Staffing Crisis in the British Army: Approximately 300 Soldiers Depart Each Month
Around 300 servicemen leave the British Armed Forces every month.
The Financial Times reported on this.
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, Chief of the Defence Staff, warned that it could take up to three years for the size of the army to start increasing again.
According to the latest government statistics, there were 180,780 personnel in the British Armed Forces in January, of which 127,040 were undergoing full military training as recruits.
Over the past year, 14,830 personnel left the service, while 12,850 joined the military. At the same time, the number of departures decreased by 8% compared to the previous year, while the number of recruits increased by 20%.
Despite the slowdown in the rate of departures, critics express concern that the British Armed Forces continue to shrink amid growing global threats.
Radakin acknowledged that this is a problem, with the Armed Forces shrinking by approximately 200–300 personnel each month.
According to him, the army is experiencing the most losses: “The Navy has stabilized and is starting to grow. The Air Force is fairly stable, while the Army is still on a downsizing trajectory,” he added.
Staffing Issues in the British Army
Soldiers continue to leave the service despite government efforts to address the staffing crisis, including a 6% salary increase.
In July, the UK Ministry of Defence announced the largest pay rise in 22 years, along with additional payments to retain key personnel.
However, servicemen and women remain the lowest-paid category among all civil servants.
A survey conducted among military personnel in May revealed that satisfaction with the basic pay rate is at its lowest level since the survey began.
Only 32% of respondents expressed satisfaction with their salary. It is important to note that the survey was conducted before the decision to increase salaries was made.
In September, Militarnyi reported that the UK lowered requirements for joining the armed forces and would offer service to professional gamers.
Over the past ten years, more than a million people have applied to join the Armed Forces. Still, three out of four have refused to apply further due to a complex and confusing bureaucratic system.
There is a serious shortage of personnel in combat units, which is why only three out of more than 20 infantry battalions have manning levels of 70-80%.
In 2024, the Royal Navy recruited only 60% of its target. The Army recruited about 63%, while the Royal Air Force achieved the best result, reaching 70% of its plan.
There was a sharp decline in the number of recruits in 2023–2024. For comparison, in 2021, the Royal Navy accepted 3,900 personnel out of a target of 4,410, whereas in 2024, it recruited only 2,450 out of a target of 4,040.
This decline comes amid a similar, though less pronounced, reduction in the number of operational personnel across all branches of the British Armed Forces.
The total number of combat-ready military personnel decreased from 74,966 in 2020 to 70,290 in 2024.
