Ministers will pilot a paid Armed Forces “gap year” for under-25s from March 2026, opening with 150 places and an ambition to scale to 1,000 a year. Participants will not deploy on active operations and pay rates remain to be confirmed. The Ministry of Defence frames the move within the whole-of-society approach set out in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review, with course content still being finalised.
Branch proposals differ. Current planning indicates the Army will include 13 weeks of basic training within a two‑year placement; the Royal Navy expects a one‑year generalist offer; the RAF is still scoping options. Officials stress the route is designed to provide a taste of service rather than a commitment to full enlistment.
Eligibility centres on those aged under 25, with applications due to open in March 2026 and the first pilot intake drawn from that window. Government briefings describe the programme as paid, with details to follow closer to launch.
The pilot will sit alongside existing schemes. The Army’s Officer Internship (which replaced gap year commissions) offers up to 30 places annually; official answers to Parliament record 11 completions in 2023–24 and confirm fewer than 10 participants are active on the 2024–25 scheme. The new programme is expected to be open more widely than the officer‑track model.
Policy direction is explicit. The Strategic Defence Review calls for reconnecting defence with society, including shorter entry options such as military gap years and a 30% expansion of cadet forces by 2030. In August 2025, the government launched “30 by 30”, backed by £70m, to add over 40,000 cadets and extend qualifications, including CAA‑endorsed drone pilot training via RAF Air Cadets.
Defence Secretary John Healey has encouraged families to consider military opportunities over the holiday period, describing the skills and training on offer as significant for young people, a message consistent with his “new era” framing of UK defence this year.
The opposition response has been cool. Conservative shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge argued that 150 places amount to “barely a pilot” and fall short of the whole‑of‑society billing set by ministers.
Officials cite Australia’s model as proof of concept. In 2023, 664 people enlisted in the ADF Gap Year, with just over half subsequently moving into permanent roles, a conversion pattern the UK will watch closely as it designs measures of success.
Delivery will hinge on faster vetting and training capacity. Recent reporting highlighted long waits that prompted many UK applicants-particularly in the Army-to withdraw before training, underlining the need for clear timelines and processing for this pilot.
For schools, colleges and employers, the offer creates a defined post‑16 and post‑18 route with structured training and recognised skills. Some participants are likely to return to civilian education or work after a year, while others convert into regular or reserve roles. Former army chief Lord Dannatt welcomed the exposure to discipline and problem‑solving, while cautioning that any effect on Russia‑related risks will be marginal.