Figures showing
that the UK Armed Forces are currently at 98.7 per cent of their
full time Trained Strength requirement have been released today by
the MOD. This is up from 97.2 per cent a year ago and shows a
continued upward trend in both recruitment and retention. 24,010
new recruits have joined the UK Regular Forces in the 12 months to
31 December 2009, an increase of 10.1 per cent (2,200 people)
compared to the previous 12 months.
The statistics also show that the number of people leaving the
Trained Strength of the UK Regular Forces in the 12 months to 31
December 2009 has fallen by 16.7 per cent compared with the same
period a year ago. Overall, the number of people leaving is at its
lowest in five years.
As at 1 January 2010, the full time Trained Strength of the UK
Armed Forces was 176,330 against a target of 178,740. This
comprises 171,630 UK Regular Forces, 1,080 Full Time Reserve
Service personnel and 3,610 Gurkhas.
Defence Minister Kevan Jones said:
“It is great news that once again the Armed Forces have seen
overall gains to trained strength. We have worked hard to
implement measures to ensure we recruit and retain the best
quality personnel.
“I have no doubt that life in the Armed Forces is one of the most
challenging careers available, but one which rewards recruits with
a sense of real purpose, teamwork, and service. It is now more
important than ever that we have the best personnel who know the
reasons we are in Afghanistan and can see the effect they are
having for the security of our country.”
Since 1 January 2009, the proportion of females in the UK Regular
Forces has risen from 12.0 per cent to 12.2 per cent for officers
and from 8.9 per cent to 9.0 per cent for other ranks.
The percentage of UK Regular Forces from ethnic minority
backgrounds continues to rise; at 1 January 2010 ethnic minorities
accounted for 6.6 per cent of UK Regular Forces compared to 6.4
per cent at the same point last year.
Notes to Editors:
1. All tables presented in this publication meet the high
standards of quality and integrity demanded by the Code of
Practice for Official Statistics.
2. Due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel
Administration System the following statistics are provisional and
may be revised: all Naval Service flow statistics from period
ending 31 October 2006, and Naval Service strength statistics from
1 May 2007; all Army flow statistics from period ending 31 March
2007 and strengths statistics from 1 April 2007; and all Royal Air
Forces flow statistics from period ending 30 April 2007 and
strength statistics from 1 May 2007. DASA have initiated a major
review of all provisional JPA data and will revise where required.
This work is not due to be completed until spring 2010 at the
earliest. Revisions to strength figures are likely to be less than
0.5% of the provisional figure. Revisions of provisional flows
could be as high as 50% because individual flow figures can be
much smaller.
3. Naval Service intake by ethnic origin is unavailable for the
12 month period ending 31 March 2007 to the 12 month period ending
31 March 2008 due to data coverage issues.
4. Time Expiry and Other Wastage exit reason totals and rates for
RAF officers and other ranks personnel for the 12 month ending
periods post 30 June 2008 have been excluded. Since 1 July 2008
there has been an increase in unknowns (which are grouped in the
Other Wastage category), which has had significant effects on
Other Wastage and Time Expiry exit reason totals and rates.
5. The Service Personnel Plan provides a structure for the
prioritisation and delivery of Service personnel policy over the
next 15 years. It reflects the challenges and opportunities that
the operational environment, demographic changes and the changing
expectations of personnel and their families present to our aim of
delivering sufficient, capable and motivated Armed Forces
personnel. Under the auspices of the Service Personnel Plan, work
is underway to ensure the effective delivery of remuneration to
meet the need to recruit, retain and motivate sufficient, capable
individuals to meet manning requirements.
6. The total Armed Forces manning requirement has decreased due
to previously announced restructuring across the Services. This
restructuring is designed to improve capability and flexibility in
order to meet the demands of current and future operations.
7. All figures and percentages exclude the Home Service
battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and Reservists mobilised
for service.
8. The UK Armed Forces Quarterly Manning Report is available at:
www.dasa.mod.uk
For further information, please contact Tom Bennett in the MoD
press office on 020 7218 7931, or visit the MoD website at www.mod.uk
Contacts:
Ministry of Defence
NDS.MOD@coi.gsi.gov.uk