About Houses For Heroes

Principle Objective

Is to provide and maintain reasonably priced rented housing for disabled veterans in Scotland.

Background

Founded in Edinburgh in 1915 as the Scottish Veterans’ Garden City Association (Inc), our aim has remained the same. We are here to house permanently disabled veterans.

We have 645 houses across Scotland. Most are in the Central Belt, with 200 in the Edinburgh area. We strive to set rents at 80 per cent of the local authority level. A list of veterans’ houses by location can be viewed here.

Who do we help?

The Association’s principal objective is to provide accommodation for selected persons who have served in Her Majesty’s Forces or in the British Merchant Navy or in a British Police Force or a Local Authority’s Fire Brigade established in accordance with the Fire Services Act 1947 and who, while serving, or after completion of service, have been partially or totally disabled or have been discharged through ill-health.

The Association appreciates that rents should be reviewed annually.  At the AGM in September 2011 it was agreed that rental levels should be set at an average of 80% of Local Authority rents.

How do we work?

Our properties are managed by volunteer District Committees from a three-person Edinburgh headquarters, which in turn is overseen by a Board of Directors. 

We work closely with an organisation called ‘Veterans Scotland’, a body which acts as the single central application point, a one-stop-shop, for veterans.

Can we help you?

We operate the application process, the Central Housing Register, on behalf of Veterans Scotland.  Unfortunately, those applicants who own their own house or have part ownership in a house although maybe eligible through disability may not be entitled unless they can prove that the house has been sold or the bank/building society have forclosed on the property.  

To register, click here.

The Need

The cost in human terms of recent conflicts is a price that is leading to an increased demand for our houses. Our priority is to house disabled veterans who are soon to be discharged and run the risk of homelessness may have a family and be experiencing financial hardship.