Blandford: Garrison housing drop in sessions - Wed 20th May

If you are experiencing any issues or have concerns with your service families accommodation and would like to speak to someone in person, you're welcome to drop in to the Pinnacle housing office on Mudros Road. (Blandford Camp), no appointment necessary.

Housing drop in is 1st & 3rd Wednesday of every month. 0900 - 1200hrs.

You can also report an issue with your SFA by calling 0800 031 8628 or send an email to hello@pinnacleservicefamilies.co.uk 

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

 

Chepstow: Pinnacle & Amey Housing Surgery on Tues 12th May at Beachley Community Centre

Information provided by Wales HIVE Hub

Scotland: Housing Options Scotland, Military Matters - understanding your housing options online briefing and Q&A Wed 13th May

click on image to enlarge

Links for internal use:

Housing Options for Members of the Armed Forces Community in Scotland Tickets, Wednesday, May 13, 2026 from 10:30 am to 11:30 am GMT+1 | Eventbrite

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

DIO Service Family Accommodation (SFA) Communications Update - 29 April 2026

Damage Charges process

DIO is introducing changes to the damage charges process to make this process simpler for you and your family upon Move-Out.

·From 1st May 2026, on the day you move out, your Housing Officer will provide a formal notification via email. This will include your move-out form, details of any charges incurred and information of how raise a dispute if needed.

· We have also extended the review timeframe for charges. You will now have 30 days to assess the charges and, if necessary, initiate a Stage 1 dispute. Recovery actions will not begin until this 30-day period has passed.

· If a dispute is raised, any recovery action will be paused until the issue has been fully resolved. Pinnacle will continue to handle Stage 1 disputes and DIO will continue to manage Stage 2 disputes.

These changes aim to ensure you are provided with clear details on the day of Move-Out and sufficient time to review everything before any further action is taken, if required.

For families who move out before 1st May 2026, formal notifications will continue to be issued under the current process. We appreciate your patience while we work through these remaining cases during the transition to the new system. 

New light pink shades added to Defence Homes colour palette

The Defence Homes Colour Palette has been updated following feedback from Service families, with five new light pink shades added. This update is part of our commitment to modernise outdated policies and give families greater freedoms to personalise their home. 

By choosing colours from within the Defence Homes Colour palette range, families can leave these at move out with no requirement to revert to white.   

If you are thinking about refreshing your home with a new coat of paint, you can start whenever you like – there is no need to ask for permission or to notify DIO, Amey/VIVO or Pinnacle.  

The updated palette does not specify paint brands or finishes (such as matt or silk), giving you the freedom to choose what works best for you. 

For more information and to view the full palette, click here.  

Notice to families using heating oil

Chatham: Vivo Housing Surgery, Tuesday and Thursday mornings

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

DIO Families Families First Newsletter - Issue 37 Published

The latest issue of the Families First newsletter, featuring the latest Defence housing news and updates, is now available to view and download on the Defence Homes website.

Brecon: Pinnacle & Amey Housing Surgery on the third Wednesday of the month at Dering Lines Community Centre, Brecon

Information provided by Wales HIVE Hub

Scotland: Scottish Veterans Residences currently have spaces for Veterans at Rosendael, Dundee

A couple of rooms will soon be available to Veterans in our popular Dundee residence, Rosendael. 

The residence in is situated in large gardens in a quiet part of Broughty Ferry. Full catering is provided alongside practical and emotional support and a wide range of activities.

If you are a Veteran experiencing homelessness or know of one who is, then please get in touch using our online accommodation enquiry form (link below) and we will do all we can to help.

Enquiry form here: https://forms.office.com/e/pq18sjDGtz
Or you can call us 24/7 on 0300 131 6755

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

Corsham: Vivo & Pinnacle Housing Surgery - Wed 6 May

 

On Wednesday 6th May, two local reps from Vivo and Pinnacle will be available for SP and families to talk to at MOD Corsham Community Centre on Portal Avenue in Rudloe (also known as Dandelion Coffee House).

If you have any issues you'd like to raise or discuss, please drop-in between 1000-1200.

Information provided by Colerne HIVE

Defence Survey: Share your views on Single Living Accommodation

This is an opportunity for you to share your views on Single Living Accommodation (SLA) and help shape the future of Defence accommodation.

The survey will close at 1700 Friday 8th May 2026. Defence wants to hear from all Service personnel regardless of whether you currently use SLA or not.

To complete the survey, please click here: 2026 Single Living Accommodation Survey.

The survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. It is entirely anonymous. We will not be collecting any personal information or sharing your responses with your Chain of Command.

Shropshire Armed Forces Outreach Sessions - April/May 2026

Information provided by: Central HIVE Hub

Grantham: Housing Surgery

Next Housing Surgery at the HIVE Community Centre, Building 162, Thursday 21st May, 1030 - 1230. All welcome!

Information provided by Grantham HIVE

Blandford: Garrison Carpet cleaner hire

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

Blandford: Welfare/contact house short term use accommodation

Click on poster above to enlarge

£40 per night for a minimum of 2 nights.

Weekend rates Friday to Monday morning £100.

Full weeks are £225.

A full review of costs will take place at the end of April.

For booking enquiries and to check availability email:

 BLANDFORDGAR-BGSUWELFARE@mod.gov.uk or call 01258 481938

Information provided by Bovington HIVE via BGSU Welfare team

Bovington: Garrison contact houses for short term accommodation use

To check availability or to book click HERE

or email Zoe.VandeZande667@mod.gov.uk Tel: 01929 402239 during office hours

For all bookings, a £50 deposit will be required within 7 days of making the booking and the full balance is to be paid 28 days prior to stay. The rate is set at £50 per night for the first three nights, then £25 per night thereafter.

Information provided by Bovington HIVE

Dual Accommodation Waiver – Information update on changes effective from 1 Apr 26

The Defence Accommodation Policy team have provided updated information on the Dual Accommodation Waiver (DAW) in line with changes that took effect from 1 Apr 2026.

Dual Accommodation Waiver applies to Service Personnel who live in SLA during the week as their Residence at Work Address and can also evidence a Privately Maintained Property, family home or formally retained Service Family Accommodation (SFA) in the UK.

The policy changes relate to timelines for claims, including backdating. This new information is available within the following Sway: Dual Accommodation Waiver Explained (Previously Extended SLA Waiver)

JSP references and key points of contact are included in the Sway for further enquiries, and HIVE can also be contacted for further information.

Lichfield: Sign up for the 2026 garden waste service

If you’d like your garden waste bin(s) emptied fortnightly during 2026, you’ll need to subscribe to our garden waste service.

The service costs £42.50 per bin for 2026, covering up to 23 fortnightly collections from late January/early February to mid-December, regardless of when you sign up. www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/gardenwasteform

Information provided by Central HIVE Hub

London: Victory Services Club

Experience the inclusive camaraderie of the Victory Services Club. It is the only military members' club in London open to all ranks and all services of the UK Armed Forces, NATO and the Commonwealth and their families. 

Membership to the Victory Services Club is entirely free for serving personnel. For former service personnel and their immediate family, the Club offers membership at affordable and highly competitive rates.

Click HERE for more information.

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

DIO Families First Newsletter - Issue 36 Published

Click image to enlarge.

The latest issue of the Families First newsletter, featuring the latest Defence housing news and updates, is now available on the Defence Homes website.

DIO Service Family Accommodation (SFA) Communications Update - 27 March 2026

Let’s get building: MOD set to start construction on first military homes in a decade

Good homes will be placed at the heart of UK military family life as the MOD is set to begin the construction of 265 new military family houses at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, the first such development in almost a decade. Families living in the area will see a range of new, modern apartments, houses and bungalows begin to be built at Carterton near the air base in the coming weeks, once formal approval is received.

In addition to the building of the houses at Brize Norton, DIO will also be refurbishing another 2,000 homes across the UK in the next 12 months alone, building on the 1,250 worst-condition properties already brought up to standard. This work is a step towards widening access for families who have previously not been able to benefit from a military home, with 1,000 of the refurbished houses being brought back into use for military families. This is almost double the number of previously empty homes that were brought online for families over the previous 12 months.

To read more on this, see the Defence Homes article here.

Message for Service families

We know many of you, especially those in long term relationships or with childcare responsibilities for more than 80 nights a year have been waiting a long time for clearer information about widening access to Defence housing. Thank you for your patience.

We understand how important it is for families to have clarity about their housing options, especially when it comes to making decisions about work, schooling, and other aspects of family life. This remains a priority for Defence, and we are continuing to develop the detail. The final approach will be shaped by the wider Defence Investment Plan, which will set out how Defence will spend its money over the coming years to deliver the priorities of the Strategic Defence Review, including equipment, housing, infrastructure and people. We will share further information as soon as we are able to provide clear and dependable guidance on what widening access will mean for you and your family and how it will work.

To read the full message, click here.

Updated security advice for families living in SFA