Thousands of UK’s soldiers quit despite pay increase

Soldiers are leaving the British Armed Forces at a concerning rate, even after a pay increase was implemented in the summer.

For the first time in history, there are now only two military personnel per thousand people in the UK, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

In the year leading up to October, 15,119 service members exited the Armed Forces, with 7,778 of them choosing to leave voluntarily. During the same period, the military managed to recruit just over 12,000 new personnel, resulting in a net reduction in the size of the forces.

This exodus continues despite the government's efforts to address the recruitment crisis with a 6 per cent pay raise. In July, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the largest pay increase for the forces in 22 years, along with retention bonuses, in an effort to retain talent. However, the latest statistics suggest that this raise may not have been sufficient. Despite the increase, new recruits in the military continue to be among the lowest-paid public employees in the UK.

Since 2011, the real terms pay for Army privates has only risen by 1.9 per cent, in contrast to 13.39 per cent for new junior doctors and 10.14 per cent for train drivers. A survey conducted by the Armed Forces in May revealed that satisfaction with the military’s base pay is at an all-time low.

Only 32 per cent of respondents expressed contentment with their wages, and this survey was conducted prior to the government’s pay increases. The Army, Navy, and Air Force have been facing a recruitment crisis in recent years, while the size of the state bureaucracy has significantly increased. 

The Civil Service, which was significantly reduced during David Cameron’s tenure as prime minister, is now four times the size of the British Armed Forces. Currently, the UK has 543,000 full-time civil servants and 137,000 regular military personnel. These numbers suggest that Britain is struggling to adequately equip itself amid growing global conflicts. 

By Naila Huseynova