Nearly 30,000 members of Britain’s armed forces are either unable to deploy or face medical restrictions that could prevent them from serving in frontline combat roles, according to figures presented to parliament.
The data underline growing concerns about the readiness of the UK’s military at a time when ministers have identified Russia and wider geopolitical instability as major threats to national security.
More than one in 10 members of the British Army’s 74,300-strong force are considered unable to deploy to frontline operations. The figures show that 7,652 soldiers would not currently be available for such deployment.
A further 10,624 personnel could potentially be deployed but have medical conditions that would prevent them from undertaking combat roles.
Combined with figures released in 2025 covering the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, the number of personnel facing either deployment restrictions or medical limitations rises by a further 11,413.
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The overall total suggests that almost 30,000 members of the armed forces face some form of restriction on their ability to participate fully in military operations.
Many of the medical issues relate to physical injuries, including broken bones and back problems. However, the data also include personnel experiencing mental health difficulties and alcohol-related problems.
Colonel Philip Ingram, a former military intelligence officer, described the figures as “staggering”.
He told The Sun: “Serious questions must be asked about who is responsible for this failure of leadership.”
The Ministry of Defence said it remained committed to supporting service personnel.
A spokesperson said: “We are committed to providing world-class medical treatment.”
The figures come amid a renewed political dispute over the level of resources committed to Britain’s armed forces.
They were published days after Rob Clarke, research director at the 878 Institute, criticised Chancellor John Healey over what he characterised as a retreat from his previous position on defence spending.
Mr Healey resigned as defence secretary in June after failing to secure the Treasury funding he believed was necessary for Britain to meet its future security commitments.
At the time, he had argued for a firm “headmark date” for defence spending to reach 3 per cent of gross domestic product by 2030.
However, after becoming chancellor in Andy Burnham’s government, Mr Healey is now expected to defer decisions on a further increase in defence spending until next year’s spending review.
Current projections suggest spending could reach approximately 2.7 per cent of GDP by 2030.
Mr Clarke said it was “very disappointing” that Mr Healey appeared to have abandoned the position that had prompted his resignation from the defence brief only months earlier.
“I think it’s very disappointing considering his rhetoric only three months ago he resigned on a point of principle,” he said.
“That principle now seems like it’s no longer a fact to play.”
Mr Clarke argued that Mr Healey’s previous experience at the Ministry of Defence had given him a direct understanding of the difficulties involved in securing additional resources from the Treasury.
“I think it’s very disturbing that this is happening only weeks into the new Burnham administration. We have another two and a half years of this at least.
“The Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) as an entity, as a body, simply don’t care. It is as simple as that.”
The readiness figures add another dimension to the debate over the future of Britain’s armed forces, which have faced sustained pressure from recruitment difficulties, personnel shortages and questions over the availability of equipment.
The government has argued that increased defence investment remains a priority and has committed Britain to meeting wider Nato spending targets. However, the gap between long-term ambitions and immediate military requirements has become an increasingly contentious issue.
For critics, the combination of thousands of medically restricted personnel and uncertainty over future defence funding raises questions about Britain’s ability to generate sufficient forces for a sustained conventional conflict.
The Ministry of Defence is likely to face further scrutiny over whether the figures reflect temporary medical issues that can be resolved through treatment and rehabilitation or deeper structural problems affecting the long-term readiness of the armed forces.
Either way, the data provide a stark measure of the challenge facing policymakers as they attempt to rebuild Britain’s military capacity while maintaining pressure on public spending elsewhere.
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