PTSD-Statistics

UK Armed Forces’ Veteran: Incidence of Trauma and PTSD

UK charity PTSD Resolution carries out research to further understand the nature and occurrence of trauma-related mental health problems experienced by UK Armed Forces’ Veterans, Reservists and their families. Their current survey on ‘The Veterans’ Mental Health Journey’ has already attracted some 500 responses.

The principal objective of the charity is to provide therapy for the relief of these problems through a network of 200 Human Givens-trained therapists and to carry out further research into the incidence of PTSD and the resolution of symptoms.

PTSD Resolution is now approaching 3,000 referrals to date (2020). Of these, 78% of cases reported an improvement in symptoms where the client and therapist agreed that no further therapy was required. Please see the PTSD Resolution 10 year Impact Report.

Question 1: How many veterans are there in the UK?
 
Answer: 2.4 million in England, Scotland and Wales. An estimated 115,000 in Northern Ireland
It is projected that in 2028 there will be approximately 1.6 million UK Armed Forces veterans residing in Great Britain. 

References:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/775151/20190107_Enclosure_1_Population_Projections_-_UK_Armed_Forces_Veterans_residing_in_Great_Britain_-_2016_to_2028.pdf

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/874821/6.6409_CO_Armed-Forces_Veterans-Factsheet_v9_web.pdf

https://www.fim-trust.org/wp-content/uploads/current-future-needs-veterans-northern-ireland.pdf

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/774937/20190128_-_APS_2017_Statistical_Bulletin_-_OS.pdf
(useful fact sheet covering many aspects of veterans’ population characteristics)

Question 2.: What is the incidence of PTSD amongst UK veterans? By number and as a percentage of all veterans?

Answer: 186,110 UK - 7.4%

https://www.forces.net/news/ptsd-rates-rise-among-uk-military (2014)

Question 3: What percentage of those who experienced combat have PTSD, as compared with those who did not?

Answer: 6% vs 4%

https://www.centreformentalhealth.org.uk/veterans-mental-health-key-facts

But King's College Study (September 2018) shows PTSD in 17%  of veterans who had been in a combat role (other useful statistics in this study)

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/kcmhr/publications/assetfiles/2018/kcmhr-admmh-factsheet-sept2018.pdf


Question 4: What are the costs of providing PTSD treatment for UK Veterans? What is the total cost to society (including for example from job loss, family breakdown)?  

Answer: The only study found: LSE 2005.  Doesn’t give an actual figure…” The paper concludes that the quality of life and resource consequences of PTSD require a better understanding of the economics of the disorder and the alternative ways to treat it.”
Some references at the end of the paper which may be useful.

http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/329/1/J_T_Stress_16-5.pdf

Tackling serious stress in veterans and their families and carers, approximately £4.6 million: Armed Forces Covenant Grant Programme May 2015-2020

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/854400/6.6025_MOD_Covenant_Annual_Report_2019_Accessible.pdf

Question 5:  What are the costs of PTSD treatment for the UK population? What is the total cost to society?

Answer: See The Economic Burden of PTSD. A brief review of salient literature – Queens University Belfast

https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/181776919/ijpmh_raft1003.pdf

Economic Cost of PTSD in Northern Ireland £172 million

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jts.22008

Question 6:  How many veterans are in prison?

Answer: 2,032

Percentage of the Veteran population that is in prison - 0.84%
Percentage of the prison population who are Forces Veterans - 4%

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/750708/ex-service-personnel-prison-population-2018.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/former-members-of-the-armed-forces-and-the-criminal-justice-system

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/offender-management-statistics-quarterly-april-to-june-2020

Question 7:  How much does the Government spend on mental health care for Forces Veterans? What is the spend per head?

Answer:  £10 million (Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report 2019)

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/854400/6.6025_MOD_Covenant_Annual_Report_2019_Accessible.pdf

“Less than £10 million” per annum Veteran-specific mental health services – February 2019
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmdfence/813/813.pdf

A useful overview of incidence and effects of mental health in Armed forces in Defence Select Committee report, July 2018, including additional citations – no cost listed

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmdfence/813/813.pdf

Question 8:  Who in the UK Government is currently responsible for the mental welfare of forces veterans?

Answer: Office for Veterans Affairs in the Cabinet Office responsible for raising awareness of veterans in all government policies, and coordination across Whitehall.

Veterans UK – part of MOD, ultimately SofS is responsible although the immediate ministerial responsibility rests with the Minister for Veterans, Johnny Mercer MP (ex-forces) (parliamentary undersecretary of state at MOD) MP for Plymouth Moor –www.gov.uk/government/ministers

Please note: this desktop data results from research carried out by the charity as a service to researchers and others with an interest in UK Veterans’ mental health. We take no responsibility to the authenticity or correctness of the data.

For data on the treatment and therapeutic results for the charity
PTSD Resolution please see the PTSD Resolution Impact Report.

Please email us for further information.