“The least they deserve is a decent home,” Defence Secretary John Healey said as ministers confirmed a 10‑year, £9bn overhaul of military housing. Wales stands to see work across 801 Service Family Accommodation properties, with 107 upgrades already under way in mid and west Wales.

Set out under the Defence Housing Strategy, the programme will modernise or rebuild more than 40,000 homes UK‑wide, with around 14,000 getting full refurbishment or replacement. A new standalone Defence Housing Service will manage the estate in public hands and a ‘Forces First’ approach will prioritise personnel and veterans for homeownership on selected sites.

Ministers are keen to underline the wider Welsh picture. Government figures published in late October show £1.1bn of annual defence spend with industry in Wales, supporting 3,900 jobs - about £340 per person - across sectors from manufacturing to cyber.

The plan also looks beyond barracks. The Ministry of Defence says surplus defence land could deliver more than 100,000 new homes for civilian and military families, backed by a proposed Defence Development Fund to recycle land receipts into future projects.

Officials say momentum is possible because of January’s Annington Homes settlement, which brought 36,347 military houses back into public ownership - ending a £600,000‑a‑day rent bill and restoring control over long‑term repairs and rebuilding.

Earlier this year the Ministry of Defence introduced a Consumer Charter for Forces Families, promising stronger move‑in standards, faster repairs and clearer information when posting orders land. The department has targeted 1,000 of the worst homes for refurbishment by the end of 2025.

For families in Wales, that should mean new kitchens, bathrooms and heating systems as homes are lifted to standards comparable with good professional landlords. Eligibility is widening to long‑term couples and non‑resident parents, with a rental support scheme to help while new stock comes on stream.

Timing matters. The strategy was unveiled nationally on 2 November, the full policy paper was published on 3 November, and Wales‑specific details followed on 7 November 2025 - giving local authorities and trades a clear run‑in to plan work.

Delivery will be watched closely after years of complaints about damp, mould and missed repairs. In May, ministers added a further £1.5bn through the Strategic Defence Review to speed fixes - taking total accommodation spend this Parliament above £7bn - after warnings that poor housing was driving people out of service.

Wales Secretary Jo Stevens kept it simple: “It is right that housing provided for our service personnel and their families are of the very best standard.” The test now is whether promised crews turn up on time - and stay until the job is done.