Household reference people who served in the UK armed forces by council, Census 2021

Households of each of England's and Wales's 318 councils by household reference people who served in the UK armed forces, Census 2021, from the ONS Census API (its “Household Reference Person previously served in UK armed forces (5 categories)”).

Household reference person previously served in regular UK armed forces, highest: Wiltshire

18,956

Census Day, 21 March 2021

Verified against source, 30 October 2026, 11:50 UTC

Household reference people who served in the UK armed forces by council, Census 2021

Source: Office for National Statistics (Census 2021). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Data table

318 rows

Area	Does not apply	Household reference person previously served in regular UK armed forces	Household reference person previously served in reserve UK armed forces	Household reference person previously served in both regular and reserve UK armed forces	Household reference person has not previously served in regular or reserve UK armed forces
Wiltshire E06000054	28	18,956	2,694	1,113	192,289
Cornwall E06000052	29	18,006	2,961	997	228,542
North Yorkshire E06000065	31	17,617	3,239	961	252,533
Somerset E06000066	24	16,862	2,802	1,008	229,424
Dorset E06000059	15	13,943	2,270	840	152,194
County Durham E06000047	172	13,114	3,085	757	217,635
Plymouth E06000026	11	11,429	1,471	488	101,160
Leeds E08000035	27	11,404	3,293	686	326,056
East Riding of Yorkshire E06000011	5	10,288	2,147	632	138,994
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole E06000058	15	9,726	1,697	568	161,834
Birmingham E08000025	87	9,397	3,116	544	410,312
Buckinghamshire E06000060	19	8,504	2,175	519	209,109
Shropshire E06000051	16	8,465	1,834	519	128,745
Northumberland E06000057	93	8,433	2,503	613	135,279
Doncaster E08000017	12	7,726	1,413	388	123,941
Cheshire West and Chester E06000050	7	7,474	1,941	465	145,270
Sheffield E08000019 its area before 1 April 2025	54	7,417	2,250	414	221,816
North Northamptonshire E06000061	16	7,393	1,404	377	139,728
Cheshire East E06000049	10	7,341	1,860	450	165,195
West Northamptonshire E06000062	11	7,335	1,562	440	163,292
Bradford E08000032	29	7,229	1,644	405	200,561
Wirral E08000015	11	7,132	2,338	477	133,296
Cumberland E06000063	5	7,096	1,444	431	116,449
East Suffolk E07000244	84	6,944	1,340	404	101,975
Kirklees E08000034	24	6,828	1,643	383	169,111
Wakefield E08000036	11	6,747	1,419	425	144,472
North Kesteven E07000139	3	6,338	601	252	43,795
Sunderland E08000024	3	6,093	1,558	397	114,126
Liverpool E08000012	39	6,025	2,874	449	198,104
Wigan E08000010	17	5,907	1,330	321	135,530
Sefton E08000014	9	5,751	1,965	382	114,966
Swindon E06000030	6	5,722	931	323	88,880
Portsmouth E06000044	13	5,713	869	268	79,292
Kingston upon Hull, City of E06000010	18	5,646	1,635	438	107,735
Fareham E07000087	1	5,621	669	213	42,135
North Somerset E06000024	34	5,619	1,130	337	87,528
Herefordshire, County of E06000019	28	5,599	1,153	383	75,664
Gosport E07000088	0	5,416	453	209	29,844
South Kesteven E07000141	5	5,331	697	296	56,521
South Gloucestershire E06000025	22	5,305	1,430	333	111,010
New Forest E07000091	14	5,252	990	358	70,952
East Lindsey E07000137	9	5,185	724	287	58,551
