People living with HIV can now serve in all Armed Forces roles, MOD announces

People living with HIV can now pursue any career in the UK Armed Forces, including as military pilots and aircrew, the Ministry of Defence has announced. 

The announcement was made to coincide with World AIDS Day and follows the removal of final indirect restrictions after a comprehensive review. 

Personnel and all those hoping to enter the military who take suppressive treatment for HIV, and whose blood tests show no detectable virus, have been able to serve in nearly every role since June 2022. 

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Through these policy changes, people living with HIV will now be able to serve in the remaining professions, such as aircrew, air traffic controllers in all services and Royal Navy divers. 

It follows the review into the department's HIV policies in November 2024, ordered by the Defence Readiness and Industry Minister Luke Pollard, after the charity Terence Higgins Trust raised concerns about the last restrictions affecting personnel living with HIV. 

"By removing these final restrictions, we are ensuring that anyone living with HIV can serve their country in any role they choose, based on their talent and dedication, not on outdated policies," Mr Pollard said. 

"Our Armed Forces were the first Nato nation to welcome people living with HIV into uniformed service; we continue that proud tradition."

The review, which was carried out with the Terrence Higgins Trust and the British HIV Association (BHIVA), has led to policy changes across every service. 

The restriction for current and potential aircrew living with HIV was removed in the RAF while, in the British Army, the defence policy has been updated to remove the indirect medical restriction on people living with HIV serving in the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces. 

Meanwhile, the review confirmed that military divers face no HIV-specific additional barriers, with no evidence of discrimination. 

"This announcement sends a vital message: HIV should not hold anyone back. Today, science, not stigma, won out," Richard Angell, Terence Higgins Trust's chief executive, said. 

"This was done because people living with HIV never give up. Terrence Higgins Trust and BHIVA made clear a better way was possible, and the medics and the politicians in the Government listened. This is huge."

Dr Tristan Barber, the BHIVA's chair, added that he was "very proud" that the BHIVA could give scientific evidence to the MOD so that the last restrictions could be removed. 

"With today's transformational treatment and care, there is no reason that HIV should present any barrier to service in any part of the military," Dr Barber said.

"Science shows that HIV treatment completely suppresses the virus, so that people living with HIV cannot transmit HIV sexually, are healthy and remain fighting fit."

The MOD's ongoing work to remove barriers and change organisational culture on HIV and sexual health supports the UK government's goal of ending new HIV cases by 2030.