British Army Pay 2024: How Much Do Soldiers Really Take Home?

[@thesavvysquaddie]

Timecodes: 0:00 Intro 0:48 How does income tax (PAYE) work? 2:29 How does national insurance (NI) work? 3:55 How much is a British Army recruit paid in training? 5:13 How much does a British Army Private get paid? 5:42 How much does a British Army Lance Corporal get paid? 6:10 How much does a British Army Corporal get paid? 6:27 How much does a British Army Sergeant get paid? 6:51 How much does a British Army Staff Sergeant get paid? 7:14 How much does a British Army Warrant Officer Class 2 get paid? 7:32 How much does a British Army Warrant Officer Class 1 get paid? 7:57 How British Army Officer pay works. 8:09 How much is a British Army Officer Cadet paid in training? 8:28 How much does a British Army 2nd Lieutenant get paid? 8:47 How much does a British Army Lieutenant get paid? 9:06 How much does a British Army Captain get paid? 9:26 How much does a British Army Major get paid? 9:44 How much does a British Army Lieutenant Colonel get paid? 10:05 How much does a British Army Colonel get paid? 10:30 How much does a British Army Brigadier (1 Star) get paid? 10:57 How much does a British Army Major General (2 Star) get paid? 11:11 How much does a British Army Lieutenant General (3 Star) get paid? 11:29 How much does a British Army General (4 Star) get paid? 12:06 How much is the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) paid? 12:47 Some additional context and information 12:55 What is the median full-time income in the UK? 13:31 Total UK Government revenue for 2023. 13:53 How much tax does the top 1% of earners in the UK pay? 14:56 Final thoughts. 15:20 Outro

[@ChrisSweeney-n5o]

Accredited Docs regularly listen to you, it's great content. Advise all our medics to follow you too.

[@thesavvysquaddie]

Good to know. That's for the support. It means a lot.

[@dap786]

There are electricians earning more than senior officers? Mind blown. Pay is so low….

[@ryanredmond5559]

Benerfits outweight the cons we get the FHTB scheme cheaper housing plus LSA and OA allowances cheap food

[@thesavvysquaddie]

You'll find that once the value of the non-contributory pension is also included, the total remuneration is a lot more. But that's for a future video.

[@daniel117100]

Cheap housing if you don’t mind moving away from everyone you care about. And very little of anyone who has a pad will be eating scoff as it’s crap

[@historex54tamiya]

@thesavvysquaddie Wages are reflected though due to the pension, so we do contribute indirectly. I’m on AF75 and was always told this!

[@thesavvysquaddie]

Correct, it is factored in to our pay and pay awards when they come around but it's not the only consideration or only aspect they use to decide. But my point being, if you only look at the salary amounts and do not consider the value of the pension as well and how much is contributed each year into the 'pot' then people will not realise how good total remuneration actually is. Whether we directly or indirectly contribute to it is irrelevant when talking about total remuneration. Which was what my response was getting at. As an example, the MOD has this month alone contributed towards my pension over £2000. This information can be found in the depths of JPA. When total pension contributions are factored in from our pension scheme my £38k salary quickly turns into around £55k a year. Now, when shopping around on Civvie street for jobs, it's this number I need to keep in mind and not just my salary. Hope that makes sense. As I said, a future video will be coming out to explain all this.

[@marco-58]

Found my old Army payslips in the loft. In 1979 after 5 years service Net Monthly was £100.00.

[@gregnorth6413]

I saw an advert today for a "plastic" policeman/woman. £33K plus overtime. What an insult to our servicemen.

[@SnakePliskin762]

Difference is it's a non-contributary pension and you're not expected to stay at 25k in the army,whereas a c3po has nowhere to progress.

[@Madmedic6073]

My dad joined the RAMC back in 1965 and he told me that the pay was really bad but he joined because that was what he wanted I also joined the RAMC in 1987 and was on £12 a day while in training, but in training you could not spend anything so it soon added up….🇦🇲🇬🇧🇦🇲

[@kirati]

The additional content was what made it interesting for me. The one thing you missed but is not required is the pay scales for OCFR.

[@thesavvysquaddie]

This is something I will look to cover in the future. This video just focuses on the main pay tables and not the bespoke ones.

