ELDERLY war veterans in York will benefit from more than £20,000 in funding to help them stay in their own homes.

The government has offered extra support to ex-servicemen and women to make adaptations to their homes and help them keep their independence in older age, with Housing Minister Kris Hopkins announcing this week that £20,701.15 would be granted to City of York Council to help with the scheme.

The authority is one of seven in the country to be given extra funding by Mr Hopkins, who is a former soldier with the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, and the funds will also go towards helping military families take their first step on the property ladder.

Mr Hopkins said: “Our servicemen and women make a huge contribution to this country. We value their service, whether during active duty or after they retire. We are helping military families to get on the property ladder, but it’s right that we also support older veterans to live in their own homes and maintain their independence in later life.

“The additional funding to City of York to make the adaptions to suit the changing needs of local veterans in older age has made independent living a possibility for more of our heroes.”

Ruth Abbott, housing standards and adaptations manager with City of York Council said the funding had already gone to help a pair of veterans, and was a fitting tribute to the city.

She said: “York has had close links with the Armed Forces since AD71, when the first Garrison was established in the city, so we’re delighted to have been given extra funding to help ex-servicemen and women.

“We’ve already used the additional £20,700 to adapt the homes of two military veterans to enable them to continue to live in their own homes and retain their independence.”