The UK government has announced the creation of a new military “gap year” scheme designed to offer young people under 25 the opportunity to gain paid experience in the armed forces. Set to begin in March 2026, the programme is part of a wider push to improve recruitment and retention in the British military.
The initiative will initially offer 150 placements, with the number expected to increase to over 1,000 annually. According to the Ministry of Defence, the programme will not involve any active deployment and is aimed at providing practical skills and insight into military life without long-term commitment.
A Whole-Of-Society Approach to Defence
The scheme forms part of a broader national defence strategy that seeks to increase societal involvement in safeguarding the country. According to the i newspaper, Defence Secretary John Healey said the programme would “give Britain’s young people a taste of the incredible skills and training on offer across the Army, Royal Navy and RAF.” He added that, as young people plan their futures, the scheme should become a topic of conversation in households across the UK.
Inspired by a similar programme in Australia, where 664 young people joined the military for a gap year in 2023, with over half later transitioning to permanent roles, the UK version is intended to appeal to a wide demographic. Unlike the existing Army internship, which only offers 30 places a year and is limited to potential officer candidates, the new scheme is open more broadly.
Participants will receive training but will not be deployed on operations. The Army component involves 13 weeks of basic training as part of a two-year placement, while the Navy will offer one-year posts with general skills training. The RAF’s offering remains under development, with officials currently “scoping” its structure.
Addressing Recruitment Challenges and Growing Threats
The announcement comes as the UK military faces mounting pressure to address falling recruitment numbers and rising global tensions. According to LBC, the Ministry of Defence recorded a 38 percent drop in trained Army recruits in 2022–2023 compared to 2019–2020, with an increasing number leaving during training.
Speaking to the i newspaper, Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton highlighted the need for national readiness, stating that British “sons and daughters” must be “ready to fight.” The government has pledged to increase defence and security spending to five percent of GDP by 2035. Meanwhile, this new programme is intended not only to boost recruitment but also to foster a wider understanding of the military’s role in society.
According to reporting by the BBC, officials hope the scheme will provide participants with transferrable skills such as teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving, whether or not they choose to pursue a long-term military career. As similar national service schemes are rolled out in France, Germany and Belgium, the UK appears to be adopting its own approach to strengthen the link between civil society and national defence without enforcing compulsory service.
