Chapter 2 - Personnel
                                     
Table 2.14 Strength of the Trained UK Regular Forces by Service and nationality, at 1 April each year
At 1 April 2010 the majority of Armed Forces personnel had a recorded nationality of UK (95.0%). The proportion of Non-UK personnel has increased by 1.1 percentage points between 2007 and 2010. A contributory factor towards this is the increase in personnel with a nationality recorded as Nepalese. This increase is as a result of a change in the terms and conditions of service for Gurkha personnel which now allows them to transfer into the UK Regular Forces.

At 1 April 2010 the RAF had the highest proportion with a nationality of UK (99.7%); the Army had the lowest (92.1%). The Army has had a year on year increase in Non-UK citizens, rising from 6.6% in 2007 up to 7.9% in 2010.

      2007 2008 2009 2010
      Number   Percentage 1 Number   Percentage 1 Number   Percentage 1 Number   Percentage 1
All Services 172 910 p     168 620 p     168 240 p     173 260 p    
                                     
  UK 165 790 p 96.1 p 161 040 p 95.9 p 159 380 p 95.4 p 164 170 p 95.0 p
                                     
  Non-UK 6 810 p 3.9 p 6 940 p 4.1 p 7 670 p 4.6 p 8 620 p 5.0 p
    Irish2 and Commonwealth3 6 760 p 3.9 p 6 850 p 4.1 p 7 350 p 4.4 p 8 160 p 4.7 p
    Nepalese 30 p - p 60 p - p 290 p 0.2 p 440 p 0.3 p
    Other Foreign 20 p - p 30 p - p 30 p - p 20 p - p
                                     
  Unknown4 310 p *   640 p *   1 190 p *   460 p *  
                                     
                                     
34 340       34 530 p     34 400 p     35 170 p    
                                     
  UK 33 620   98.6   33 750 p 98.3 p 33 580 p 98.1 p 34 280 p 97.8 p
                                     
  Non-UK 490   1.4   580 p 1.7 p 660 p 1.9 p 760 p 2.2 p
    Irish2 and Commonwealth3 480   1.4   570 p 1.7 p 650 p 1.9 p 760 p 2.2 p
    Nepalese -   -   - p - p - p - p - p - p
    Other Foreign 10   -   10 p - p - p - p - p - p
                                     
  Unknown4 230   *   200 p *   160 p *   140 p *  
                                     
                                     
Army 95 360 p     93 830 p     94 590 p     97 980 p    
                                     
  UK 89 110 p 93.4 p 87 270 p 93.3 p 86 770 p 92.6 p 89 980 p 92.1 p
                                     
  Non-UK 6 250 p 6.6 p 6 280 p 6.7 p 6 910 p 7.4 p 7 750 p 7.9 p
    Irish2 and Commonwealth3 6 210 p 6.5 p 6 210 p 6.6 p 6 600 p 7.0 p 7 290 p 7.5 p
    Nepalese 30 p - p 60 p 0.1 p 290 p 0.3 p 440 p 0.5 p
    Other Foreign 10 p - p 20 p - p 20 p - p 20 p - p
                                     
  Unknown4 - p *   270 p *   900 p *   250 p *  
                                     
                                     
Royal Air Force 43 210       40 260 p     39 250 p     40 110 p    
                                     
  UK 43 060   99.9   40 020 p 99.8 p 39 030 p 99.7 p 39 920 p 99.7 p
                                     
  Non-UK 60   0.1   70 p 0.2 p 100 p 0.3 p 110 p 0.3 p
    Irish2 and Commonwealth3 60   0.1   70 p 0.2 p 100 p 0.3 p 110 p 0.3 p
    Nepalese -   -   - p - p - p - p - p - p
    Other Foreign -   -   - p - p - p - p - p - p
                                     
  Unknown4 80   *   170 p *   120 p *   80 p *  
                                     
Source: DASA(Quad-Service)
Nationality data for all three Services is only available from 1 April 2007 due to the introduction of the Joint Personnel Administration System.
1. Percentages are calculated from unrounded data and are based on those with known nationality only.
2. Citizens of the Republic of Ireland.
3. Includes Zimbabwean and Fijian citizens, who continue to retain Commonwealth status under the British Nationality Act 1981.
4. Includes those with an unrecorded nationality.