The report identified difficulties including the shortage of affordable housing, barriers to accessing social housing and a lack of specialist accommodation. It also highlighted how mental health problems, trauma, substance misuse and relationship breakdown can contribute to housing difficulties.
The report said rural areas were particularly underserved, with limited outreach and barriers to accessing support.
The wider homelessness figures show the scale of the challenge facing services across Wales. Welsh Government figures estimated that 164 people were sleeping rough on 31 August this year, while 10,370 people were living in temporary accommodation. Those figures are not broken down by whether people have served in the Armed Forces.
The Welsh Government says preventing homelessness is a priority for everyone at risk, including serving personnel and veterans.
In a written response to a Senedd question in June, a Cabinet Minister said local authorities must have regard to Welsh Government guidance which includes specific advice on supporting veterans who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes.
The Government also points to its National Housing Pathway for Ex-Service Personnel, which provides advice for people leaving the Armed Forces and signposts veterans seeking housing support.
The Welsh Government has said the pathway will be reviewed and updated as part of the implementation of the Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Act 2026, working with councils and organisations in the Armed Forces sector.
The legislation is intended to strengthen homelessness prevention, widen access to support and encourage public services to identify people at risk earlier.
The amount of additional funding Wales will receive as a result of the UK Government's wider rough sleeping announcement has not yet been confirmed. In a written answer to Plaid Cymru MP Llinos Medi earlier this month, the Treasury said the Barnett consequentials would be included in a future publication setting out changes to the Welsh Government's funding.
Mr Millar said nobody who had served the country should be homeless at any time of the year, and called for a longer-term plan to ensure veterans could access suitable accommodation and support.
