UK to offer military gap years to boost country’s defence

Teenagers are set to be offered paid gap years with the armed forces in a step towards a new “whole of society” approach to defence.

Around 150 young people will be recruited for placements of up to two years, with the scheme expanding to more than 1,000 per year, according to the i paper.

The scheme is due to open from March 2026, and is intended to introduce more people to military life, or provide transferable skills if they decide not to enlist afterwards.

It would be available to under-25s and recruits would not be deployed on active operations. It is not yet clear how much they will be paid.

The move comes after the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton, said Britain’s “sons and daughters” should be “ready to fight” and called for a “whole of society” effort to defend the country in the face of Russian aggression.

Defence Secretary John Healey told the i paper the scheme 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: “As families come together at this time of year, and young people think about their futures, I want the outstanding opportunities on offer in our armed forces to be part of that conversation in homes across the UK.”

The Army scheme would see recruits receive 13 weeks of basic training as part of a two-year placement, while the Navy scheme would last one year and provide “profession agnostic” training for sailors, according to reports.

The RAF scheme is less developed, with the branch said to be “scoping” options.

The Army currently offers gap year placements for young people before, during or immediately after university, which last one year.

Some 30 places are available on the Army internship scheme, formerly known as gap year commissions, but fewer than 10 people were enrolled in 2024/25.

The internship is also only available for those considering officer training, while the new gap year scheme is expected to be open more widely.

Australia already offers a gap year scheme for its military for those aged between 17 and 24.

In 2023, 664 people enlisted in the Australian scheme, with a little more than half going on to a permanent role in the country’s defence force.

Other European countries have looked to national service in response to the threat from Russia, with France, Germany and Belgium introducing schemes this year.