Results from the 2023 Armed Forces Continuous Attitude Survey (AFCAS) are now available.
The annual AFCAS is one of the main ways to gather information on the views and experiences of personnel. The information from this survey helps shape policies for training, support, and the terms and conditions of service.
Highlights:
- Satisfaction with Service life in general has fallen for the second year in a row
- Attitudes towards financial related aspects of Service life continue to decline
- Satisfaction with some aspects of Service Family Accommodation has fallen considerably since 2022
Pensions:
The report states:
“Overall satisfaction with pension benefits has fallen slightly this year to 41%, returning to the level reported in 2021. Satisfaction levels amongst Royal Navy, Army and RAF personnel are fairly similar, with Royal Marines personnel the least satisfied with their pension benefits, at 27%“
Our Comments:
The graph at Section 5 shows the stats, and you will notice the commissioned/non-commissioned divide which remains significant.
A drop of 2% from 43% to 41% satisfaction from last year is not surprising during the current financial landscape. And of course, there are the frustrations with the AFPS 15 Remedy implementation, which will have an impact on these figures, and you can read our sitrep on that here.
These results really do emphasise the importance for all serving personnel to get to know the benefits and complexities of their Armed Forces Pension – AFPS 15 in particular – so that they can fully understand their pension choices, and make the best decisions going forward.
Do you know the key benefits if AFPS15? Read them here.
