Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 22
22
After many difficult years with both recruitment and retention, the latest public statistics for the...
Conclusion
After many difficult years with both recruitment and retention, the latest public statistics for the year to October 2025 point to a corner being turned, with the number of people joining the Armed Forces exceeding the number leaving. All three services have recorded a reduction in the number of trained personnel leaving compared to the previous year, with an 8% reduction in the Royal Navy, 11% in the Army and 20% in the Royal Air Force. Over the same period, the intake of new recruits has increased in all three services, by 7% for the Army, 15% for the Royal Navy and 38% for the Royal Air Force.42 38 Qq 47-48 39 Q 48 40 Q 47 41 Qq 47-49 42 Qq 64 and 67 15