Fewer than 50% military personnel satisfied with service life, new report shows
Less than half of military personnel are satisfied with service life, according to a new report.
The 2025 Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS) saw just under 32,000 personnel asked for their views, with 9,360 responding, and the RAF providing the most responses.
Morale remains a pressing issue, with fewer than half – just 42% – saying they’re satisfied with service life in general.
This was unchanged from last year and stuck at the lowest level since 2018. RAF personnel reported a modest improvement but, across the board, nearly six in 10 rate service-wide morale as low. Job satisfaction fares a little better, with nearly two-thirds of respondents content in their roles. Level of pay is another major issue, and least happy with their salary were the Royal Marines.
Satisfaction with the rate of basic pay has improved slightly from last year, but only a third feel their salary reflects the demands of military life, despite a 6% uplift and targeted support for new joiners. And fewer than one in three agree that the X-factor payment, which tops up their basic pay, is enough to compensate for the demands of service life. Figures for pensions and allowances have also improved, but here there's a stark difference between officers and other ranks. Questioned about their deployment notice, work-life balance, and fairness at work, most personnel were satisfied, with the RAF seemingly the most content. But, when it comes to equipment, views are split.
Half are satisfied with personal equipment, but only 30% are content with the standard of major kit – the lowest recorded level and 15% lower than its peak in 2012. Just 30% of those surveyed said they were happy with the big-ticket items they were using. Again, the least satisfied, with both their major kit and their personal equipment, were the Royal Marines.
Six in 10 personnel said they planned to stay in the services this year, about the same as it's been since 2021. But 41% have actively searched for jobs outside the services in the past year. Of those planning to leave, 64% said it was because of the impact on their family and personal life.
Seventy per cent of personnel said promotion was a major factor in how satisfied they were in their Service career. But only around a third were satisfied with their opportunities to rise through the ranks. On accommodation, the figures show things are improving.
After a big dip two years ago, satisfaction with requests for maintenance on military accommodation has improved, rising to 34%. On catering, it's not so good, though, and while half the respondents said they were happy with the opening hours of their dining facility, only 33% said they were satisfied with the food they received. The scores for leadership show some improvement, particularly in the RAF. Two-thirds of personnel believe their bosses are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.
But trust in senior leaders to act on these survey results remains low, and just one in four personnel believe action will be taken. So, while there are pockets of progress in areas, including pay, housing maintenance, and RAF morale, the wider results paint a picture of a military with much to do and an Armed Forces under strain.
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