[@LukeySomeWhere]

You don’t join the military for the bad pay, you join for the experience

[@FreddieYoung-dz6wn]

Ive been waiting for this video :D

[@thesavvysquaddie]

Hope it's answered your questions.

[@johnthomson2542]

I’ve just subscribed today pal and watched your videos for a few years, I’m out now but the info and work you put out should honeslty be shown in phase 1 training. The detail you find and all the processes should defo be put out there, I was years down the line serving before I even knew I could claim for GYH etc and living in Scotland could have really done with it in the early days, I’m not in rig anymore but it’s just always good to see info like this put out to soldiers who might have no clue about what they can get from the military and all its actual benefits. Good work again 👏

[@SuperKanonier]

I joined in 1962 being paid £3.00 a week, before deductions. I left in 1986 daily rate of pay £35 before deductions.

[@notmenotme614]

As for the comments at the end regarding the top earners contribute more…. When somebody is getting paid £14,431 a month. Every month. They have a comfortable and safe lifestyle. So paying tax is no hardship for them, it’s not like that tax deduction is making any difference to their lifestyle or they’re going to struggle without that money. A General isn’t going to struggle paying his heating bill this winter. It’s like Amazon avoiding paying any tax when they have an income of $44,500,000,000 a year. Just how much money do they need? It would take a Private 1.7 million years to save up that amount. While someone who gets paid only £1,845 deductions will make a much bigger and more noticeable difference especially with bills to pay and the rising cost of living, there’s not much left over. A Private may have a wife and children to support on that pay.

[@MrJeffHead]

You have no idea

[@jconnor619]

Top video as always really opened my eyes to the good deal Toms are getting now. But still I hear recruitment is struggling across all 3 services.

[@dwightk.schrute5747]

hi, great video, really in depth. could you maybe do a video on the bespoke pay spines for vets, doctors, lawyers etc?

[@thesavvysquaddie]

That is certainly something I can look to do in the future.

[@renatosureal]

WHAT KIND OF ARMED FORCES are these !??!?!? A LT/CAP making same money as a CORPORAL ?!?!? 🤣🤣

[@parkoursomebody4906]

You missed one out. There is a 5 star rank above a 4 star general - Field Marshal. There are currently no generals promoted to this rank and it would most likely take either a full scale war or the country submitting to marshal law for it to happen and for then to only be 1, but for argument sake it does exist.

[@thesavvysquaddie]

The admission was intentional. As there is not one currently, there are no details about pay and therefore not really applicable to this video.

[@srednivashtar5432]

There are a number of reasons why it may take more than 35 qualifying years in order to be eligible for a full state pension (under current rules). In particular, anyone who was contracted out of the additional state pension (aka SERPS) before 2016, which includes the military, will likely require additional years to make up the shortfall.

[@kurt9837]

A lot of people still complaining about the pay? For the first time id say this is a decent wage for our troops. Would I still want more? Obviously, yes, but the pay along with the low cost of living on camp is a lot of disposable income.

[@SNOWDONTRYFAN]

Used to laugh back in the day, if one suddenly forgot his regimental number during pay parade , Pay and Pay book correct , Sir !

[@glynluff2595]

I remember in the early seventies that a corporal X trade in REME earned more than a basic captain. When asked why I did not wish to be an officer I said I preferred electronics as I was fed up with administration which I had years of prior to joining up. What is wrong with being an officer then asked the Captain? Well look at them they turn up once a month on the vehicle park shout and want things painted and have no idea that as an electronics expert you are in fact mending the kit that will keep them alive when the balloon goes up and want you to just mend their cheap sports car purchased under a fading street light. If they are still doing the same thing today I can understand why there is a recruitment problem and technically qualified people are leaving.

[@Andy-dg5st]

Great channel 😎

[@thesavvysquaddie]

Cheers, appreciate it.

[@davothefirst9371]

I wanna be a General or win Set For Life ......... Loving it ! Cannot wait .......!!!!

[@pooletrainboy]

Set for life is only 3.2 mil in total.

[@TheJon2442]

I disagree, the best rank is WO1..... And then Captain..... It's not the rank it's about competence! I have met some incredibly competent LCpls... Joined 76-19 retired...

[@thesavvysquaddie]

Haha perhaps I'm biased.

