UK government is launching its new Veterans Strategy to transform government support for our heroes and recognise their invaluable contribution
£27m in government funding goes live for local bids, turbocharging network of recognised VALOUR centres.
First Veterans Strategy in seven years will transform government support for our heroes and recognise their invaluable contribution across the country.
Developed alongside the Strategic Defence Review and the Armed Forces Covenant, the strategy commits new £12m fund for veteran housing.
Over 1.8 million veterans across the UK will benefit from a new network of local support centres, as the MOD launches a transformational Veterans Strategy to renew the nation’s contract with those who serve and have served.
The new centres will help improve access to support services such as health, housing and employment, and may extend to finance, wellbeing, welfare and integration into society.
The local centres will fundamentally transform how assistance is provided, offering the first coordinated national network of support centres. They will connect to a new VALOUR headquarters within the Ministry of Defence, with regional centres and field officers working in communities.
On top of the £50m VALOUR fund, the Government is also committing an additional £12m to vital homelessness services through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme.
Op FORTITUDE will also be extended, putting the service that has already housed over 1,000 veterans on a sustainable footing.
These programmes will deliver three years of support services across the UK for veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness, fulfilling the Prime Minister’s pledge that homes will be there for heroes.
This strategy, like the Armed Forces Covenant, applies equally across the UK, with its vision, themes and priority outcomes a shared endeavour between UK and devolved governments. The strategy has benefitted from the inputs of veterans themselves and from organisations in all parts of the UK – across the public, private and third sector – that work with veterans and the wider Armed Forces community.
As part of the government’s Plan for Change, the new strategy recognises veterans as national assets, whose unique skills strengthen communities, boost the economy and enhance national security. The strategy is built on three priorities: celebrating those who have served, harnessing veterans’ skills, and ensuring effective support for those who need it.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “The first duty of government is to keep our country safe, and that is only possible through the extraordinary men and women in our Armed Forces.
“Our nation owes a duty to those who have served, and this new Strategy recognises veterans as one of our greatest assets.
“Today’s announcements will boost support for veterans across the UK, from better healthcare to housing to jobs. Our message to veterans and the Armed Forces community is simple: we are on your side.”
Minister for Veterans and People Louise Sandher-Jones MP said: “Our new Veterans Strategy fundamentally resets how we celebrate and support the remarkable men and women who have served in our Armed Forces, whilst harnessing their invaluable talent and skills across society.
“At the core of the strategy is VALOUR – backed by £50 million in funding. From today, organisations can bid for the first tranche of this funding to become part of a network of support centres across the country for our heroes – ensuring easier access to the assistance they need, when and where they need it.
“This strategy has been informed by those who it seeks to benefit: veterans, and we remain committed to stand by those who have stood by us.”
VALOUR – which launched earlier this year and is backed by £50m in total – will foster the enterprising spirit of veteran charities, better connect local and national services and ensure veterans’ support is truly data driven.
VALOUR-recognised support centres will open from spring 2026, offering veterans with a single contact point for support needs.
The announcement comes after the government announced a commitment to support World War Two veterans to travel to overseas commemorative events and expanded the eligibility for the Nuclear Test Medal.
Developed alongside the Strategic Defence Review and the Armed Forces Covenant, the new strategy forms part of the Government’s Plan for Change commitment to strong national security foundations.
Nick Pope, Chair of Cobseo, the Confederation of Service Charities, said: “Cobseo welcomes the publication of this Veterans’ Strategy and the government’s ongoing commitment to enabling a thriving Armed Forces Community that is both valued and supported by society.
“There are two key building blocks to this; the Armed Forces Covenant; and the Veterans Strategy, which resets how we engage with the Armed Forces Community to support, to contribute, and to celebrate their endeavours.
“The Armed Forces charity sector has a key role to play in delivering this and ensuring that all Cobseo members continue to provide their brilliant support to their beneficiary communities.”
New munitions factories and long-range weapons to back nearly 2000 jobs under Strategic Defence Review
Procurement of up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons and £1.5 billion to build at least six munitions and energetics factories.
Work to create more than 1,000 new jobs and support around 800 more across the UK, driving defence as an engine for economic growth and supporting the Plan for Change.
Delivers the Strategic Defence Review’s focus on warfighting readiness to deter and follows historic uplift in defence spending.
The UK will build at least six new munitions and energetics factories and thousands more long-range weapons to strengthen Britain’s Armed Forces and create new jobs across the country.
Through the Strategic Defence Review – published in the coming days – the UK’s defence and deterrence is being bolstered with thousands of long-range weapons and a new £1.5 billion government investment in munitions and energetics factories.
Together the investment will back around 1,800 highly-skilled jobs across the UK, putting money in the pockets of working people, and supporting the government’s Plan for Change by driving growth in every region and nation.
The SDR recommends creating an ‘always on’ munitions production capacity in the UK allowing production to be scaled up at speed if needed. It says the MOD should also lay the industrial foundations for an uplift in munitions stockpiles to meet the demand of high-tempo warfare.
Taking the lessons from Ukraine which shows that our military is only as strong as the industry that stands behind it, the measures will boost British jobs while improving the warfighting readiness of both British Armed Forces and industry.
