CRIN’s new report reveals that veterans aged 16-19 have been three times as likely as same-age civilians from socially deprived backgrounds to end their lives. The Pressure Cooker: Child recruitment and suicide in the British armed forces looks at why such early enlistment heightens risk of mental ill-health.

[Content warning: This story discusses suicide and many types of mental health experiences including depression. If you need to talk to someone, please call the Samaritans on 116 123 - any time, any day.]

The recruitment of children from the age of 16 into British armed forces

The UK is highly unusual internationally in recruiting for its military from age 16, and unique in doing so in such large numbers. A quarter of the army’s intake is aged under 18; more new recruits are 16 than any other age. The policy endangers the rights, safety and welfare of children in the UK and holds back global efforts to end all recruitment of children for military purposes.

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child recently called on the UK government for the third time to make the transition to all-adult armed forces that recruit from age 18. The Committee had reviewed evidence of multiple allegations of abuse of young recruits in the British army, including sexual abuse.

A closer look at the mental health impact

In the last two decades, infantry recruits who joined up at 16 or 17 have been twice as likely as adult recruits to end their lives while in service. 56% of in-service infantry suicides have been of soldiers who joined up aged under 18.

Our report is the first to show why the UK’s military recruitment policy has such a heavy impact on suicide rates of young recruits. The research, based on official and academic sources, as well as accounts from affected individuals and families, finds that this policy compounds the vulnerability of young recruits so as to harm mental health. 

Disadvantaged backgrounds alone don’t explain the problem

In an earlier report, we revealed the UK military’s intentional focus on recruitment of young people from the most deprived backgrounds.

However, our new report shows that disadvantaged backgrounds alone do not explain the high suicide rate among recruits: suicide among armed forces veterans aged 16-19 has been three times as common as among the most deprived fifth of civilians in the same age group.

War is not the cause either

• Most of the youngest military personnel and veterans have not experienced war, so why is the risk so high in this age group?

  In adolescence, the brain is vulnerable to stress. When combined with a troubled childhood background and the stressful and abusive approach in military conditioning, the risk of harm to mental health is driven upwards. 

  Common experiences of abuse add to the load. CRIN’s report describes numerous allegations, some proven, of physical and sexual abuse by staff at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, which trains the UK’s youngest military recruits. Joe, who trained at the Army Foundation College at age 16 in 2013-14, described his experience to CRIN:

‘The recruits are looking for fights more and more. There’s no support from the corporals, no concern about our welfare, so fights start to happen – never for good reasons, just fights. And bullying is everywhere… I tell the people in the welfare office but they just say it’ll all be over soon, which is no help at all… So I fall off. For the first time I think about ending my life, taking a weapon when we’re on the range and firing shots in my head.’

Young veterans face even higher risk

A third of army recruits drop out of their training, which leaves them out of work and education. Difficulties readjusting to civilian life after early discharge can leave young veterans particularly vulnerable to suicide and mental ill-health. 

At age 16-19, young veterans are twice as likely as same-age serving soldiers, and three times as likely as same-age civilians, to end their lives.

Raise the recruitment age to 18

Our report has one recommendation: that the UK raise the minimum age for military recruitment to 18, in line with most of the rest of the world.

It would mean improved mental health outcomes for the 2,000+ or so 16- and 17-year-olds who are now enlisted every year in the UK. 

It would also mean that fewer young people end their lives.

The prospect of all-adult armed forces already enjoys widespread support in the UK. The Children’s Commissioners for the four UK nations and major children’s organisations, have all called for an end to the enlistment of under-18s, as have health professionals, faith groups, trade unions, and veterans.

Three-quarters of the public also now believe that enlistment should be reserved for adulthood, according to a 2022 YouGov poll. Raising the recruitment age would benefit everyone.

‘We are unusual in the UK in recruiting at age 16 for our armed services. In bringing new insight into the impact of early enlistment on mental health, this report merits wide and careful attention. The reader will appreciate why the age at which we recruit ought to be a live question.’

Lord Browne of Ladyton, former Secretary of State for Defence

‘This carefully researched and compelling report highlights the increased risk of suicide among young armed forces personnel and veterans compared with their peer groups in the general population. But this is not just a matter of numbers. Each death by suicide is a tragedy, with devastating long-term effects on whole families. Although it is tempting to blame such suicides on previous life events, such as childhood adversity, the robust evidence presented here shows clearly that the at times harsh nature of early military experience, including training, increases substantially the likelihood of this catastrophic outcome.’

Dr Katharine Campbell, author and neuroscientist

‘I believe the policy of recruiting for military service from age 16 is due a review. This report highlights some alarming themes, particularly the risks of mental illness as well as suicide in young personnel and veterans, some of whom might already be vulnerable prior to joining the military. While recruitment from age 16 continues, careful oversight of the policy is extremely important, as are proper care and supervision. The training environment should be nurturing, where physical, verbal and sexual threats, bullying and abuse have no place. Regulations governing recruits' conditions of service should also be nurturing and not stifling of young people's options. Staff should be accountable at all times.’

Prof. Walter Busuttil, Consultant Psychiatrist, Director of Research and Training at Combat Stress, and Visiting Professor of King’s College, London

Learn more about CRIN’s Campaign to end military recruitment of under-18s in the UK