MILITARY personnel at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire face big rent hikes because they are paying far less than civilians, ministers have warned.

Charges will rise by up to £30 a month after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) concluded that about 55 per cent of personnel are “undercharged”.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon defended the shake-up but Labour said the move was another kickin- the-teeth for the army, after thousands of soldiers were made redundant and pay was held back for the remainder.

Vernon Coaker, the party’s defence spokesman, said: “Now the Defence Secretary says our armed forces and their families should pay higher rent for basic service accommodation.”

The most recent survey had found falling satisfaction with military accommodation – from 74 per cent to 69 per cent – with 27 per cent of personnel unhappy with maintenance, he said.