Westmorland and Furness E06000064	12	5,085	1,225	279	96,929
East Devon E07000040	7	5,075	875	290	60,543
Barnsley E08000016 its area before 1 April 2025	6	5,024	951	249	101,823
Huntingdonshire E07000011	20	4,943	746	226	70,945
Central Bedfordshire E06000056	4	4,935	1,192	270	114,354
Medway E06000035	6	4,916	1,103	325	105,107
Dudley E08000027	32	4,915	1,222	272	130,627
Bristol, City of E06000023	12	4,902	1,728	332	184,664
Rotherham E08000018	4	4,841	1,138	280	107,663
North Lincolnshire E06000013	6	4,723	748	276	67,420
Rhondda Cynon Taf W06000016	7	4,692	904	271	97,465
Stockton-on-Tees E06000004	5	4,654	1,108	243	77,746
Breckland E07000143	5	4,619	708	245	54,782
Telford and Wrekin E06000020	7	4,602	987	291	70,623
Havant E07000090	4	4,597	616	237	48,135
Arun E07000224	7	4,554	812	261	67,026
Stockport E08000007	9	4,534	1,251	281	120,572
Swansea W06000011	9	4,493	1,320	299	98,842
King's Lynn and West Norfolk E07000146	8	4,486	744	278	61,948
Stoke-on-Trent E06000021	78	4,469	1,000	231	104,621
North Tyneside E08000022	4	4,445	1,870	344	89,568
North East Lincolnshire E06000012	7	4,426	659	215	64,519
Colchester E07000071	2	4,350	806	265	74,288
Cardiff W06000015	111	4,350	1,566	306	141,000
York E06000014	26	4,280	957	248	79,948
Isle of Wight E06000046	8	4,234	848	231	59,454
Bolton E08000001	18	4,231	1,058	195	113,288
Redcar and Cleveland E06000003	5	4,226	848	241	56,318
Torbay E06000027	9	4,184	715	192	57,893
Newcastle upon Tyne E08000021	24	4,175	1,881	358	116,360
Teignbridge E07000045	36	4,107	701	225	54,768
Basingstoke and Deane E07000084	12	4,078	734	237	71,584
West Suffolk E07000245	246	4,071	785	229	73,413
Peterborough E06000031	62	4,054	689	201	79,526
Carmarthenshire W06000010	10	4,051	950	265	76,483
Coventry E08000026	20	3,971	1,046	233	128,870
Derby E06000015	15	3,954	967	242	100,474
Flintshire W06000005	7	3,923	870	219	61,891
Tameside E08000008	8	3,882	936	220	94,481
Calderdale E08000033	17	3,877	832	209	85,541
Tendring E07000076	114	3,876	731	241	62,487
Test Valley E07000093	5	3,874	623	224	49,982
Broadland E07000144	13	3,874	651	174	53,051
Warrington E06000007	25	3,848	1,027	207	85,428
Manchester E08000003	65	3,823	1,409	239	209,195
Walsall E08000030	12	3,819	957	240	107,197
Gateshead E08000037	7	3,811	1,455	233	83,493
Milton Keynes E06000042	12	3,656	904	183	108,347
Southampton E06000045	13	3,650	886	204	97,538
St. Helens E08000013	4	3,616	970	190	76,231
West Lindsey E07000142	3	3,615	516	189	38,024
Bromley E09000006	8	3,609	1,227	228	130,753
Stafford E07000197	9	3,608	649	211	55,571
Nottingham E06000018	22	3,580	1,161	255	119,727
East Hampshire E07000085	3	3,563	679	196	48,277
Caerphilly W06000018	35	3,543	903	252	71,524
Blackpool E06000009	9	3,534	631	172	60,443
North Norfolk E07000147	70	3,523	606	190	43,986
Wealden E07000065	8	3,519	863	242	63,634
South Norfolk E07000149	12	3,503	621	186	57,059
Thanet E07000114	9	3,464	651	189	57,887
South Tyneside E08000023	17	3,461	1,161	280	63,368
Bridgend W06000013	2	3,449	595	146	58,169
Pembrokeshire W06000009	15	3,448	664	202	51,155
Solihull E08000029	10	3,428	878	193	84,975
Dover E07000108	12	3,412	566	183	46,375
Chichester E07000225	10	3,359	651	148	49,950
Oldham E08000004	14	3,352	820	171	88,783
