Armed Forces Commissioner: New role explained as King Charles grants royal assent

Parliament has passed a new bill to pave the way for the UK's first Armed Forces Commissioner, with King Charles formally approving the legislation.

Recruiting for the position is ongoing, with no candidate formally identified at this stage.

BFBS Forces News explains what we know about the role so far and what powers this new appointee will have.

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What responsibilities will the Commissioner have?

The Commissioner will have unprecedented powers to investigate welfare concerns, as well as issues impacting service life, including equipment, housing and unacceptable behaviours.

Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard described the new role as "a critical step forward in how we are improving service life".

They will work independently to hold the government to account, with the power to visit defence sites unannounced, investigate complaints, commission reports and report findings directly to Parliament.

Personnel and their family members will also have the opportunity to contact the Commissioner directly about any welfare concerns they may have.

Why was the role created?

The Labour Party had pledged in its 2024 election manifesto to establish an independent Armed Forces Commissioner to improve service life.

The Armed Forces Commissioner Bill was then introduced in the House of Commons in November last year.

The government said the role was necessary because of a record low in morale as well as a crisis in recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces.

"With the first-ever Commissioner now being established into law, this independent champion will elevate the experiences of our brave personnel and drive forward critical improvements for them and their families," said Mr Pollard.

The government also says the law is part of an overall renewed effort to improve conditions for service personnel, including spending more on housing.

"This builds on the largest pay rise for our forces in 20 years and the commitment of an additional £1.5bn to fixing military houses," said Mr Pollard.

When will the new Commissioner be announced?

Recruitment for the new Commissioner is underway, although no date has yet been set for the candidate to take up their post.

Back in January 2025, Mr Pollard told the House of Commons that the Commissioner was expected to be in place in 2026 and would undergo "robust scrutiny" as part of the recruitment process.