The lives of defence personnel in the UK can be improved into the 2030s according to serving personnel, veterans, academics and industry partners consulted by Sodexo for a new report.
Based on one-to-one interviews and roundtables with over 100 participants including representatives from the third sector and other strategic partners operating within the facility services industry, the recommendations take account of Sodexo’s 2024 Annual Defence Survey which collated feedback from around 6,000 military personnel across tri-Service locations.
Specific recommendations include improving accommodation, food offerings and facilitating more consistent access to local services.
The report also calls for greater technology integration to improve the experience of forces families and a more prominent role for Armed Forces bases in their communities—at a time when the combined full-time trained strength of the UK Armed Forces is rapidly decreasing, with a net loss of 3,620 personnel in the space of a year to a total of 127,040, and 41 per cent of personnel now actively looking for a new role outside the Forces.
Titled, ‘The Future Lived Experience: Supporting the UK’s Armed Forces in the 2030s’, the report is the latest initiative in Sodexo’s ongoing research and solutions development for the defence industry, and will support the ongoing work of the Armed Forces in their recruitment and retention drives by ensuring that those living and working on military bases have the best possible Lived Experience.
Figures released by the Ministry of Defence show the combined full-time trained strength of the UK’s Armed Forces decreased by 3,620 personnel to a total of 127,040 between January 2024 and January 2025, with 41 per cent of personnel reported to be actively looking for a new role outside the Forces.
A major theme to emerge is the need for policy change to account for the evolution of modern family life and personal relationships.
A key recommendation in the report is the creation of so-called ‘family passports’.
These would combine existing data on health needs, the education stage of children, and housing requirements to ensure continuity and a seamless transition between defence sites as families are transferred.
The report also advocates for a minimum, universal measure of the quality of the Lived Experience to ensure consistency across the Defence estate.
A further recommendation covers the role of military establishments in local communities and makes clear the need to better engage with those ‘outside the wire’ to improve the image of the Armed Forces and encourage more young people to consider defence careers.
As a facilities management company with deep links to the Armed Forces community, we see it as our duty to work with partners and colleagues to deliver a Lived Experience standard that a modern military population expects...
Paul Anstey, CEO of Sodexo Government UK & Ireland, says: “As a facilities management company with deep links to the Armed Forces community, we see it as our duty to work with partners and colleagues to deliver a Lived Experience standard that a modern military population expects, and of which we can be proud.
“In response to this, and in line with the government’s ‘One Defence’ strategy, we have embarked on this ambitious programme of research as we look ahead to the 2030s and beyond and consider the changing nature of Defence people and their needs.
“This forms part of our wider body of research and solution development in the defence space which clearly shows that the Lived Experience is critical to the happiness and success of our Armed Forces.”
Mark Baker, Chief Operating Officer of Sodexo Defence, adds: “The recommendations of this report speak to the candid nature of the conversations we were able to have with people from across the military rank structure and the Civil Service, as well as academics, those in the third sector, and peers in the facilities management industry.
“Combined with our Annual Defence Survey, this valuable insight into the views of a wide range of stakeholders sheds new light on what is expected of the Lived Experience, and how we can best anticipate the needs of our Armed Forces into the 2030s and beyond.
Download the report at https://sodexouki.info/FutureLivedExperience (registration required).
However, we feel the detail of this report represents not just the evidence but a constructive discussion of options that will address issues with the Lived Experience.
“At a time when recruitment and retention pose a significant challenge, the Lived Experience of those in our Armed Forces is under more scrutiny than ever.
We look forward to working with the Armed Forces and our other partners to further influence this discussion and play our part in creating the Lived Experience that our Armed Forces deserve.”
Download the report at https://sodexouki.info/FutureLivedExperience (registration required).
