JUST one homeless veteran was given accommodation in Bracknell last year, new figures show.

Bracknell Forest Council let out the property to armed forces personnel in urgent need of housing during 2019.

Charities warn that thousands of homeless veterans may be slipping through the net nationally and are being under-reported every year.

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Housing laws state that local authorities must give preference to homeless applicants, with extra weight added to an application if they have served their country.

In 2018-19, there was only one household in Bracknell Forest where current or former military personnel received this extra priority, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government data reveals.

The figures for the three months to March last year also show 450 people who have served in the armed forces were identified as statutorily homeless by local authority housing services across England.

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But Bracknell Forest housing services didn't specifically identify any veterans at risk of homelessness during the first three months of 2019.

It is not possible to calculate an annual total of the number of homeless veterans identified, as some could appear in the figures in more than one period throughout the year.

Those identified by councils were all assessed as needing a "prevention or relief duty", meaning they are owed legal duties by councils because they are already homeless or could be within 56 days.

Ed Tytherleigh of the No Homeless Veterans campaign says “many end up sleeping in their car or on someone's floor” after finding themselves with nowhere to go.

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A spokesman at Bracknell Forest Council said: "We always welcome the right to reply to any concerns raised and welcome the opportunity to investigate any issue fully.

"Unfortunately, we were not afforded the time needed to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter, so we are unable to provide an appropriate comment at this time."