Sixth Annual Resettlement Report

The report covers the 2003/2004 financial year (1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004), and it shows how far resettlement has come during the 10 years following the implementation of ‘Options for Change’

The report covers the 2003/2004 financial year (1 April 2003 to 31 March 2004), and it shows how far resettlement has come during the 10 years following the implementation of ‘Options for Change’. Many of the measures mentioned and even highlighted for action did not exist and were hardly imagined back in the mid-1990s, while statistics consisted of a few anecdotes and wild guesses. Today’s generation of Service leavers are infinitely better off than their predecessors, for whom a resettlement interview might consist of, ‘Good luck, I’m going too.’

Anyone serving over five years is eligible for the full Career Transition Partnership (CTP) package, while people serving over three years but less than five can receive the job-finding service only. From 1 April 2004, the system has also catered for what are called Early Service Leavers – people who leave during training or who are compulsorily discharged from the trained strength. They have hitherto received no resettlement help, but are now interviewed and pointed towards government agencies and charities that can provide further help. During 2003/04, resettlement figures were:

- total leavers24,090

- total trained leavers 17,090

- total untrained leavers 7,000

- eligible for full service 10,810

- eligible for job finding 2,730

- compulsory discharges3,410

- leavers from trained strength who did not serve three years 140

So, nearly 80 per cent of trained (56 per cent of total) Service leavers were eligible for CTP services, with most of the rest being compulsory discharges. (Early Service Leavers would have comprised 43 per cent of the total outflow if the scheme had been operating last year.) Of the trained strength, 63 per cent were eligible for the full CTP service with 16 per cent eligible for job-finding help. The overall take-up rate has fallen to 80 per cent from a record high of 87 per cent last year.

Of the 10,810 people eligible for the full service, 8,280 (77 per cent) took it up. Thirteen per cent of the people eligible for the full service opted for job finding only, so 10 per cent (1,080) of them did not access the system. Of those eligible only for job finding, 1,100 (40 per cent) took it up. Therefore 2,770 people out of 13,540 (just 20 per cent) who were eligible to take up some part of the CTP resettlement provision chose not to or were unable to do so. They appear to have been aware of their options, judging from the numbers of preliminary registrations received, but did not proceed further.

The percentage take-up rates above are marginally higher for the full service in comparison with the previous year but significantly lower for job finding only. Indeed, full service registrations were the highest to date since the first year of the contract.

However, the take-up rate of Service leavers only eligible for job finding is just 40 per cent, well down on last year’s 68 per cent figure. Therefore, nearly 60 per cent of Service leavers who have completed between three and five years’ service did not take up services for which they were eligible.

The length of service remaining at the time of registration for the CTP is also cause for concern. Service leavers should have at least nine months to serve. RAF Service leavers register, on average, significantly earlier than do the other two Services; possibly because they receive group briefings two years before discharge. However, 40 per cent of junior NCOs in the RN, and officers and junior NCOs in the Army register for CTP services with less than six months until discharge. This may be at least partly due to operational pressures.

Good news is that Service leaver success in gaining employment is consistently high. As far as can be established, rates hover around 95 per cent of leavers finding jobs within six months of leaving, but some of them cannot be contacted once they start a new career. However, the average salary of ex-Service people in their first employment is nearly £4,000 below the national average, with senior NCOs generally taking a significant drop in pay. Very little is known about pay rates for ex-Service people downstream from discharge, although it is likely that around 30 per cent of them change jobs within six months.

Some Service leavers registering for the full service opted for interviews rather than a Career Transition Workshop (CTW), possibly due to a reluctance to use up graduated resettlement time (GRT) that could otherwise be used for training. To counter this, CTWs no longer count against GRT.

Despite a heavy round of operations that must affect the ability of at least some Service leavers to prepare, the 95 per cent employment figure has held remarkably steady. The resettlement facilities available easily beat civilian norms and the vast majority of people use them to the full. With a new contract due to start in autumn 2005 and Armed Forces personnel cuts still to be clarified, the challenge continues.