Since my election, one of my top priorities has been delivering ‘homes fit for heroes’ for local Armed Forces families. It’s a personal mission of mine to ensure that those who sacrifice so much to keep our country safe have homes worthy of their service.

For too long, the men and women who serve our country, as well as their families, have had to endure sub-standard accommodation and second-class housing rights. This is a travesty, particularly when these families face separation, long deployments, and the everyday pressures of military life. Unfortunately, the previous government brushed this issue under the carpet, leaving our military families to fend for themselves.

Since my election, I have made sure that the issue is heard loud and clear in Westminster. I’ve spoken about it regularly, and have worked closely with Ministers, including Al Carns MP, who I personally invited to meet local Armed Forces families.

Together, we are starting to get results.

Earlier this year, I was proud to see the announcement of an additional £1.5 billion as part of the Strategic Defence Review to support urgent repairs and the long-term renewal of military family homes across the UK. This brings the total investment allocated to military accommodation during this Parliament to a record £7 billion. It will have a profound impact on Aldershot and Farnborough, which has 1800 military homes – the second-highest number in the country.

In addition, this week the Minister introduced a number of basic rights for military families, such as the freedom to personalise their homes, run businesses, or even have pets.

Though the majority of us take for these sorts of things for granted, for Forces families they often mean face red-tape and delay.

It may sound trivial to some, but the importance of pets cannot be overstated. When a partner or parent is deployed for months at a time, the companionship and comfort pets provide can be invaluable.

Effective immediately, service families are able to keep up to two dogs, cats, or smaller pets without requiring permission. It’s a small but significant step in supporting the mental wellbeing of military families.

This new freedom, along with others, will be enshrined in a Consumer Charter, which will form part of a new Defence Housing Strategy set to be published later this year. It will outline further measures to reduce bureaucracy and improve the standard of nearly 50,000 service family homes across the UK.

With increased investment and a comprehensive strategy to raise housing standards, military families will finally get the homes they deserve. Higher move-in standards, more reliable repairs, and the renovation of the worst homes are all part of the plan.

Together, these steps will help military families feel that their houses are not just accommodation, but proper homes. And that, to me, is what they truly deserve.