The size of the British Armed Forces has been reduced by more than 7,000 troops in a year

New figures show that despite the growing threat, the size of the UK’s armed forces fell by more than 7,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen last year, or 4%, to 183,130.

The Department of Defense’s quarterly personnel statistics show that the number of fully trained armed forces personnel fell by 3%, or 3,870 troops, to 130,660 in the 12 months to January 1.

Military chiefs are increasingly concerned about recruiting and retaining talent, particularly as those with specific skills such as engineering, logistics and cyber are lured out of defense and into the private sector, lured by higher salaries.

The total number of people joining the regular armed forces fell by 8%, or 890, to 10,680 last year compared with 2022.

The number of new hires was significantly smaller than the number of departures (16,140), but it was a slight decrease of 1% (or 80) compared to the previous year.

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sky news Revealed in July last year The Royal Navy is experiencing a severe recruitment decline, which could undermine its maritime combat capabilities and even its nuclear deterrent unless addressed.

One source described the situation as a “total collapse” of new recruits, but the Navy rejected that characterization while acknowledging that there are challenges.

Responding to the latest figures, a MoD spokesman said: “Recruiting and retaining talent is an absolute priority, which is why we are taking a range of measures to address current recruitment challenges.

“We are investing in our people through trials to increase recruitment and retention, securing the biggest pay rise for more than 20 years and committing to spending more than £4 billion to improve accommodation for service workers.

“We are already starting to see positive results, with applications for regular soldiers in January reaching the highest level in more than six years and applications to join the Royal Navy at an eight-year high.”