Britain’s armed forces must receive a pay rise to protect recruitment, the defence minister, Tobias Ellwood, has said.
Such a move would cost hundreds of millions of pounds over several years, with the minister suggesting the UK would need to spend more than 2.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) to cover pay rises, as well as new jets, warships and other equipment.
The independent body that advises the government on pay for members of the army, navy and air force has provided its recommendations for the 2018-19 pay round. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said an announcement would be made in due course, but the Times reported on Monday that the armed forces pay review body had recommended an increase of about 3%.
The government announced in September that it was lifting the 1% public sector pay cap, which had been in place since 2010. However, an announcement on armed forces pay was delayed.
Ellwood told the Times that while people did not join the armed forces for the money, pay must not become a reason “as to why they would be deterred from it”.
The former army captain said: “There needs to be a pay rise. We have still got to conclude the defence modernisation programme but you would need to move north of 2.5% to make any of this work, if you want to retain the same defence posture given the dangers, the complexities of the world that we face.”
Ellwood has previously suggested the armed forces should receive funding on a par with the National Health Service.
The most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show the UK spent 9.8% of GDP on healthcare in 2016.
On Friday, the defence secretary said Britain must continue to invest in its conventional armed forces if it was to deter aggressors such as a resurgent Russia.
Gavin Williamson said investing in the military was about “making sure things do not happen”.
The MoD is said to be facing a budgetary shortfall of £21bn over the next decade.
Malcolm Chalmers, the deputy director general of the Royal United Services Institute, said a 3% increase would cost around £200m a year.
If the chancellor, Philip Hammond, declined to give the MoD more money to pay for increased salaries it would have to come from the department’s budget.