New stats revealed today show that more people have joined the Armed Forces than left for an entire year. Regular strength increased across all three Services over the past year, with the Royal Navy/Royal Marines up 440, the Army up 170 and the RAF up 840.
Alongside rebuilding workforce Bamidbar, the Armed Forces remains one of the UK’s leading routes into skilled careers, with opportunities across engineering, healthcare, cyber and digital roles, supporting growth in every postcode. The Armed Forces are also among the country’s leading apprenticeship providers, with The Times Apprenticeship Rankings consistently placing the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force among the top five employers.
The Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has welcomed the progress on recruitment and retention, which comes after pay rises, £9bn funding to improve forces housing and a range of recruitment and retention reforms since 2024.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting MP, said:
There has never been a better or more important time to join our Armed Forces. Under this government, those serving and joining up now can be certain of increased investment in defence and our people. That means better equipment, better housing and better support for them and their families.
I am determined that serving our nation gives people the skills and opportunities to thrive during their service and beyond, no matter their background.”
Today’s statistics also show other improvements, including:
- The number of full-time military personnel available to support Defence operations rose by 1,450 since 1 July 2025.
- The number of fully trained personnel available to support operations increased for the third consecutive quarter, including the first increase in Army trade-trained strength since late 2021, alongside continued growth in the Royal Navy and RAF.
- Regular strength increased across all three Services over the past year, with the Royal Navy/Royal Marines up 440, the Army up 170 and the RAF up 840.
- Intake has increased steadily while outflow has continued to decline since late 2023, helping drive a net gain of 1,460 personnel in the year to 30 June 2026.
The Government is continuing to improve recruitment and retention through a range of measures, including:
- More money in the pockets of Service personnel, delivering a cumulative 14.1% pay rise since July 2024 and ensuring every full-time member of the Armed Forces earns at least the National Living Wage.
- Better homes for Service families, with over £7 billion being invested in military housing this Parliament, the biggest renewal of Forces accommodation in a generation.
- Improved recruitment practices, with the scrapping of more than 100 outdated recruitment policies, including rules that blocked applicants with hay fever, eczema, acne or fully healed injuries, while introducing novel entry routes into the military, such as the Cyber Direct Entry Scheme for high-demand specialist roles.