[@Ron-u1z]

Yes I'm in APS 75 and only 56 but due to bad health they are going to pay out early. Not mega as only did 9 years but it's not nothing either. Just cashed in my royal mail pension and lump sum also. Also get disability from forces so happy days. No more work for me. 😃

[@oakwildish3684]

good video

[@thesavvysquaddie]

Cheers, appreciate it.

[@MrAlexandre3213]

Im glad I left the army when I did .... Its mind boggling how little people get paid in the army ... In the UK anyone can make an easy 1k per week ... Even a labourer on a building site lol ...

[@ivrytwr3x]

Those tax figures are eye watering! This video and your Added Pension video has prompted a question. What about the old gits who are nearing the end of their service? AFPS75/15, some decent pay bumps, as you mentioned, have pushed some of us into the higher tax bracket. OR7-4, £51232 with only 2 years left to serve (potential for extensions or FTRS), is Added Pension still worth it and what monthly figures would be more tax efficient? Or if too direct ie you don't have time to look at individual cases, a more generic question would be, do you still advise Added Pension for those over the higher tax bracket and coming to the end of their service?

[@mrlnstrousden]

This is really helpful as a aspiring squaddie

[@thesavvysquaddie]

Glad it's helped.

[@paulroche95]

Keep away from army go raf or navy i done 9 years army then transfered navy abs it's so much better in all aspects, there's a reason so many are leaving army and it's not cause it's great haha

[@mrlnstrousden]

@@paulroche95 thanks mate noted.

[@roydavidlivermore4664]

It’s far better than when we were called up!

[@richardspalding3622]

Also try national service pay

[@roydavidlivermore4664]

@@richardspalding3622 It was NS pay I was thinking of !

[@roydavidlivermore4664]

@@richardspalding3622 Yes,and we did the same training and same jobs as regulars with much less pay.

[@normanboyes4983]

You only realise what a crap deal you get in the military when you leave. If you are averagely savvy you will earn double and work much less - unless you are ex RAF and you cannot possible work less than that.

[@pauldhartley]

What I think is missing is that if you work for the government, and the armes services are, then you don't really contribute to government income. The government pay your salary and get some of it back. Its only the private sector that make a new contribution to government income. What would be the percentage contribution of just the private income high earners.

[@pooletrainboy]

Would you say a ETF portfolio consisting of 1500 companies with 50% North America, 25% Europe excluding UK, 18% UK, 2% ROW, 1.6 % Japan and 1 % Asia excl Japan is too English Speaking/ depended? What is your regional breakdown if you don't mind?

[@timetraveller9321]

When I joined in 1980 the money was atrocious absolute crap, very low indeed and was barely living , was in Cyprus s d was getting £120 a month the mount taken off for credit and food and accomodation was too high for what was a wooden shed, I still think the money is a bit low, there are less dangerous jobs in civvy street

[@ryanredmond5559]

I cant wait till i get to battalion got 18 weeks left

[@thesavvysquaddie]

Good luck with the final bit of training.

[@garydonoghue4565]

Start the process of getting out as soon as you get there man.. inclusion and diversity are killing the job.. and the pay sucks

[@ryanredmond5559]

@@garydonoghue4565 🤷🏻‍♂️meh and do what in civvy street bored of min wage jobs

[@garydonoghue4565]

@@ryanredmond5559 why get a minimum paid job ?? If you bother your ass and get the qualifications.. college / school work experience.. get paid a solid wage and actually get respected by your piers.. the military will break you.. enjoy life travel. Do something that you can gain skills and show your full potential.. the army is bit that road

[@ryanredmond5559]

@@garydonoghue4565 mate i was kicked out of school with adhd i have a bricklaying qualification but im bored of it rather do a career in the army build a small pension and leave when i want to and start another career within public services

[@Liam_kpb]

I was recently chatting to my clerks as in a few increments I will be over the tax threshold (newly promoted SSgt, Supp 2). They were saying that once you reach the threshold you can avoid the tax increase by opting to pay anything over the threshold into your end of service lump sum, which sounds ideal if it’s true. Have you heard of that before?

[@thesavvysquaddie]

What I believe they are referring too is Added Pension. Out AFPS is non-contributory but we can opt to pay in some extra if you'd like which is tax efficient. I have a while video on the channel about Added Pension which should help. Check it out.

