British Army Faces Recruitment Challenges – Telegraph
UK soldiers are still departing the military, even with a significant 6% pay increase, according to the report. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Despite a 6% pay raise, soldiers are leaving the military in large numbers, according to a report by The Telegraph.
Over 15,000 British soldiers exited the Armed Forces from November 2023 to October 2024. This wave of resignations persists despite government efforts to address the recruitment crisis with a record increase in pay.
The report highlighted that more than half of the 15,119 personnel who departed the military during this period resigned voluntarily. In contrast, approximately 12,000 new recruits were brought in, resulting in an overall reduction in military numbers.
In July, the Ministry of Defense unveiled the 6% pay raise—the largest in over 20 years—aimed at alleviating the ongoing recruitment challenges. However, The Telegraph indicated that this measure has not improved the situation, as new enlistees still rank among the lowest-paid public servants in the UK.
Since 2011, inflation-adjusted salaries for army privates have reportedly risen by only 1.9%, compared to increases of 13.39% for new junior doctors and 10.14% for train drivers.
A survey conducted in May revealed that satisfaction with the base pay in the military hit an all-time low, with just 32% of respondents expressing contentment with their pay packages, as cited by the newspaper.
In early November, Defense Minister Alistair Carns warned that the regular British army could be significantly diminished in as little as six months if it were required to engage in a conflict similar to that in Ukraine.
As of October 2024, the Ministry of Defence reported a total of 181,550 personnel in the armed forces, including full-time trained and untrained service members. This represents a 2% decline since October 1, 2023.
A Ministry of Defense spokesperson stated in November that the current government "inherited" the recruitment issues, noting that recruitment targets have been missed for the last 14 years. "We have already given personnel the largest pay raise in decades and scrapped 100 outdated policies that block and slow down recruitment," the spokesperson emphasized.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
Over 15,000 British soldiers exited the Armed Forces from November 2023 to October 2024. This wave of resignations persists despite government efforts to address the recruitment crisis with a record increase in pay.
The report highlighted that more than half of the 15,119 personnel who departed the military during this period resigned voluntarily. In contrast, approximately 12,000 new recruits were brought in, resulting in an overall reduction in military numbers.
In July, the Ministry of Defense unveiled the 6% pay raise—the largest in over 20 years—aimed at alleviating the ongoing recruitment challenges. However, The Telegraph indicated that this measure has not improved the situation, as new enlistees still rank among the lowest-paid public servants in the UK.
Since 2011, inflation-adjusted salaries for army privates have reportedly risen by only 1.9%, compared to increases of 13.39% for new junior doctors and 10.14% for train drivers.
A survey conducted in May revealed that satisfaction with the base pay in the military hit an all-time low, with just 32% of respondents expressing contentment with their pay packages, as cited by the newspaper.
In early November, Defense Minister Alistair Carns warned that the regular British army could be significantly diminished in as little as six months if it were required to engage in a conflict similar to that in Ukraine.
As of October 2024, the Ministry of Defence reported a total of 181,550 personnel in the armed forces, including full-time trained and untrained service members. This represents a 2% decline since October 1, 2023.
A Ministry of Defense spokesperson stated in November that the current government "inherited" the recruitment issues, noting that recruitment targets have been missed for the last 14 years. "We have already given personnel the largest pay raise in decades and scrapped 100 outdated policies that block and slow down recruitment," the spokesperson emphasized.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
