AN MP has welcomed a move that will allow councils to prioritise social housing for Armed Forces personnel and veterans who are living with mental health problems.

Conservative MP Rishi Sunak for Richmond said he was ‘delighted’ when the government announced its proposals which would let local authorities find suitable homes for them sooner.

Mr Sunak's Richmond constituency covers army-bases, Catterick Garrison and RAF Leeming.

He said: "Having visited the Phoenix House Recovery Centre run by Help for Heroes at Catterick several times I know the importance of this issue.

"We have a duty to ensure our heroic military personnel get the support they need when applying for a social home.

"We want to see that applying for social property should not be a challenge in the transition from military service to civilian life."

Currently, seriously injured or disabled personnel are given priority when applying for a council house.

But under new proposals, personnel and veterans living with mental health illnesses would be treated by the local authority in the same way.