British Army is rejecting over 200 recruits a day despite troop numbers falling to their lowest since the Napoleonic era

In 2024-25, nearly 74,000 aspiring soldiers were turned away — a rise of 20,000 on the previous year — even as the army falls around 4,000 troops short of its own target and Russian threats against Britain grow. Medical rejections accounted for more than 32,000 of those turned away, covering conditions ranging from psoriasis to diabetes, while 360 candidates were still barred over tattoos or piercings despite rules being loosened more than a decade ago. Applications topped 162,000 — a year-on-year increase of more than 40 per cent — yet annual intake remains well below the 11,000 recruits needed to maintain strength.

A cap restricting foreign enlistment to 1,350 a year meant that nearly 22,000 Commonwealth applicants were turned down.

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge accused Labour of kicking plans for higher troop numbers 'into the long grass' as Russian threats ramp up daily.

Britain's full-time trained strength stands at just 75,000 soldiers — the lowest figure since the Napoleonic era.