The additional funding will see UK munitions spend hit £6 billion this Parliament. It follows the Prime Minister’s historic commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, recognising the critical importance of military readiness in an era of heightened global uncertainty.
Commitments include:
£1.5 billion in an “always on” pipeline for munitions and building at least 6 new energetics and munitions factories in the UK. Creating more than 1,000 skilled manufacturing jobs, the factories will produce munitions and energetics, which are key components of weapons, including propellants, explosives, and pyrotechnics.
Up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons for the UK Armed Forces, supporting around 800 defence jobs.The lessons from Ukraine demonstrate the importance of long-range weaponry and boosting our military capabilities.
The SDR sets a path for the next decade and beyond to transform defence and make the UK secure at home and strong abroad. It ends the hollowing out of our Armed Forces and will also drive innovation, jobs and growth across the country, allowing the UK to lead in a stronger NATO.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: The hard-fought lessons from Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine show a military is only as strong as the industry that stands behind them.
“We are strengthening the UK’s industrial base to better deter our adversaries and make the UK secure at home and strong abroad.
“We will embrace the Strategic Defence Review; making defence an engine for economic growth and boosting skilled jobs in every nation and region as part of our Government’s Plan for Change.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “A strong economy needs a strong national defence, and investing in weaponry and munitions and backing nearly 2,000 jobs across Britain in doing so is proof the two go hand-in-hand.
“We are delivering both security for working people in an uncertain world and good jobs, putting more money in people’s pockets as part of our Plan for Change.”
The new investments will form an ‘always-on’ approach for priority munitions. They will provide a steady drumbeat of investment to industry sustaining a thriving defence industrial base that drives growth and jobs to deliver on the Plan for Change, while strengthening the UK’s commitment to NATO.
The funding will help transform the UK’s Armed Forces readiness and ability to endure in prolonged campaigns, providing the industrial foundations needed to support our Armed Forces in warfare, as demonstrated by the conflict in Ukraine.
UK to expand submarine programme in response to Strategic Defence Review
UK to build up to 12 attack submarines as part of AUKUS programme in response to the rapidly increasing threats
Builds on £15 billion investment set out for the UK’s sovereign nuclear warhead programme, keeping the UK safe for generations to come and delivering on the Plan for Change
Nuclear investments will transform critical parts of the defence nuclear industry, directly supporting 30,000 highly skilled jobs up-and-down the country and the doubling of apprentice and graduate roles across the next ten years.
The Prime Minister will announce today that the UK’s conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet will be significantly expanded, with up to 12 new SSN-AUKUS boats to be built.
The increase in submarines will transform the UK’s submarine building industry and, following the £15 billion investment in the warhead programme outlined, will deliver on this government’s Plan for Change, supporting 30,000 highly skilled jobs up-and-down the country well into the 2030s, as well as helping work to deliver 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles across the next ten years.
The announcement comes as the government unveils its new Strategic Defence Review today. The externally-led review is expected to recommend that our Armed Forces move to warfighting readiness to deter the growing threats faced by the UK. The report makes 62 recommendations, which the government is expected to accept in full.
Responding to the report, the government will make significant commitments to its armed forces and deliver greater security for working people through the government’s Plan for Change.
That includes:
A landmark shift in our deterrence and defence: moving to warfighting readiness to deter threats and strengthen security in the Euro Atlantic area;
Increasing stockpiles of munitions and support equipment, ensuring that production capacities can rapidly scale up in response to crises or war;
The procurement of up to 7,000 UK-built long-range weapons for the UK Armed Forces, supporting around 800 defence jobs, and boosting our military capabilities
A new CyberEM Command to put the UK at the forefront of cyber operations, alongside £1bn investment in pioneering digital capability; and
Improving the lives of thousands of British military personnel and their families through more than £1.5 billion of additional funding to repair and renew armed forces housing.
The Prime Minister is expected to say: “From the supply lines to the front lines, this government is foursquare behind the men and women upholding our nation’s freedom and security.
“National security is the foundation of my Plan for Change, and this plan will ensure Britain is secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering a defence dividend of well-paid jobs up and down the country.
“This Strategic Defence Review will ensure the UK rises to the challenge and our Armed Forces have the equipment they need that keeps us safe at home while driving greater opportunity for our engineers, shipbuilders and technicians of the future.”
Alongside the commitment to expand the UK’s conventionally armed attack submarine fleet, the government is securing the future of the Royal Navy’s Continuous At Sea Nuclear Deterrent, backed by a £15 billion investment into the sovereign warhead programme in this parliament and supporting more than 9,000 jobs.
It is the first time the UK has outlined the full scale of its investment plans in its warhead programmes and is further evidence of the Government’s triple lock commitment to the nuclear deterrent: to maintain our continuous at-sea deterrent; to build the new fleet of Dreadnought submarines; and to deliver all future upgrades necessary.
This will see significant modernisation of infrastructure at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) in Aldermaston and supporting more than 9,000 jobs at the Berkshire site, and thousands more across the UK supply chain – from Scotland to Somerset.
The nuclear warhead programme includes some of the most advanced and sensitive science, engineering and manufacturing facilities in the UK.
