An economic analysis of the impact of UK Armed Forces reservists and veterans on the labour market

There are approximately 755,800 veterans and 30,000 volunteer reservists employed in the UK labour market. While some existing data suggests that veterans and reservists are economically active at similar levels to the wider civilian population, the nature and patterns of economic activity can differ. Despite growing attention on veterans’ and reservists’ employment outcomes in the UK, there are significant gaps in understanding the nature and impact of veterans’ and reservists’ participation in the UK labour market. Additionally, there is a poor understanding of the positive contributions veterans and reservists bring to the workplace and to the UK economy, as opposed to the challenges and barriers they may face in civilian employment.

This research aims to inform policymakers and stakeholders about the value of reservists and veterans in the workforce through the provision of both qualitative and quantitative insights.  The study will also offer recommendations for further research and practical actions to better support reservists and veterans in achieving meaningful employment.

This mixed methods research project will first conduct a literature review to identify relevant evidence on the participation of reservists and veterans in the labour market, drawing on recent evidence from the Five Eyes countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States). In addition, interviews with key stakeholders will provide qualitative insights into the skills, experiences and contributions of reservists and veterans in the labour market. This research will also conduce regression analysis on national datasets to better understand the employment characteristics of veterans and provide a comparison with their civilian counterparts. 

This research aims to address six key questions:

What skills and qualifications do reservists and veterans bring to the labour market?
How has reservist and veteran employment evolved over time, particularly in response to changing economic conditions?
What is the economic impact of reservists in the labour market?
What is the economic impact of veterans in the labour market?
What are the barriers and facilitators to successful employment for reservists and veterans?
What is the scale and nature of underemployment among reservists and veterans?

This research will be limited to stakeholder interviews and will not include participant interviews.