Return to civilian life costs UK £100m a year

THE struggles of soldiers, sailors and airmen to return to civilian life cost the UK more than £100 million a year, a charity has estimated as it called for more to be done to ease the transition.

Unemployment, family breakdowns and harmful drinking associated with difficulties in leaving the forces and finding work outside added up to about £105million in 2017, according to the Forces in Mind Trust. It stressed most make a successful transition but said more help was needed for others.

Its Transition Mapping Study estimated that family breakdowns accounted for 27 per cent of the total costs; common mental health disorders and PTSD accounted for 23 per cent; drinking for 19 per cent and unemployment for 15 per cent.

A total of 16,545 people left the Armed Forces in the most recent financial year.