Recommendation 23

Data indicates that the time taken to recruit new personnel has fallen. Overall, the average time between someone applying to join and them starting basic training reduced from 496 days in 2023 to 290 days in 2024, and the Department said that this needs to come down further.43 In 2024, to tackle long application waiting times the Secretary of State for Defence announced a new ambition to make a conditional offer within 10 days and confirmation of a training start date within 30 days. This initiative was implemented in August 2025 and, by March 2026, 50,816 applicants had received a provisional decision within 10 days of applying and 19,428 had received a date for starting training within 30 days.44 Faster processing of applications has been helped by the introduction of a new electronic system for doctors to provide a candidate’s medical records. The Department is also reviewing potential barriers to recruitment, including conditions such as asthma, eczema and autism. Initiatives such as the new direct entry cyber pathway also indicate the Department’s willingness to try new approaches to recruitment.45