[@Liam_kpb]

Sorry should have checked to see if you had one, I’ll have a look now thank you. Keep up the good work 👍

[@johnfitton3716]

Should be tax exempt

[@richardspalding3622]

If they did not get that high salary to start with would that help?high salaries just put up inflation? Very interesting thanks

[@thesavvysquaddie]

High salaries don't put up inflation. A form of inflation though is wage price spiral which often occurs with pay increases. So, not just exclusive to high earners at that point.

[@dol0291]

So, when a Warrant Officer promotes to a Captain, his salary decreases? Or do the LE officers have different pay rise?

[@thesavvysquaddie]

LE officers or OCFR (officers commissioned from ranks) do have a separate bespoke pay spine. This video just covers the main pay tables which the majority of the Armed Forces are on. I will look to do another in the future to cover some of the bespoke pay ones. But a WO going the LE route will be paid more than a Captain who went straight to Sandhurst. The WO will not receive a pay decrease. If you are curious as to what the OCFR pay scale is, then check out the AFPRB 2024 report and it's towards the end of that.

[@Jeffybonbon]

Senior ranks will tell you they were king of the shit heap in the SGTS mess and most go to Major and get passed over Majority dont get to staff collage and you need that as an officer if you want to go further There are only two officers in the Regiment who have a chance of Col and above and thats the CO & Ajt the rest are marking time for a pension

[@underdirect1745]

The problem is working people are taxed too much no matter if you earn 16k a year or 300k a year you are still a 'working person' you still pay income tax. The person who has worked their way to General is still more in touch with the new recruit that is on day 1 of training getting their head shaved. Yes, we have a very progressive tax system - for working people. What about accumulated wealth which has been held by families for decades/ centuries. I am talking about the people that own the building that tesco's is in, the people that own massive warehouses the people that own debt. They don't pay tax on what they earn through assets because it's not 'income'. People have an incorrect perception on what 'wealth' is, people think the General or the CDS are mega-rich and 'wealthy'. Yes, the General and CDS are 'well-of' but they are more in touch to the new recruit than the person who has assets over £10 million pounds and earns at minimum 3% interest a year on that, so has a passive income of £300,000 and guess what pays 0% tax on that becomes it's not 'income'. The tax system is designed for working people only, but society has this notion that if you're not a working person you're a scrounger, no there is also the side of the 'non-working' people that have wealth which has been in their family for centuries.

[@Alex-u1r2i]

I wish I did invest/save when at AFC, but didn't😅 now I'm out I earn 27k a year as a security guard at a warehouse, mad to think I get more then the lads that are still in now when I sit on my arse all night doing 4 in 4 off and just watch cameras, I do think the military regardless of branch need to seriously boost the pay to retain guys and girls, no wonder so many get out P.s bring back the old pension too I'm sure that will keep folks in and help deal with retention

[@thesavvysquaddie]

I'm afraid they can't bring back the old pension. It had to change due to the finance act 2004 prohibiting the payment of pensions before the age of 55. So, we shall never see a pension like 75 again.

[@SnakePliskin762]

Difference is your not expected to stay at the bottom rung,you're expected to go up the chain and earn more to command those coming in below. Whereas as a guard that opportunity isn't there.

[@Alex-u1r2i]

@@SnakePliskin762 that's true but how long will it take to to get to that point, I got this job right off the bat from day 1 when that wouldn't happen in the military. I think more jobs/trades will become privatised similar to what I've seen in south Africa, the middle east and eastern Europe...if the military and police can't fill the gab then the private sector will

[@SnakePliskin762]

@@Alex-u1r2i its 25k from day 1 with a non contribution pension rolled in then lance jack should come in 2-3 years and each jump about 3-4 years apart after that. Roll in the other payments for being away etc.

