Armed Services (Ex-Military Personnel or Veterans)

Veteran Population Profile

• There were 13,303 people who had previously served in the UK armed forces in Wirral in 2021, 5.1% of the population aged 16 years and over. This is just over 1 in 20 people aged 16 years and over in Wirral. This was higher than any local authority within Cheshire and Merseyside, as well as the North West (3.8%) and England (3.8%).
• The Ward with the highest estimated proportion of armed forces veterans was Pensby and Thingwall (6.2%, n=671). In terms of absolute numbers, however, Leasowe and Moreton East had the highest number (n=699).
• The distribution of veterans was consistent with the overall resident population across deprivation quintiles and deciles in Wirral. In terms of absolute numbers, however, Quintile 1 had the highest number (n=3,956). This is 29.8% of all the armed forces veterans in Wirral. Quintile 3 had the fewest number of veterans (n=1,462). This was 11.0% of the total number of armed forces veterans.
• According to the 2021 Census the majority of armed forces veterans in Wirral were male (87.3%).
  In total, two-thirds of all armed forces veterans within Wirral (66.6%, n=8,859) were male and aged 50 and over.

Health and Disability

• Armed forces veterans were more likely than non-veterans to report poorer health in Wirral. In total, 13.0% of veterans reported being in very bad or bad health, compared to 8.5% of the non-veteran population.
• When accounting for age and sex, male veterans aged 65+ were more likely to be in very bad (5.1% compared to 3.4%) or bad health (14.1% compared to 10.2%) compared to non-veteran males aged 65+.
• Armed forces veterans were more likely than non-veterans to report disability in Wirral. In total, 34.4% of veterans reported being disabled a little or a lot, compared to 25.2% of the non-veteran population (aged 16+).
• When accounting for age and sex, male veterans aged 65+ were more likely to be disabled a lot (25.9% compared to 18.8%) or a little (20.7% compared to 18.1%) compared to non-veteran males aged 65+.

Social Circumstances

• Armed forces veterans were more likely to live alone compared to non-veterans when accounting for age and sex. In total, 1 in 4 veterans live alone (26.5%). This compares to almost 1 in 5 (18.8%) non-veterans in Wirral.
• Almost 1 in 3 (32.7%) veteran males aged 65 and over were living alone. This compares to 1 in 4 (25.3%) non-veteran males aged 65 and over.
• There was no notable difference between the proportion of the armed forces veterans and non-veterans when it comes to caring responsibilities within Wirral. There were 13.0% of armed forces veterans who provide any form of unpaid care identified in the 2021 Census. This compares to 12.6% of the non-veteran population.

Economic Activity

• Armed forces veterans were more likely to be economically inactive compared to non-veterans. Given the older age profile of veterans in Wirral, almost half were retired (47.6%).

Cheshire and Merseyside's Health Needs Assessment for Ex-Armed Forces personnel and their families (March 2013)

Screening military veterans for anxiety and depression in primary care (May 2021)

• This briefing is reproduced from an article in the Journal of General Practice Nursing in April 2021. 

• The aim of the project was to identify military veterans in one primary care centre, screen them for anxiety and depression, and offer them the most appropriate treatment and support.

• The work highlights local work to support the health needs of Wirral residents as military veterans.

• This article first appeared in the Journal of General Practice Nursing. To cite: Hurst H, Hardy S (2021) Screening military veterans for anxiety and depression. J General Practice Nurs 7(1): 61–4. 

Wirral JSNA Survey of AMMO veterans (2015)

• This short report outlines the survey results provided by the Wirral based All Military Members Organisation or AMMO in April 2015.

• This was an opportunity for ex-service personnel and veterans, living or accessing support in Wirral, to provide their insight into issues they see as affecting their lives.

• It is hoped this will increase awareness for people, groups and organisations across the borough. There were 12 responses to the survey through the individual survey submissions during April 2015. 

Armed Service Veterans: population estimates for Wirral (2017) 
From Armed Services Veterans: population estimates for Wirral (as of October 2017)

• There were an estimated 14,600 veterans living in Wirral in 2017, with around 7,500 aged under 65

• Of those aged over 65, the majority is made up of the cohort of men obliged to complete National Service (around 7,000 in Wirral)

• These ex-armed forces personnel numbers are likely to reduce significantly during the next 5 to 10 years

• National estimates indicate that of Wirral’s total veteran population of 14,600, around 1,500 will probably be female

• 40% of military veterans aged 16-64 had a health problem lasting or expected to last longer than 12 months compared to 35% of the general population in the UK aged 16-64

• Using estimates is not ideal, as it may not take into account regional or local variation in rates of sign-up to the forces (due to regimental or service branch ties with certain areas for example). It is however, necessary, as definite information on the total number of veterans in the community is still lacking, both in the NHS and elsewhere