Poll Reveals Widespread Distrust in UK's Military Preparedness

Exclusive polling has revealed a stark lack of confidence among Britons regarding the nation's readiness for a potential conflict. Only a small fraction of the population, just 5%, believe the UK is "very well prepared." The findings come on the heels of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), which acknowledged that the country faces "multiple, direct threats" for the first time since the Cold War.

The One Poll survey of 2,000 people found that just over a quarter (26%) of respondents were confident in the country's preparedness, with 5% saying "very well prepared" and 21% saying "fairly well prepared." In contrast, a significant majority expressed a lack of confidence: 34% felt the country was "not very prepared," and a further 24% said it was "not prepared at all." This public perception highlights a deep-seated concern about the state of the UK's armed forces.

These results are particularly sobering in a week that saw a daring incursion by Russian forces into NATO territory, underscoring the urgent need for robust defence capabilities. The findings reflect decades of under-investment that have seen the British Army's troop numbers fall to their lowest levels since the Napoleonic Wars. The lack of crucial, mission-critical equipment has even forced some soldiers to resort to buying their own drones from Amazon to circumvent a slow and outdated military procurement process.

The Road to Reform

The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) laid bare the UK's military shortcomings and recommended a comprehensive set of measures to address them. Key recommendations include improving recruitment and retention, investing in military hardware and weaponry, and developing new command structures in cyber warfare and AI. The government has since pledged to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with an ambition to reach 3% in the next parliament. This marks the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.

Beyond this, NATO members have also agreed to a new, more ambitious defence spending target. While the previous goal was 2% of GDP, members now aim to spend 5% of GDP on defence by 2035, with 3.5% dedicated to conventional capabilities and 1.5% to defence-related projects such as cyber security and infrastructure. According to the latest data, all 32 NATO allies are expected to meet the 2% target in 2025, a first since the commitment was made in 2014. However, only Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia are currently on track to meet the new 3.5% target.

Recruitment and Retention Woes Persist

Recruitment and retention remain a major challenge for the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Despite new initiatives like improved housing, pay increases, and faster application times, the MOD lost more personnel than it recruited last year, though the net loss of 1,140 personnel in 2024/25 was a significant improvement on the 4,430 lost the previous year. The total size of the UK armed forces is now around 147,300, which is approximately 8,590 personnel below target.

In a bid to address the "workforce crisis" and boost domestic industry, the government has launched the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS). This strategy is designed to make defence an "engine for growth" by prioritizing British jobs and innovation. The DIS aims to reduce reliance on foreign partners for vital weaponry and create a more resilient UK industrial base capable of meeting the demands of a new era of threat.