More than a thousand people living in Watford are veterans of the UK armed forces, figures have revealed.

For the first time, the 2021 England and Wales census respondents were asked whether they had previously served in the UK armed.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show 1,562 people in Watford said they were a veteran at the time of the census – 2% of residents aged 16 and over.

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Of them, 1,112 had served in the regular UK armed forces and 375 as a reserve.

Across England and Wales, 1.9 million people (3.8%) said they had previously served in the regular armed forces, reserve forces, or both, at the time of the census.

Around 37,000 (2%) of them lived in communal establishments – which can include student halls of residence, an armed forces base, hospital or care home – while the vast majority lived in households.

In Watford, 25 veterans (​2%) were in communal establishments last year, and 1,537 (98%) were in households.

Charles Byrne, director general of the Royal British Legion, said: “It will surprise many people to learn that, until today, nobody knew exactly how many veterans there were in England and Wales or where they lived.”

He added the data will "transform" understanding of the veteran population.

Watford Observer: Across England and Wales, 1.9 million people (3.8%) said they had previously served in the regular armed forces, reserve forces, or both, at the time of the census.Across England and Wales, 1.9 million people (3.8%) said they had previously served in the regular armed forces, reserve forces, or both, at the time of the census. (Image: Radar and Pixabay)

The ONS said better information on the veteran population will help service providers and others to support veterans, in line with the Armed Forces Covenant – a promise from the nation to treat veterans and their families fairly.

National statistician Sir Ian Diamond said: “For the first time our data is able to show the vast scale of our armed forces community, which is vital information to help direct support and services where they are needed most.

“Perhaps unsurprisingly a large proportion of our veterans live or are located near military establishments, suggesting they tend to stay in the same areas after they have left service.”

A survey was also launched by the ONS and the Office for Veterans’ Affairs to collect feedback from veterans across the UK.

Sir Diamond said: “Responses to the survey will help us better understand the experiences, needs and wellbeing of our veteran community and to guide future action."

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