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Written question asked by James Cartlidge (Conservative) on Friday, 26 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 1 July 2026 (named day). It was answered by Calvin Bailey (Labour) on Wednesday, 1 July 2026 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Reserve Forces: Length of Service

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there is a formal target for the length of service for reserves personnel in the (a) British Army, (b) Royal Air Force, (c) Royal Navy and (d) Royal Marines.

Answer

Currently there is no formal target for length of service within the Reserves as it is dependent on when an individual joins the services. There are a variety of age cut offs for joining, depending on the service and trade, balancing the time takes to train an individual against how much time they will have to deliver a capability.

Reservists provide a crucial capability to Defence. The standard requirement for a part-time volunteer reservist in the Armed Forces to qualify for the annual tax-free training bounty, is to complete a range of training commitments, depending on the specific unit.

The Government has awarded a 3.6% increase to base pay, reflected in reserve daily rates. Additionally, as part of the award, several elements will also increase by 3.6%, which includes the Volunteer Reserves Training Bounty (from training year 2026/27) and Recruitment and Retention Payments.

People are at the heart of Defence and this Government is committed to our Reserves personnel. We fully recognising their dedication as defence demands grow in the current geopolitical climate.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
13504
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Length of service Reserve forces
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk