New study highlights the long-term needs of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines community

How can we meet the needs of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines community? First and foremost, by better understanding these needs.

A major new study, commissioned by Greenwich Hospital and conducted by RAND Europe, offers deep insights into the lives of Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel and their families. These findings will shape the support available to this community from now through to 2040.

Meeting the Needs of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Community Research

The research highlights several challenges faced by serving personnel and veterans, which we have also encountered in our work with Armed Forces babies, children, and young people:

• Separation due to deployments, operational unpredictability and the growing prevalence of “weekending”
• Partners report higher levels of loneliness and poor mental wellbeing, especially when living away from Naval bases
• Families with younger children and those with additional needs particularly feel the strain during deployments, with significant challenges around childcare
• The transition to civilian life can be difficult for some, with heightened risks around mental health, employment and financial security

While resilience and self-reliance remain strengths of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines community, these qualities can also delay help-seeking, with support often accessed only at crisis point.

The findings stress the need for early intervention to prevent pressures from escalating, particularly in the areas of mental health, financial security, employment and family relationships, emphasising the interconnectedness of many of these challenges.

In response, Greenwich Hospital is collaborating with Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) to develop a sustainable funding strategy through to 2040. Together with Naval charitable partners, this unprecedented and detailed understanding of the Royal Navy community is enabling the sector to address the report’s recommendations and enhance support delivery. By integrating the findings with financial modelling undertaken by EY, Greenwich Hospital will establish a robust, long-term funding profile for the sector.

Deirdre Mills, Director of Greenwich Hospital, said:

“This research allows us to move beyond headline numbers to understand the true lived experience of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines community. Alongside financial modelling, it provides a firm foundation for Greenwich Hospital and its partners to deliver relevant, responsive and sustainable support now and into the future.”

Thanks to our strategic partnership with Greenwich Hospital, Forces Children Scotland has a role to play in delivering support that will make a difference in the long-term. We are encouraged by this forward-thinking leadership and glad to be part of the solution for Royal Navy and Royal Marines parents and children.

Read the report