Llanelli MP Dame Nia Griffith has hailed the Labour UK Government’s backing for armed forces families after landmark legislation was introduced to Parliament today, paving the way for a major improvement in military housing. In Wales, 780 forces family homes are expected to benefit from the measures.

The legislation introduces a new, publicly owned Defence Housing Service, which will be put into law through the new Armed Forces Bill. Ministers say the change will “turbocharge” the biggest renewal of military housing in a generation, addressing years of underinvestment and poor maintenance standards that have affected many service families.

Under the plans, the Defence Housing Service will lead a generational renewal of nine in ten forces homes, supported by Labour’s record £9 billion Armed Forces Housing Strategy. The strategy aims to end what ministers have described as the “scandal” of poor-quality military accommodation and ensure serving personnel and their families have access to homes “fit for heroes.” The service will also kickstart the development of 100,000 homes on surplus defence land, with service personnel and veterans placed first in line for the new housing.

The announcement builds on Labour’s earlier deal to bring 36,000 forces family homes back into public ownership, including 780 homes in Wales. That buy-back reversed a controversial 1996 Conservative privatisation that Labour says cost the taxpayer billions over three decades. According to ministers, the move has saved over £200 million per year in rent payments—funds which are now being reinvested into repairing and upgrading forces accommodation.

Alongside the housing reforms, the Armed Forces Bill also delivers on a major manifesto commitment by extending the Armed Forces Covenant across all areas of central government, devolved governments and local authorities. This expansion will require public bodies—such as those responsible for social care and employment support—to legally consider the unique challenges faced by serving personnel, veterans and their families when delivering services.

Government figures say the extension will improve support for tens of thousands of armed forces community members, including hundreds of serving personnel in Wales and more than 7,200 veterans living in Carmarthenshire.

Ministers argue that the overall reform package is designed to boost morale across the forces after years of chronic underinvestment, which they say contributed to personnel leaving the military. The Bill is presented as proof the Labour Government is delivering on its pledge to back Britain’s armed forces community.

Confirming the significance of the reforms for the local area, Dame Nia Griffith, MP for Llanelli, said the measures would offer overdue support to service families.

“This new legislation will put forces and their families first, delivering the support that they rightly deserve,” she said.

“Thousands of current and former service personnel will benefit from improved access to local services, delivering on our manifesto commitment, and through our new publicly-owned Defence Housing Service, we will be deliver the biggest boost to military homes in a generation.”