support for military personnel
Working closely with the Armed Forces Outreach Service is just one of the ways we support those people and their families.
believe housing is proud to have been given the Silver Award for the Employer Recognition Scheme for the Armed Forces Covenant.
The covenant provides organisations an opportunity to show their support to the armed forces and veteran community and represents ‘a promise from the nation that those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly’.
We encourage our partners to sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant. Details of how organisations can do this are available here.
support for military personnel
Durham Key Options (DKO) is one of the main ways to access social housing across County Durham.
The DKO Policy also gives an additional preference for applicants who are severely overcrowded and applicants who need to move for urgent medical reasons.
An even higher property will also be given for these two reasons, if you have a prescribed connection to the armed forces, through any of the following categories:
- Applicants discharged from the regular UK armed forces within the previous five years and who have served three years or more, or been medically discharged (except people dishonourably discharged).
- Current members of the UK armed forces, and current or former (previous five years) reserve forces, who have suffered an injury in service that makes their current home unsuitable.
- Widows, widowers or civil partners of UK armed forces members killed during service and needing to leave armed forces accommodation.
- Ex-spouses of currently serving armed forces personnel who are required to leave forces accommodation due to a relationship breakdown.
If you have the above armed forces reserve connection you do not need to be resident within County Durham.
believe housing also has affordable rent and Rent to Buy properties, which you can find here.
We also manage social housing in other areas. To be considered for a property in those areas you will need to apply to that local authority:
Launchpad exists to provide accommodation and other support, with the expertise of specialist providers, so veterans can stabilise their lives and make a successful transition from military to civilian life.
Find out more at Veterans Launchpad.
Walking With The Wounded empowers veterans by reigniting their sense of purpose, enabling them to make a positive contribution to their communities and lead independent lives.
They offer employment, mental health and care coordination that are saving jobs, homes, relationships and lives for the veterans who are struggling since leaving the military.
Find out more at Welcome – Walking With The Wounded.
Veterans in Crisis offers support, training and counselling to help ex-service people get back on their feet.
Find out more at Veterans In Crisis – Offering support for ex service men and women.
AFOS is a regional partnership between local authorities and housing associations that provides a dedicated service to the armed forces community.
The service covers Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle and Northumberland.
Due to unfamiliarity with civilian life and mental issues they can face, veterans and service families can lack knowledge about the social housing services in their area and how to access them.
Working closely with AFOS and an Armed Forces Outreach Worker, we help to identify and support a customer’s needs beyond their housing application.
Support can include help with benefits and debt advice, employment and training, mental and physical health, family needs and sourcing furniture or other household items.
This service is available to those who are currently serving or people who have left the forces, no matter how long ago that was, reservists and family members.
In 2022, the partnership was believe housing was recognised for best practice in the MOD’s Statutory Guidance on the new Covenant Duty.
Find out more at:
Career Transition Partnership (CTP)
The CTP is a partnering agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Right Management Ltd. They provide resettlement services for those leaving the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Airforce and Royal Marines regardless of time served. They also operate an intermediary service for employers wishing to hire from the service leavers and veterans pool of talent.
Find out more at Resettlement for Ex-Service Personnel | Ex Armed Forces Recruitment from CTP.
Forces Employment Charity
Forces Employment Charity provides lifelong support, job opportunities and training to service leavers, veterans, reservists and their families. This is regardless of their circumstances, rank, length of service or reason for leaving.
Find out more at Forces Employment Charity.
Forces Family Jobs
Apply for jobs and access employment and training opportunities with companies and organisations which are forces family-friendly.
Find out more at Home – Forces Families Jobs.
Joined up
Check out Joined Up jobs on LinkedIn for the latest vacancies from employers in the North East that who have all signed up to the covenant.
Find out more at www.linkedin.com/company/joinedupjobs.
believe housing employability and learning support
believe housing has a dedicated Employability Team offering one-to-one support and advice.
Find out more at www.believehousing.co.uk/your-community/employability-and-learning.
East Durham Veterans Trust
East Durham Veterans Trust supports veterans and their families through social inclusion, addiction, mental health support as well as case management of veteran support services. They offer counselling programme for veterans who are struggling with their mental health and need support.
Find out more at www.eastdurhamveterans.co.uk.
Sporting Force
Sporting Force is a registered sports charity that supports ex-service personnel throughout the UK.
As well as offering a route into civilian employment within the professional sports industry, it provides education, exercise and social events to help veterans and their families by relieving mental health and social isolation.
Find out more at Sporting Force | Veterans Sports Charity.
Swift
The digital home of The Rifles Network. The network also has welfare services and currently, one of those services available, to help with the cost of living crisis, is a Tesco voucher scheme.
Find out more at Swift | Home (theriflesnetwork.co.uk).
Veterans Woodcraft
Established by a group of veterans in 2017, Veterans Woodcraft delivers woodcraft courses to help people battling suicide, PTSD, mental health issues and physical disability mainly caused by their military service.
Find out more at https://www.veteranswoodcraft.co.uk/.
Armed Forces and Veterans iHub
Catterick Garrison’s Armed Forces and Veterans iHub welcomes everyone. The information Hub (iHub) is open every Monday morning offering tea and toast, coffee and a chat.
Find out more at Catterick Garrison Veterans iHub – Association of Service Drop-In Centres (asdic.org.uk).