The specifics of the 2026/27 pay award remain unconfirmed, but the Defence Secretary has pledged that "any award will be backdated to the start of the Armed Forces pay year on 1 April 2026."
What We Know
The government initiated the 2026/27 pay round ahead of schedule to prevent delays affecting prior announcements. Current projections indicate compensation growth somewhere between 3.2% and 3.5%, building on the 4.5% raise granted during 2025/26.
A confirmed 3.8% increase for Armed Forces pensions took effect in April 2026, calculated using CPI data from September 2025. This is separate from the pay award and was confirmed earlier.
What Happens Next
The Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB) will submit its recommendations to ministers, who can accept, partially accept, or reject them. Historically, the government accepts the recommendation in full, but there have been exceptions.
Once confirmed, the award is implemented through JPA and backdated to April. We'll update this page as soon as the official figure is announced.
What This Means for You
If the award lands at the projected 3.2–3.5%, it will still beat the current CPI inflation rate. Combined with the pension increase already in place, it represents a continuation of the modest real-terms improvements seen since 2022.
Check back here, we'll publish the final figures, worked payslip examples by rank, and any changes to allowances as soon as the AFPRB report drops.
Update: the final award was 3.6%. Read the full breakdown.