The seeds for this train crash were sown in 1994-1996 with the disposal of the majority of 'MQ' housing stock in England (c 46,000 units) to Nomura Bank. The majority have been leased back on particularly equitable terms (for the owner, that is) but the contract is up for remenal in 2021. In planning (and fiscal) terms, that's not too far away!
The cost the re-lease this housing stock will be crippling so there has been a lot of work done over the last few years to think the MOD out of this problem. One suggestion was to offer a grant at a fixed point (eg 5 years, let's say) to encourage SP to buy their own places 'outside the wire'. However (and I recall posting this on an earlier thread), some excellent modelling was conducted by DASA that mapped the post 2013 airfield lay-down affordability, The result was that some SP would have enormous commutes and with some more modelling, the number of additional deaths from RTAs could be predicted with deadly accuracy.
Furthermore, when this was PTT's with the Treasury, it was made quite clear that there would be no double dipping; ie, if SP took the money to live outside the wire, that same SP would have to pay the 'commercial rate' to live in Messes and Barracks if they became week-day bachelors. Moreover, this policy didn't account fro the 25% of RAF Personnel employed outside the RAF's TLB - anywhere from Northern Norway to, well, New Zealand.
The Army did some interesting work with Mixed Housing in Colchester, proposing 3 storied town houses that could be occupied by singlies and small families, however it was felt after a bit of testing (ie proposing the idea to the troops, rather than in the middle-class minds of the officers devising this scheme) it wouldn't work. SLAM - which has delivered high-quality accn to single personnel (and I mean proper SLAM, not some of this outrageously expensive and craven PFIs) was bitterly opposed by the Army, but eventually accepted through gritted teeth, largely driven by legislation, critical reports from the Adult Learning Inspectorate and the fall out from Deepcut.
Similarly (and my figues are 2-3 years old) the Army was opposed to any recognition of de facto partners, simply because of the impact on housing provision. It was assessed that the Army would need an additional 18,000 SFQs to meet this requirment, quite apart from the 15,000 bratwurst eaters due home during this decade (plus their snivelling primark-clad children). Quite a bit of work was done to have SP recognised as Key Workers, so that they could benefit in various sweat-equity and rent-to-buy schemes. Sadly most of this is in the South east and there are many more applicants than properties.
Bottom line (and we made the move 15 years ago) - get your own house/flat/caravan.