New opinion polling suggests that young people may be more receptive to a year of national service than is sometimes assumed. And a separate poll published today suggests that support for higher defence spending has significantly increased, yet half of the adults surveyed would not personally fight in a war for Britain.
A survey conducted by Focaldata for the US-based organisation With Honor found that 60% of 18–24-year-olds would like to participate in a year of service if eligible, compared with 32% who would not.
The survey involved 2,176 adults in Great Britain and was conducted between 10 and 14 September 2026. The findings have attracted renewed media attention this week. Focaldata
Military or civilian service?
An important distinction is that the proposed programme would not be confined to the Armed Forces. Participants could undertake paid work with charities, community organisations, emergency services or the military.
The polling also explored a programme providing a year's full-time work, payment at the real living wage, training, mentoring and a recognised qualification.
It would therefore be misleading to interpret the findings as showing that 60% of young people would volunteer for military service, still less that they favour compulsory military conscription. The Daily Brit
Opportunities and practical realities
The Government has already announced plans for voluntary short-term military service opportunities for young people through its Armed Forces Foundation Scheme.
Such opportunities may help introduce young people to military life and provide useful experience, whether or not participants subsequently pursue military careers.
However, successful schemes require appropriate resources and training capacity. Short-term participation must complement, rather than compete with, the Armed Forces' principal recruitment and operational requirements.
The new polling is an encouraging indication of young people's willingness to contribute to society. The challenge is to provide worthwhile opportunities – and to distinguish expressions of interest from firm commitments to serve.
Further information: Focaldata – survey details and polling tables
Separate Ipsos poll – willingness to defend Britain
A separate Ipsos survey published on 14 October 2026 found that 48% of British adults said there were no circumstances in which they would be willing to take up arms and go to war for Britain, while 36% said there were circumstances in which they would. These findings were broadly unchanged from earlier polling. The survey of 1,090 adults aged 18–75 also found that 51% supported increased defence spending – a significant increase from 28% in 2022 – while 75% supported higher spending where it generated jobs and apprenticeships. Ipsos
It is striking that 48% of those surveyed said there are no circumstances where they would be willing to take up arms and go to war for Britain, yet there is significantly increased support for higher defence spending. "Unwillingness to fight" could, however, be for a range of reasons and the survey did include people in their 70s, not all of whom might feel physically able to contribute.
Although the findings might initially appear to contrast with the Focaldata research, the questions address quite different issues. Willingness to undertake a year of voluntary, paid national service – potentially in a civilian organisation – is not the same as willingness to fight in a war. Nor should the attitudes of the adult population as a whole be taken as representative of younger people. Indeed, earlier Ipsos research found that 42% of 18–34-year-olds said there were circumstances in which they would take up arms, compared with 28% of those aged 35–54. Both surveys provide useful evidence about public attitudes, but neither establishes how many people would actually volunteer for military service.