OVER 11,500 military homes are empty despite thousands of veterans living on the streets, it was revealed today.

Nearly a quarter of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) entire housing stock is still not being used and thousands of the homes have not been lived in for over three years —with 8,340 still available for occupancy, according to figures obtained by the Sunday People.

The number of empty MoD homes means the majority of Britain’s homeless veterans could be housed instantly if there was the political will.

Labour and Co-op MP Gareth Thomas said he was “gobsmacked by these figures.”

He suggested the empty homes should be transformed into housing co-operatives for ex-troops.

The properties are located across the country including west London, Cambridgeshire and Kent.

A parliamentary committee told the MoD last year it needed to “urgently reduce” the number of empty properties.

“[The] MoD holds far too many empty properties, while there are thousands of people across the country on housing waiting lists,” public accounts committee chair Meg Hillier MP warned.

In 1996 the MoD sold off its housing stock to a private company, Annington Property Limited, but is required to rent them back, even if they are empty.

The committee called that deal “disastrous” and said it had “left the taxpayer between £2.2 billion and £4.2bn worse off.”

An MoD spokesperson said: “A percentage of our housing stock needs to be empty to allow for essential maintenance to take place before new tenants move in. 

“Military personnel move around the country regularly and a certain number of homes need to be kept in reserve to accommodate them. 

“Where possible we sub-let vacant properties on the private rental market, and we are actively reducing the number of empty properties.”