San Francisco Frontiers - UK launches paid military gap-year scheme amid recruitment struggles

The initial pilot scheme, which will launch in March 2026, will offer around 150 under-25s a year of paid experience and training in the armed forces "without a commitment beyond the course".

The government hopes to "eventually" expand this to offer over 1,000 places, "subject to interest".

The announcement comes after the new head of Britain's armed forces, Richard Knighton, earlier this month issued a call for the country's "sons and daughters" to be "ready to fight" in the face of growing threats, including from Russia.

It comes as British defence chiefs attempt to boost recruitment.

Figures released by Britain's defence ministry in November show that its army trained around 38 percent fewer recruits in 2022-2023 than in 2019-2020, with a growing share leaving during training compared with pre-pandemic levels.

"This gap-year scheme will give Britain’s young people a taste of the incredible skills and training on offer across the Army, Royal Navy and RAF (air force)," said John Healey, the UK's defence secretary.

"It’s part of our determination to reconnect society with our forces, and drive a whole of society approach to our nation’s defence."

The scheme is inspired by a similar scheme in Australia which the government described as an "exciting model from which to learn".

Other European countries have looked to national service in response to the threat from Russia, with France, Germany and Belgium introducing schemes this year.

The British government statement outlining the scheme did not mention the salary offered to recruits or how funding will be found to pay for this.

Further details about the scheme will follow "in due course", a government spokesperson told AFP.

J.Martinez--SFF