Just 4 in 10 troops satisfied with military life as morale plummets under Tories

19 June 2023 , 14:00

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The study shows how morale and satisfaction have dwindled since 2010 (Image: Getty Images)

Troops' satisfaction with military life has plunged by a third since the Tories returned to power 13 years ago, an analysis has revealed.

Marking the start of Armed Forces Week, a study by Labour of the most recent Armed Forces Continuous Attitudes Survey shows satisfaction levels plummeting from 60% of personnel being content in 2010 to just 42% in 2023.

Asked “how satisfied are you with service life in general?” in 2010 - the year the Conservatives entered office again after 13 years of Labour rule - 60% said “satisfied”, 22% were “neutral” and 18% dissatisfied.

The proportion who were satisfied fell every year until hitting 41% in 2018 before climbing again to 46% in 2019 and even reaching 50% in 2021.

However, in 2022 it dropped to 45% and this year dwindled to 42%.

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Some 26% were neutral and 32% were dissatisfied - the highest since 2018 when it hit 35%.

The analysis marks Armed Forces Week (Getty Images)

Soldiers, sailors and airmen rating their own morale as “high” fell from 52% in 2010 to 39% this year.

Thirteen years ago, just 18% said their morale was low - surging to 30% in 2023.

In 2010, 52% said they were satisfied with their pay, with just 24% dissatisfied.

But by 2023, 31% were satisfied and 46% dissatisfied.

Satisfaction with pension benefits also took a hammering over the last 13 years.

In 2010, 56% were satisfied and only 11% dissatisfied with pensions benefits.

Yet by 2023, those satisfied had dropped to 41% and those dissatisfied had climbed to 32%.

Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey pledged to “renew Britain’s moral contract” with the military if Keir Starmer’s party wins power at the next general election.

Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey

“Labour has deep respect for the serving men and women of our armed forces - theirs is the ultimate public service,” he said.

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“But the last 13 Conservative years have corroded the nation’s moral contract with those who serve - personnel living in damp and mouldy housing, satisfaction with service life falling to almost 40%, and retention rates dropping.

“We will establish an Armed Forces Commissioner, make sure our heroes have good homes to live in and fully incorporate the Armed Forces Covenant into law.”

The Ministry of Defence was contacted for comment.

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Ben Glaze