Chapter 2 - Personnel
                                   
Table 2.12 Strength of UK Regular Forces by rank1, at 1 April each year
At 1 April 2011 there were 31,830 Officers and 154,520 Other Ranks in the UK Regular Forces. Whilst Officer strength remained relatively stable since 2000, Other Ranks strength had fallen by 20,580 (11.8 per cent).

There were 65,430 Private Other Ranks at 1 April 2011, a decrease of 11,470 (14.9 per cent) since 2000. Proportionally the largest fall was at the Staff Sergeant rank, with 20.5 per cent fewer personnel in 2011 than in 2000. Among the Officers, the greatest decrease was at Lieutenant and below, whilst there were increases at other ranks, most notably Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel.

Data from the Joint Personnel Administration System for 2006-2009 have been reviewed and finalised, therefore some figures may differ from previous publications. Please see the Chapter 2 introduction for more details.
 
  2000   2005   2006   2007   2008   2009   2010   2011  
Officers 32 520   33 000   32 700   32 170   31 730   31 700   31 930 p 31 830 p
 
   by rank1:
      Major General and above 150   150   140   140   140   140   140 p 140 p
      Brigadier 370   350   350   350   350   370   360 p 340 p
      Colonel 1 100   1 210   1 200   1 180   1 180   1 220   1 220 p 1 200 p
      Lieutenant Colonel 3 910   4 130   4 060   4 120   4 120   4 100   4 130 p 4 080 p
      Major 9 940   10 010   9 950   9 730   9 580   9 510   9 530 p 9 450 p
      Captain 11 800   12 310   12 290   12 100   11 870   11 750   11 910 p 12 080 p
      Lieutenant and below 5 240   4 840   4 700   4 540   4 480   4 600   4 640 p 4 540 p
 
Other Ranks 175 100   168 090   163 150   158 500   155 190   156 910   159 730 p 154 520 p
 
   by rank1:
      Warrant Officer 8 690   9 540   9 410   9 150   9 080   9 140   9 250 p 8 780 p
      Staff Sergeant 16 190   14 470   14 110   13 820   13 570   13 290   13 170 p 12 870 p
      Sergeant 23 840   22 920   22 590   21 940   21 280   20 990   21 070 p 20 700 p
      Corporal 2 33 270 ll 32 510   31 710   30 680   30 300   29 600   30 110 p 29 860 p
      Lance Corporal 2 16 200 ll 16 410   16 350   16 590   16 680   16 420   16 520 p 16 880 p
      Private 76 900   72 250   68 980   66 330   64 280   67 460   69 600 p 65 430 p
 
Source: DASA(Quad-Service)
 
1. Figures are for paid rank. Includes equivalent ranks for the Naval Service and RAF. See Table 2.24.
2. Royal Marines with a substantive rank of Marine but acting as Corporal are presented as Lance Corporal from 1 April 2003 onwards. Before this point they are presented as Corporal.