War veteran:

After eight years serving my country I face life in a doss house while criminals get new homes

ROYAL Marines war veteran Michael Glen has challenged David Cameron over a housing scandal which could leave him homeless.

Father-of-three Michael, 30, from Prestonpans, East Lothian, is outraged to learn he will have fewer rights to housing when he leaves the forces this year than a criminal newly released from jail.

Council chiefs say because he has volunteered to leave the forces rather than his post being cut, the only way to get a roof over his head is to book into a homeless hostel.

He cannot return to the family home because he is estranged from his wife.

Now Michael, who has done two tours of Afghanistan as a member of Arbroath-based 45 Commando, is demanding answers.

He wrote in a letter to the PM: “I have been on two tours of Afghanistan, risking my life daily avoiding bombs and bullets.

“This is why I am leaving. I have three kids to support and I can’t do that from a grave.

“Because I am volunteering to leave, the council say they have no requirement to house me. This is absolutely disgusting – risk your life or be homeless.”

Michael, who is dad to Daniel, three, and Rachel, five months, from his marriage, and Kieran, 11, from a previous relationship, said: “I never would have thought in a million years I would have to stay in a doss house after I left the Marines.

Michael wants to settle in Prestonpans to be near his kids.

He said: “With the kids being so young, I think it is important I am close by.”

He explained that he wrote to the PM out of sheer frustration, adding: “David Cameron has made an awful lot of promises about making sure people in the forces aren’t homeless. That’s why I thought I’d write to him.”

East Lothian MP Fiona O’Donnell said: “It seems heartless to me that the council are ignoring Michael’s service. I want the PM to intervene and show us that he is serious about looking after our veterans.”

Local MSP Iain Gray said: “The council claim to provide extra support for veterans and should not quibble about why he is leaving.”

East Lothian Council said ex-service personnel without accommodation would be offered advice and assistance but those who volunteered to leave are not entitled to housing points.

Michael’s letter to the Prime Minister

Dear Prime Minister,

My name is Michael Glen, I am a 30-year-old Royal Marines Commando who is about to leave the Corps after eight years. I have repeatedly encountered problems in regards to housing and I’ve regularly been told at every obstacle: “I don’t make the rules.”

So this is why I’m taking the time to write to you. As I never seem to be able to talk to the people who make the rules I think it’s about time to darken your door.

After noticing my money doesn’t go as far as it should due to cutbacks and rising taxes, I take some comfort in knowing that this is all a requirement to get the country back into a decent financial situation. I back you on this.

I have also listened to your Government repeatedly say how you are going to look after your troops. I do believe the proof is in the pudding I’m just finding it difficult to find the pudding.

The forces cuts may be a requirement and I’m glad to see redundancies as it gets rid of all the dead wood.

However, as I’m about to leave the force, I took a lot of comfort from one of your ministers recently on Question Time who said no member of the armed forces will leave and be homeless. This is simply not true.

I had a meeting with East Lothian Council last Friday in regards to getting social housing. I was told that I had no chance of getting a home unless I wait until my termination date in the Corps and go into a homeless hostel. This seems totally ridiculous to me.

The lady I spoke to even told me to look at private letting. Unfortunately, as I’m leaving my job, there is an element of insecurity and I could not commit to the extremely high rates of private letting.

At the same meeting, I was informed if I had come out of prison I would be awarded 80 points and if I was homeless I would be awarded a further 100 points.

I left with 12 points, four for each of my children who I have access to at weekends. I was awarded no points for service in the Royal Marines and was informed that had I been made redundant I would have been given 4 points for every year’s service.

It doesn’t take a genius to see what is wrong with this whole situation.

I spent three years guarding nuclear submarines and nuclear warheads at Faslane. I have been on two operational tours of Afghanistan, risking my life daily avoiding bombs and bullets.

This is why I am leaving. I have 3 kids to support and I can’t do that from a grave.

Because I’m volunteering to leave, the local councils say they have no requirement to house me. I feel strongly that this is absolutely disgusting, risk your life or be homeless!!

I just can’t work it out in my head how I would have to do 20 years service to our country then be sacked to get the same rights as a waste of space leaving prison.

Could you please shed some light on this for me. I would like to know what my rights are in regards to housing and not from a generic pamphlet.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, I look forward to your reply.

Michael Glen