The size and characteristics of the UK’s Armed Forces veteran population have been set out today in a landmark Ministry of Defence report.
‘Annual Population Survey: UK Armed Forces Veterans residing in Great Britain, 2014’ is the first Government statistical release to quantify and analyse veterans in this way. A report for 2015 will follow later this year with further versions to be published annually thereafter.
The data in the report was generated through questions asked by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) as part of their Annual Population Survey 2014.
A major aim of the report is to gain a better understanding of the veteran population in England, Scotland and Wales, in order to aid policy development in support of the Armed Forces Covenant. For security reasons the questions were not asked in Northern Ireland.
Some key statistics in the report are:
- As part of the ONS Annual Population Survey, 320,000 respondents contributed to the report
- There were an estimated 2.6million veterans living in UK households in 2014
- More than 50 per cent were aged over 75 – reflecting the mandatory National Service in place until 1960
- Most veterans (62.1 per cent) were married / in a civil partnership or widowed (16.1)
- The highest proportion of veterans (28.6) were in the south-east and south-west, reflecting the fact that most personnel are stationed in the south
- Fewer veterans (6.9) than non-veterans (10) claimed to have no academic qualifications
- There was no significant difference between the proportion of working age veterans (74.2) and non-veterans (77.5) who viewed their health as good or very good
- The level of employment among working age veterans (75.3) was equivalent to that of non-veterans. Most veterans were employed in the ‘associate professional and technical’ (19.9) and ‘professional occupations’ (15.9) fields
- Roughly the same number of veterans (75.8) owned their own house when compared to the non-veteran population (78.1).
Minister for Defence Personnel and Veterans Mark Lancaster said:
This report will help us to meet the promise of fair treatment for veterans which this Government enshrined in the Armed Forces Covenant. We know that most veterans emulate their civilian counterparts in enjoying great health and success in their lives. This report bears out that view but will also help to ensure we provide the right support, to the right people, at the right time in their lives.