The Ministry of Defence (the Department) needs to recruit about 20,000 men and women each year to the Armed Forces. Recruits are required to adapt to military life and to give up some of the freedoms enjoyed by civilians. They are also likely to leave the Armed Forces at least 25 years before a normal civilian retirement age of 65 and will, therefore, need and wish to have a second career. The Department believes that effective support for Service personnel at the end of their career aids retention and is a reward for long service.

The majority of Service Leavers are entitled to a full package of resettlement support from the Department and are generally very satisfied with this support. 91% of those Service Leavers entitled took advantage of the resettlement support. And six months after discharge, only 5% of Service Leavers looking for work were still unemployed. Of the 9% of Service Leavers who did not take up the package, many were prevented from doing so because of pressures from operations or because they were refused time to attend.

Early Service Leavers—who have served less than four years in the Armed Forces or have been compulsorily discharged—are not entitled to the full resettlement package but to a much reduced level of support. This support is provided by the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force signposting them to Jobcentre Plus and ex-Service welfare organisations. This group are more likely than those who have been in the Services for longer to suffer from unemployment and difficulty in getting suitable accommodation.

Many Service Leavers have already organised civilian accommodation in preparation for when they leave the Armed Forces, either by purchasing or by renting a home. Fewer junior ranks own their own property compared to other ranks. The Department has recently introduced a number of measures to encourage serving personnel to buy their own homes.

Very few Service Leavers are entitled to support from local authorities in finding suitable accommodation. A few local authorities delay providing such support until the Department has gained a court order against the Service Leaver for possession of their military accommodation.

On the basis of a Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General[1], we took evidence from the Department on the development of resettlement policy; the support given to Service Leavers in gaining civilian employment and securing accommodation; and how other issues faced by Service Leavers are addressed.