More than 10,000 serving members of the UK armed forces are classified as “not medically deployable,” according to recent figures from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Defence minister Alistair Carns revealed in a parliamentary written response that of the 127,432 personnel across the military, 99,560 are fully deployable, while 14,350 have limited deployability, and 13,522 are deemed medically not deployable.
Breaking it down by service branch, the Royal Navy has 2,922 medically undeployable personnel, the Army 6,879, and the Royal Air Force 3,721.
MoD Response and Context
An MoD spokesperson stated: “The vast majority of our service personnel – around 90% – are deployable at any point, with most of the remaining members of our armed forces employed in wider military roles.
“We are committed to providing world-class medical treatment to ensure personnel can return to duty where possible or to support their transition to civilian life.”
Medical deployability in the armed forces is influenced by factors such as physical health, fitness, and medical conditions. Personnel unable to meet these standards are reviewed by a medical board to determine their grading, which can result in temporary or permanent restrictions.
In some cases, individuals with medical limitations may still be deployed but with conditions tailored to their needs, such as limiting the type or location of operations they can support.
Personnel Shortages Across Armed Forces
The MoD has faced mounting concerns over staffing levels. As of April 2024, all three service branches fell below their target personnel levels:
- The Army was short by 1% (5,440 personnel).
- The Royal Navy and Royal Marines were down by 5%.
- The RAF fell short by 10%.
This marks the first time the Army has missed its target size since it was set.
Former defence minister James Heappey acknowledged the figures were “very arresting,” but suggested that some classifications of non-deployable personnel may be temporary and not indicative of broader operational issues.
“I’ll bet you that a big chunk of the non-deployable, medically downgraded people are downgraded for dental reasons,” Heappey said in an interview. “And what that tends to mean is that they’ve not had a dental check-up in the last six months, and so they are automatically declared dentally unfit, and therefore not fully deployable.”
He added that many individuals with injuries or temporary medical conditions could still deploy in wartime if necessary.
Defence Spending Concerns
The figures emerge amid growing concerns about the state of UK defence spending. House of Commons research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats highlighted that countries like Russia, Iran, and China have significantly increased defence spending since 2014, with growth rates of 34%, 57%, and 60%, respectively. By contrast, the UK’s defence spending has increased by just 14% in the same period.
Helen Maguire, the Liberal Democrat defence spokesperson, criticised the government for failing to keep pace with international defence spending. She emphasised the need to strengthen the UK’s military, particularly as geopolitical tensions rise and the UK faces uncertainties about the reliability of its transatlantic alliances.
“An unreliable partner elected across the Atlantic means it is vitally important for Britain’s defences to be strengthened,” Maguire said.
Budget Adjustments and Promises
Funding for the UK armed forces has declined in recent years. Defence spending on service personnel is projected to reach £11.66 billion in 2024-25, reflecting a real-terms decline of 4% when adjusted for inflation. Over the past five years, army funding alone has dropped by £500 million in real terms.
In response to these concerns, the Prime Minister committed to increasing the defence budget by £2.9 billion for the next financial year. The government has also promised to work toward spending 2.5% of GDP on defence in the future.
An MoD spokesperson reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting military personnel:
“Our service personnel make extraordinary sacrifices to keep us all safe, and we are proud of their courage, dedication, and professionalism.
“This is why we are renewing the nation’s contract with those who serve – investing in our people, giving them the largest pay rise in decades, improving military homes, and offering retention payments for key skills within the armed forces.”
A Critical Period for Defence
The state of deployability and personnel shortages comes at a time of increasing global instability. Speculation about UK military involvement in Ukraine, including the potential deployment of troops to train Ukrainian forces, underscores the importance of maintaining operational readiness.
Defence Secretary John Healey recently stated that it is a “critical period” for Ukraine and reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to stepping up its support.
As international tensions rise and the UK faces increasing scrutiny of its defence priorities, ensuring adequate resources and deployable personnel remains a significant challenge for the armed forces.
