Perceptions of UK armed forces ex-service personnel: On behalf of the Office for Veterans’ Affairs

Abstract: The Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) leads the UK Government’s effort in driving towards making the UK the best place in the world to be a veteran. Previous research with the general public shows that, while top-of-mind associations with ex-service personnel are likely to be positive, many believe that service leaves people in a worse mental, physical or emotional position than when they started 
serving. To that end, the OVA commissioned research to improve understanding around perceptions of UK armed forces (UKAF) ex-service personnel across the general public and employers which will help to inform and shape communication and policy initiatives. 
The findings in this report are based on two stages of research undertaken by YouGov – quantitative online surveys and qualitative focus groups and interviews.