SERVICEMEN and women are being left high and dry by the Ministry of Defence when they go back to civvy street, MPs have claimed.

Junior ranks struggle to find work or somewhere decent to live, according to the Commons public accounts committee.

Committee chairman, Tory MP Edward Leigh, said: "It's understandable that commanding officers responsible for demanding frontline operations sometimes do not have the resettlement of leavers as a top priority. But it should not be forgotten."

The MoD has to recruit about 20,000 men and women each year to the armed forces and the north west provides a large number of privates and other junior ranks.

The committee said these recruits have to give up some of the freedoms enjoyed by civilians, but they are also likely to leave the armed forces well before the retirement age of 65.

Mr Leigh said: "Our servicemen and women are continually being called on to serve their country in extremely hostile conditions.

"As much as possible should be done to prevent those who intend to leave the forces, especially the young and inexperienced, ending up unemployed and homeless."

The committee said there should be a simpler system for helping ex-squaddies, especially those who cannot find a job.

Very few people who leave the services are entitled to local authority help in finding suitable accommodation.

The report comes after the MoD announced it was to double the level of compensation offered to the most gravely wounded troops to £570,000 on top of a guaranteed income payment for life.

A recent MoD survey of servicemen and women suggested nearly half of them regularly thought about leaving. Among the biggest complaints were accommodation and long periods away from friends and families.