Britain's young people will be able to experience military service through a "gap year" Foundation Scheme set to launch in 2026, the government has announced. Early next year, the first wave of around 150 participants will open for recruitment. Young people under 25 will be offered a paid year of training in the Armed Forces across the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. 

Launching in March, the scheme will offer young people training courses to set them up for success in either military or civilian life. It also serves as a route into a career in the Armed Forces. Over time, the aim is to grow the scheme to over 1,000 young people "subject to interest".

It forms part of the government's drive towards a "whole of society" approach to defence – a key theme of this year's Strategic Defence Review.

Defence Secretary, John Healey said: "This gap year scheme will give Britain's young people a taste of the incredible skills and training on offer across the Army, Royal Navy and RAF. It's part of our determination to reconnect society with our forces, and drive a whole of society approach to our nation's defence."

The announcement follows a "rallying cry" from the head of the Armed Forces, Sir Richard Knighton, who has set out the need for a whole-nation response to an increasingly volatile and uncertain world. Earlier this month, during his speech at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), Sir Richard Knighton said military readiness is a priority because the nation's armed forces always need to be "ready to fight and win".

He said: "It's about our defence and resilience being a higher national priority for all of us. An 'all-in' mentality."

The scheme is informed by the success of the Australian Defence Force's ADF Gap Year scheme, which was cited in the UK government's Strategic Defence Review as an "exciting model from which to learn" and has been running for over a decade. Similar initiatives have launched elsewhere in Europe, with countries like France and Germany recently introducing programs aimed at increasing young voluntary national service.

The program is aimed at school leavers and young adults under 25, who may be unsure about their future career path. Initially operating as a pilot, the scheme is expected to scale and increase capacity, offering the experience of life in the Armed Forces without a commitment beyond the course. Participants in the proposed gap-year program would not be sent on active operations.

Earlier this year, polling produced exclusively for the Express showed that only 30% of people would be willing to fight if Britain was attacked.