UK military to recruit autism, ADHD-affected personnel to diversify skill sets within forces

The UK military is mulling expanding its scope of recruitment by hiring more neurodiverse people including those suffering from autism as well as raising the age cap to broader the range of skills within forces.

Andrew Murrison, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence People, in an interview with Financial Times, said that the British army, navy and air force need to adopt a more “flexible” attitude to bridge the gaps in hiring engineers, chefs and psychiatrists.

“I’m not happy with recruitment and I’m not happy with retention,” he said while assuring that the situation is not “disastrous.”

The full-time strength of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force is well below target.

Murrison recommends allowing older staff to continue serving in the army. He said, “As the workforce ages, as we compete for available talent, I think we have to look at hard cut-offs for service personnel.”

However, keeping in mind the standard of the armed forces, any personnel will need to undergo a “detailed assessment” to prove their fitness. “There is “no philosophical barrier as to why we couldn’t look at extending the age of retirement,” he said.

Meanwhile, the British armed forces already have some neurodivergent individuals including those with dyslexia and dyspraxia. Murrison said that he wants to expand the recruitment to individuals with autism Asperger’s and ADHD, who may “have skills and attributes which other people do not have”.