Both the UK’s sovereign warhead programme and the UK’s conventionally-armed submarine fleet will make Britain and NATO safe for decades to come.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “Our outstanding submariners patrol 24/7 to keep us and our allies safe, but we know that threats are increasing and we must act decisively to face down Russian aggression.
“With new state-of-the-art submarines patrolling international waters and our own nuclear warhead programme on British shores, we are making Britain secure at home and strong abroad, while delivering on our Plan for Change with 30,000 highly-skilled jobs across the country.”
Already supporting more than 400,000 skilled British jobs, UK defence is a crucial engine for economic growth, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change – supported by the Government’s historic uplift in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP from 2027, and the ambition to hit 3% in the next parliament, when economic and fiscal conditionals allow.
Currently the UK is set to operate 7 Astute Class attack submarines, which will be replaced with an increased fleet of up to 12 SSN-AUKUS submarines from the late 2030s.
The boost to the SSN-AUKUS programme will see a major expansion of industrial capability at Barrow and Raynesway, Derby, with the build of a new submarine every 18 months in the future.
The increase in capacity at the two sites will allow the UK to increase its fleet to up to 12 attack boats, as part of the AUKUS partnership.
To ensure the demands of this expanded programme can be met, government is working closely with industry partners to rapidly expand training and development opportunities, aiming to double defence and civil nuclear apprentice and graduate intakes. This will result in 30,000 apprenticeships and 14,000 graduate roles over the next ten years.
The SDR calls for significant investment into the UK sovereign warhead programme this parliament, while maintaining the existing stockpile.
PM Keir Starmer has underlined the UK’s ‘cast iron commitment’ to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence to respond to growing threats, ahead of a NATO summit
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has underlined the UK’s ‘cast iron commitment’ to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence to respond to growing threats, ahead of a NATO summit where he will say a step up in defence spending can safeguard the future of the Alliance.
At the summit in Washington D.C., the PM will emphasise his determination to face down global threats to Britain and its western allies. He will praise NATO members’ efforts to increase defence spending and say that further increases in spending will help the alliance tackle the nature of today’s threats.
The Prime Minister has also confirmed today that he will launch the Government’s Strategic Defence Review next week, with detailed preparatory work already undertaken by Defence Secretary John Healey – who will oversee the review.
The review will determine the future defence posture of the UK, the capabilities needed and will set out a roadmap to achieving 2.5% of GDP on defence. He will confirm that the review will put a ‘NATO-first’ policy at the heart of Britain’s defence plans.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “There is no more important duty for me as Prime Minister than keeping the people of our country safe.
“At a time when we face multiple threats at home and abroad, we must make sure we are ready to defend ourselves. That’s why I have immediately ordered a root-and-branch review that will secure Britain’s defences for the future.
“Working with our most important partners around the world, our Strategic Defence Review will make sure the UK is sending a clear message to those who seek to undermine peace and democracy – you will not succeed.”
Defence Secretary John Healey said: “Britain’s commitment to NATO is unshakeable. We cannot have prosperity without security and we must never take our ability to live freely for granted.
“The world is increasingly volatile with rapidly changing global threats. In the footsteps of Bevin, our government will help ensure we have a strong NATO in this increasingly insecure world.
“Our government’s first duty is to keep the country safe. That’s why we will increase defence spending and launch a Strategic Defence Review to ensure we have the capabilities needed to protect the UK now and in the future. The Review will also set out defence reforms to secure faster procurement and better value for money.”
Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said: “NATO is part of Britain’s DNA. 75 years ago, Ernest Bevin helped to establish NATO. Today, as then, our commitment to NATO is completely unshakeable.
“We cannot have stability and prosperity without national security. That’s why NATO is the ultimate guarantor of our ability to live freely and build a more prosperous future, for the people of this country and our Allies.
“Ukraine’s security is our security, so our priority for Washington must be to show that NATO support for Ukraine remains iron-clad, and our support will be sustained. Putin thinks he can outwait the West, but he is mistaken.”
Building on our existing global defence partnerships such as AUKUS and GCAP, the Prime Minister is determined to make sure the UK is one of the leading defence players on the world stage, and alongside our like-minded partners prove that progressive, peaceful democracies will ultimately triumph over tyranny.
The Strategic Defence Review will consider the nature of the threats we face – including Putin’s ongoing brutal invasion of Ukraine, continued instability in the Middle East and the rise of authoritarian countries – and the capabilities we need to tackle them.
That includes the shape of our Armed Forces and their readiness to fight, enhancing our defence partnerships, developing a new defence industrial strategy, ensuring our defence staff have the capabilities and skills needed, and delivering procurement reform.
The Review will be conducted in consultation with allies, industry and external experts and its recommendations will be reported to the Prime Minister and Defence Secretary, as well as being laid before parliament.
A major element of the Strategic Defence Review will be an emphasis on deepening our defence ties with NATO countries and other international partners.
Over the next two days, the Prime Minister will meet the UK’s most important allies for the first time on the international stage, to drive forward progress on defence and other priorities – including supporting Ukraine against Russia’s ongoing illegal war, which has now entered its third year.
