Haythornthwaite Review into Armed Forces Incentivisation

At Capita Defence we specialise in talent acquisition, training, and talent management, ensuring that the British Army, Royal Navy, and Royal Marines are staffed by skilled and prepared personnel. For over 12 years, we’ve partnered with the UK Armed Forces and industry to deliver essential programmes, and as a major employer of veterans, we bring a well-informed perspective on the Armed Forces’ approach to supporting their personnel, both during their service and in life after the military.

The importance of “people” was a central theme in last year’s well received Haythornthwaite Review into Armed Forces Incentivisation (HRAFI), which focused on new initiatives to incentivise UK Armed Forces personnel. Many of the recommendations align closely with Capita’s work within the Armed Forces and Defence sectors. In our Defence Annual Review 2023-24 we explored several of the recommendations, highlighting the essential need to make the ‘people proposition’ central to the future of our Armed Forces. The government’s priorities reflect this with the Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon John Healey MP, recently saying ‘the Government are putting people at the heart of our defence plans.’[1]

We feel it is essential to maintain momentum on adopting the changes highlighted in the Review and with the change of government we are hopeful that the new administration will take forward the recommendations. Our understanding is that the MoD will respond formally in due course, aligning with the considerations of the wider Strategic Defence Review. We encourage the MoD to build on the progress made, particularly around three key recommendations from the Haythornthwaite Review which we see the implications of everyday, in the work Capita delivers for the MoD.

1. Increased flexibility for personnel mobility – Offering greater freedom for service members to move between the Armed Forces, the Civil Service, and the private sector.
2. Adopting a new employment model – Introducing the Total Reward Approach, a new skills framework aimed at providing a more competitive and attractive incentivisation package.
3. Enhancing the digitisation of people management systems – Streamlining processes to remove bureaucratic hurdles and promote greater workforce agility, with a long-term aim of working towards a unified Armed Forces Act.

Focusing on these initiatives could demonstrate the MoD’s commitment to improving the quality of life and career satisfaction for Armed Forces personnel. This aligns with the plan to create the role of Armed Forces Commissioner (as I commented on when the Bill was introduced in Parliament recently) dedicated to improving service life for those that serve and their families, who collectively play such a crucial role in protecting the nation.

Skills for the Future of Defence

It was encouraging to see the Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey, recently acknowledging the need to fast-track tech-savvy recruits to match the growing need for cyber specialist roles as warfare becomes ever more complex and technical.

What was required of service members twelve years ago (when Capita started managing British Army recruitment) has changed and continues to do so. Cybersecurity and intelligence are prime examples of areas where the Armed Forces must compete with the private sector, which often provides more lucrative career options.

The ongoing recruitment efforts under the Recruiting Partnership Project (RPP), which recruits soldiers and officers into the British Army, are constantly tested by this challenging environment. The impact of a competitive jobs market was referenced in last year’s Capita-commissioned RUSI paper on the modernisation of defence training:

‘without the freedom to pay full commercial salaries and differentiate pay across the workforce to target the skills that are in short supply, the availability of extensive learning and development opportunities is and remains crucial for ensuring the armed forces have access to the skills they need.’[2]

We are clear in our recruitment campaigns that a career in the Armed Forces provides a unique, invaluable and highly rewarding role to every individual who joins and a holistic learning experience. We do recognise pay is important and this is something set by the MoD? and therefore like many other organisations welcome the recent increase to the starting Armed Forces salary, and the very recent announcement of the extension to those based abroad of a scheme helping service families in the UK pay for wraparound childcare. All of these and more are factors that could contribute to encouraging people to take up a career in the armed forces.

We at Capita, and I, are very proud of the work that we do as a strategic partner with the Ministry of Defence and the part that we play in contributing to our nation’s security.

[1] Armed Forces Commissioner Bill, Second Reading, 18th November, 2024

2 ‘Goodbye Mr Chips?’ Modernising Defence Training for the 21st Century.

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