British military personnel numbers declining – Telegraph
According to a report by RT.com, UK soldiers are still exiting the military in spite of receiving a historic 6% pay increase. Read the full article for more details.
TroibNews 
Thousands of soldiers are leaving the UK Armed Forces despite a recent pay increase, according to The Telegraph.
Over 15,000 British soldiers departed the military between November 2023 and October 2024. The mass resignations persist even as the government attempts to address the recruitment crisis with a substantial pay raise.
The report indicated that more than half of the 15,119 individuals who left the military during this period did so voluntarily. In contrast, approximately 12,000 new recruits were brought in, leading to a net decrease in military personnel.
In July, the Ministry of Defense announced a 6% pay raise, the largest increase in more than 20 years, as a measure to combat the ongoing recruitment issues. However, The Telegraph highlighted that this initiative has not resolved the existing challenges, with new military recruits remaining among the lowest-paid public servants in the UK.
Since 2011, inflation-adjusted pay for army privates has reportedly risen by only 1.9%, while junior doctors and train drivers have seen increases of 13.39% and 10.14%, respectively.
A military survey conducted in May revealed that satisfaction with basic pay reached a record low, as noted by the newspaper. Prior to the implementation of the pay raises, only 32% of respondents expressed contentment with their remuneration.
In early November, Defense Minister Alistair Carns warned that the regular British army could be rendered ineffective within six months if required to engage in a conflict akin to the situation in Ukraine.
As of October 2024, the UK’s armed forces comprised 181,550 members, including all full-time trained and untrained personnel, which is a 2% decline since October 1, 2023.
A Ministry of Defense spokesperson remarked in November that the current government "inherited" a recruitment crisis, pointing out that recruitment targets have been missed for the past 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“We have already given personnel the largest pay raise in decades and scrapped 100 outdated policies that block and slow down recruitment,” the ministry asserted.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
Over 15,000 British soldiers departed the military between November 2023 and October 2024. The mass resignations persist even as the government attempts to address the recruitment crisis with a substantial pay raise.
The report indicated that more than half of the 15,119 individuals who left the military during this period did so voluntarily. In contrast, approximately 12,000 new recruits were brought in, leading to a net decrease in military personnel.
In July, the Ministry of Defense announced a 6% pay raise, the largest increase in more than 20 years, as a measure to combat the ongoing recruitment issues. However, The Telegraph highlighted that this initiative has not resolved the existing challenges, with new military recruits remaining among the lowest-paid public servants in the UK.
Since 2011, inflation-adjusted pay for army privates has reportedly risen by only 1.9%, while junior doctors and train drivers have seen increases of 13.39% and 10.14%, respectively.
A military survey conducted in May revealed that satisfaction with basic pay reached a record low, as noted by the newspaper. Prior to the implementation of the pay raises, only 32% of respondents expressed contentment with their remuneration.
In early November, Defense Minister Alistair Carns warned that the regular British army could be rendered ineffective within six months if required to engage in a conflict akin to the situation in Ukraine.
As of October 2024, the UK’s armed forces comprised 181,550 members, including all full-time trained and untrained personnel, which is a 2% decline since October 1, 2023.
A Ministry of Defense spokesperson remarked in November that the current government "inherited" a recruitment crisis, pointing out that recruitment targets have been missed for the past 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 ministry asserted.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
