The Government has confirmed a 3.6% pay rise for UK Armed Forces personnel, recognising the dedication, professionalism and sacrifice of those who serve as demands on defence
continue to grow.
The award, which has been accepted in full following recommendations from the independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body, will be backdated to 1 April 2026 and will increase the average Armed Forces salary by around £1,650 to approximately £45,710.
This marks the third consecutive year of above-inflation pay increases for service personnel, following awards of 6% in 2024 and 4.5% in 2025. Combined, most personnel will have received a cumulative pay increase of 14.1% since July 2024.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:
“Our people are the heart of our defence. I am deeply grateful to our Armed Forces, who make extraordinary sacrifices along with their families to keep our nation safe 24/7.
As demands on defence rise, we ask more of our personnel. This third inflation-busting pay award recognises their dedication and skill, and demonstrates this Government’s commitment to renew the nation’s contract with those who serve.
We inherited a deep recruitment and retention crisis, with targets set and missed every year for 14 years, but we are turning that around. Through our record defence investment, we are delivering better pay, better housing and better conditions. This is a government getting on with the job - delivering for our forces”.
Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton said:
“This pay award is an important part of how we recognise the important role and the valuable service the people of our armed forces play in keeping our country safe.
Our people serve with great professionalism, dedication and courage. Pay, accommodation, family support and welfare are all part of the support that helps ensure that our people are ready for whatever we ask of them. We will continue to work to make sure that this meets the needs of our people”.
The pay award will particularly benefit junior personnel. Starting salaries for non-commissioned ranks will increase by nearly £1,000 to £27,282 per year, supporting around 14,250 of the Armed Forces’ most junior members. Starting pay for junior officers will rise by £1,250 to £35,926.
The package also includes a 3.6% increase in targeted payments for specialist roles and skills, alongside a retention payment for Royal Navy submariners to address critical workforce pressures. Nursing specialists will benefit from a new Nursing Professionals’ pay structure and an enhanced Golden Hello payment designed to attract recruits into specialist areas facing capability shortages.
The pay award forms part of wider Government action to strengthen recruitment and retention across the Armed Forces.
Recent measures include the acquisition and renewal of 36,000 military family homes, the introduction of a new childcare support scheme for eligible service families in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the creation of the first independent Armed Forces Commissioner with powers to investigate concerns raised directly by service personnel and their families.
Latest workforce figures indicate positive progress, with the total strength of the UK Armed Forces rising to 183,410 personnel—an increase of 1,510 over the past year. More people are now joining than leaving, while voluntary outflow rates have fallen in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, signalling improving recruitment and retention trends.
The Government continues to back the Armed Forces through the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War, with defence expenditure set to reach 2.6% of GDP from 2027. Photo: Harland Quarrington/MOD, Wikimedia commons.