[@booey28]

😂 yet they will still take off more

[@joodebritannia6345]

I want to earn the chief of defense staff pay grade 😂

[@thesavvysquaddie]

Don't we all? Haha. Takes quite a few decades to get to that point though

[@Jeffybonbon]

I did a short service commission But I knew from the beginning i would not be doing a regular commission I took what I could from the Army starting at Sandhurst some of the best training for life I did every course i could and again could not fault any of them Lived in some really nice officers messes Fantastic opportunity for sports ? Left with the rank of Captain I found Money was rubbish to be honest but the education was worth the low pay I now run a large property investment company and i make a lot more than i could have ever made in the ARMY But I fall back on so much the army taut me to manage and to achieve a goal The skills are transferable and i dont regret my five years in Green but i am very pleased i did not make it a long term life Sorry for punctuation or should i say lack of it but i am in a light aircraft traveling on business and its a nightmare typing this today I will say this if your stuck with the UK PAYE life you will never be wealthy the tax system is against you Best of Luck an old Rupert

[@TESTA-CC]

Your Paid Less Than a Sainsbury's Delivery Driver, FACTS! Don't Risk your life for a government that lets rubber dingys over and puts these people in 5 star hotels while your grand parents have there winter fuel bill taken away.

[@thesavvysquaddie]

How much is a Sainsbury's delivery driver paid?

[@garydonoghue4565]

I know right... work 5 days a week. No BS and in your own bed every night.. the military as become a joke. Why anyone would sacrifice their life or their potential to gain better and recognized qualifications on civvi street

[@JohnSmith-ei2pz]

It was wank in the raf and everyone was treated like pond life! At least I gained a trade and made good money in civvy street.

[@nicolajaynehodson9223]

@@thesavvysquaddie 12 -13 quid an hour

[@svxntt]

@@thesavvysquaddie 35K

[@OMT988]

Here's a question and maybe an idea for a video for you. I have recently retired(2022) after a full career (24 years). as such I have my pension but am waiting for the 'mc cloud' adjustment. As always there are rumours flying around. one Ive heard recently, was a guy got his adjustment figure through and it said his pension would increase by £60 per month...but he owed £2000 for an over payment made on his lump sum which would need repaying if he opts to change. now, I dont know if its actually true but, my understanding is the payment will be back dated. so by my maths (and if this applied to me) I would be owed roughly 24 months of £60 per month =£1440 so would only owe them £560 which would mean in 9 months(roughly) the over payment would be cleared. I am sure you agree, this all sounds like a scare tactic to try and stop people going back to the entitled 75 pension. But to my point, do you know, or have you got any way of finding out what is actually going on with the Mc cloud correction?

[@thesavvysquaddie]

I have a video on the 2015 Remedy on the KZbin channel here which can help explain it to you. It is true that if the choice you make sees a lower lump sum, then you will be required to repay the difference. If the monthly income is more then the previous option then it will be backdated too.

[@OMT988]

@@thesavvysquaddie ok, thanks...I'll take a look.

[@ancientmachine9070]

Such bad pay

[@thesavvysquaddie]

What do you think is a suitable amount?

[@underdirect1745]

@ancientmachine9070 Why don't you provide an alternate solution rather than just stating problems. Your resolution as a simpleton would probably be 'they should be paid more'.

[@ancientmachine9070]

@@underdirect1745 your mum

[@Mark-ib2st]

​@@underdirect1745 it's not a random guy on YT's job to provide 'solutions' for armed forces pay. Yes the pay structure is indeed horrific and the Armed forces a joke

[@underdirect1745]

@@Mark-ib2st It doesn't have to be someone's job in order to have an opinion on how to improve something. What's the point in just stating issues? Let's get into the mindset so I can try to understand it. So you're just sitting in your lounge drinking a tea and you think to yourself that the pay in the army is rubbish and then you end your thought process there? What's the point in that, why don't you continue thinking and come up with reasons as to why the pay is bad and then when you've come up with why it's bad why don't you then come up with how it could be improved? Just saying something is rubbish without saying why it's rubbish is useless to everyone. So let me ask you, why is the pay structure horrific and why is the Armed Forces a joke?

[@crawlmatth]

No we don't need a few high income earners...we need everyone to earn a reasonable wage to underwrite the tax burden! The system you advocate is one of doffing your cap and subservience....pathetic and expensive!

[@thesavvysquaddie]

I didn't really advocate for any system here. Just highlighted our dependence on high income earners and highlighted that having some more would be beneficial, which is true. Wasn't advocating for or against the system, just highlighting the current one we live in.

[@crawlmatth]

@@thesavvysquaddie but it isnt true..having more people with better salaries more generally is more beneficial...sod high earners...crap eletist broken system!

[@thesavvysquaddie]

In the current system we are in, high earners pay a higher proportion of the taxes. That is true. That is what I highlighted.