The Prime Minister has asked councils to use funding to draw up a specific plan to tackle homelessness amongst the ex-forces community, working with local organisations and charities supporting them.

The government's overall commitment to end rough sleeping is backed by investing an additional £874m to make an overall record of £4.4bn funding.

Councils are being asked to use some of this to support veterans.

As part of the Reducing Veteran Homelessness programme and to supplement the work of councils, £8.7 million is being allocated to eight organisations across the United Kingdom, including in Scotland, Liverpool and Kent. This money will help local housing providers offer assistance to veterans with complex needs, including health, addiction and employment services.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: "No one who has served our country should be left to sleep rough on our streets. It is a simple principle and, from now on, I am setting it as an operating principle for the whole of government, national and local.

"People who stepped forward prepared to put their lives on the line for the rest of us should never lack a roof over their head. When they need help, the country owes them more than warm words. It owes them a bed every night, a proper plan and someone in their corner from day one.

"Many councils are already doing a great job working with charities supporting the ex-forces community. With this new funding, they can take that to the next level and end the need for any veteran to sleep rough on any night.

"This is what I meant when I spoke about putting the right standards back at the heart of the country when I walked up Downing Street for the first time."