Burnley mental health group Casual Minds Matter helping to take homeless veterans off the streets

The team behind a mental health group is helping to take ex-soldiers off the street following a government law change.

Veterans no longer need to be local to Burnley to be prioritised for access to social housing here.

Casual Minds Matters (CMM) supports this mission by offering priority accommodation to former soldiers at Ashworth House in Manchester Road.

Dave Burnett, CMM director, says the CIC can offer 59 one-bed and two-bed flats and already has two men on its waiting list.

"It's ridiculous that these lads are thrown out of the army or leave for whatever reason, and their PTSD is not dealt with at all. It's been a failure of successive governments and the Ministry of Defence to look after our soldiers.

"They're cast aside.

"Some of them have been serving for 20-odd years, and they don't know about things like paying bills. They have been thrown into the world with PTSD, are chucked out of their accommodation, and can't get a reference, so they end up on the streets. It's a crying shame.

"We want to help take people off the streets and look after their needs in [Ashworth House]. If someone is homeless, we must prioritise them [for housing].

"I think the Government's law change is a fabulous thing. But I hope they'll go through with it and that it will not be another policy they pay lip service to."

Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister, wrote to local councils to remind them of the guidance to help veterans access social housing.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson says the Government has also given £3.7m. to Op FORTITUDE, a dedicated pathway to tackle veteran homelessness.

"This government will always stand up for those who serve our country.

“We are committed to ensuring that our personnel and their families are supported when transitioning into civilian life, including through our Defence Transition Services and Career Transition Partnership."

Councils can also use Right to Buy receipts to build and buy more homes. They received an additional £450m. to secure homes for families, including veterans, at risk of homelessness.

Government investment in housing will also increase to £5b., including an extra £500m. to deliver tens of thousands of new affordable and social homes nationally.