Revealed: Numbers of disabled veterans living in Portsmouth, Gosport, Fareham and Havant in last census

Thousands of disabled veterans were living in the Portsmouth area in 2021

This week is Armed Forces Week – a chance to show support for serving and retired military personnel.

Figures from the 2021 census provide rich detail of the living conditions of veterans across England and Wales.

Office for National Statistics data shows 2,717 veterans were classified as disabled under the Equalities Act in Portsmouth – defined as a physical or mental impairment that hinders their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.

This represents 30% of the 9,170 veterans living in the area when the census was carried out in March 2021.

Higher rates of disability may be explained by the older age profile of former servicepeople, given many will have been conscripted through national service, which ended in 1960.

In Portsmouth, 48% of veterans were aged 65 or older, compared to just 15% among the wider population of the area.

Angela Kitching, a director at the Royal British Legion, said: ‘With more than half a million disabled veterans in England and Wales alone, it is crucial that people in the Armed Forces community who have served and sacrificed for their country receive help and support.

‘The UK Government needs to ensure it prioritises funding for social care now and in the future and provides tailored care for veterans with illness or injury, so they can have the best possible quality of life.’

There were 2,223 veterans classified as disabled in Gosport, 27% of the 8,341 living in the area in March 2021. Of those, 47% were aged 65 or older, compared to 21% among the wider population of the area.

In Fareham, there were 2,228 veterans classified as disabled (25% of the 8,782). Of those, 53% were aged 65 or older (24%).

And in Havant, 2,172 veterans were classified as disabled (30% of the 7,333). There, 59% were aged 65 or older (24%).

Across England and Wales, there were 567,000 disabled veterans as of 2021 – representing just under a third of all former servicepeople.

Meanwhile, just under 5% of the 67,000 people in prisons and detention centres had previously served in the armed forces.

A spokesperson for the Cabinet Office said: ‘We are committed to ensuring that our veterans are supported throughout every stage in their lives, whatever their individual needs.’