Whilst there is now substantial evidence available on the experiences of the ex-Service community, there remains a lack of regular, national, comprehensive and comparable data on the wellbeing of working age ex-Service personnel and their families. This has made it challenging to understand the scale of need amongst the community as they transition from military to civilian life.

The project will begin by reviewing existing research and the different ways wellbeing is currently measured. The team will then work with former Service personnel, family members and organisations supporting the Armed Forces community to understand which aspects of wellbeing matter most to them.

Using this evidence, the project will recommend a consistent and practical way to measure wellbeing. It will look at what information is already being collected, identify important gaps and explore how existing surveys and data could be used more effectively.

The award follows a competitive tender process earlier in 2026. The project will run until May 2027.

Jon Franklin, Chief Economist at PBE, said:

“If we want to truly understand and improve wellbeing in the ex-Service community, we need to measure what matters to them.

We’re bringing together leading expertise in wellbeing measurement from PBE, State of Life and the London School of Economics to create a comprehensive, consistent measurement framework to monitor the wellbeing of the Armed Forces community.”

Michelle Alston, Chief Executive of Forces in Mind Trust, said:

“Having reliable evidence about the wellbeing of former Service personnel and their families is essential if support and policy are to reflect their needs.

This project will help build a clearer and more consistent picture of wellbeing of working age veterans and families. By improving the evidence available, we can better understand where needs exist, how they change over time, and where action can make the greatest difference.”