Sandwell E08000028	17	3,349	908	204	125,768
Bath and North East Somerset E06000022	4	3,344	862	204	74,836
Salford E08000006	11	3,338	942	191	110,634
Vale of Glamorgan W06000014	173	3,337	755	192	52,991
Powys W06000023	7	3,325	666	233	55,952
Rochdale E08000005	48	3,306	730	202	85,937
Rushmoor E07000092	2	3,265	391	138	35,508
Darlington E06000005	0	3,249	570	199	44,900
Conwy W06000003	9	3,240	686	192	48,108
Maidstone E07000110	1	3,214	739	198	67,054
Wyre E07000128	6	3,195	580	163	46,823
Winchester E07000094	7	3,191	626	207	47,684
Lancaster E07000121	6	3,183	686	176	55,929
West Oxfordshire E07000181	3	3,166	469	147	44,196
Eastleigh E07000086	1	3,162	688	171	52,902
West Berkshire E06000037	16	3,153	795	201	62,493
Wolverhampton E08000031	20	3,085	912	194	100,930
Gloucester E07000081	7	3,083	558	181	51,578
Folkestone and Hythe E07000112	38	3,077	600	180	44,440
Cherwell E07000177	7	3,077	670	207	61,933
Newark and Sherwood E07000175	0	3,054	572	192	49,513
South Hams E07000044	9	3,025	513	126	35,662
Brighton and Hove E06000043	28	3,017	911	196	117,252
Canterbury E07000106	10	3,009	642	202	59,929
Vale of White Horse E07000180	52	3,006	635	163	53,642
Tewkesbury E07000083	25	2,972	438	159	37,334
Charnwood E07000130	4	2,972	695	180	69,934
Trafford E08000009	9	2,969	913	147	92,231
Wychavon E07000238	6	2,968	658	196	53,525
South Oxfordshire E07000179	11	2,964	695	184	57,643
Bassetlaw E07000171	9	2,947	558	175	47,769
Horsham E07000227	7	2,923	768	203	58,470
North Devon E07000043	5	2,908	467	147	39,669
Wrexham W06000006	9	2,904	618	164	54,219
Neath Port Talbot W06000012	0	2,903	723	183	58,566
Havering E09000016	7	2,874	819	142	97,438
Newport W06000022	4	2,865	808	171	62,205
Bury E08000002	14	2,843	771	167	76,900
Ashford E07000105	1	2,825	614	161	49,983
Lincoln E07000138	4	2,823	483	150	39,047
Stroud E07000082	7	2,810	585	159	48,817
South Holland E07000140	11	2,803	360	148	37,381
Stratford-on-Avon E07000221	3	2,795	668	206	55,792
Mid Suffolk E07000203	4	2,791	520	175	40,853
Southend-on-Sea E06000033	10	2,779	757	152	74,646
Halton E06000006	66	2,761	815	200	52,109
Bexley E09000004	6	2,748	814	154	91,577
Bedford E06000055	4	2,738	668	135	71,405
Swale E07000113	2	2,728	607	166	56,992
Fenland E07000010	1	2,709	436	159	40,780
Nuneaton and Bedworth E07000219	0	2,697	501	139	53,249
South Cambridgeshire E07000012	100	2,683	691	176	63,346
Cotswold E07000079	5	2,663	493	152	37,285
Braintree E07000067	4	2,646	677	171	61,488
Wokingham E06000041	14	2,631	668	156	65,695
Ipswich E07000202	9	2,628	548	167	56,156
Middlesbrough E06000002	8	2,601	696	158	56,799
Mid Sussex E07000228	7	2,582	760	179	59,821
Hillingdon E09000017	12	2,580	732	134	105,768
Chelmsford E07000070	2	2,578	774	186	71,862
Cheltenham E07000078	7	2,570	562	165	49,594
Fylde E07000119	6	2,563	443	143	34,451
Croydon E09000008	26	2,534	996	163	149,227
Ashfield E07000170	16	2,524	530	158	51,281
Exeter E07000041	7	2,522	503	166	49,357
Great Yarmouth E07000145	16	2,521	408	117	41,481
Knowsley E08000011	17	2,511	1,083	170	62,292
South Ribble E07000126	1	2,488	534	127	45,436
Rother E07000064	9	2,483	553	162	38,895
Waverley E07000216	3	2,473	619	154	49,199
Newcastle-under-Lyme E07000195	6	2,445	511	140	50,321
Basildon E07000066	98	2,438	625	130	73,071
Leicester E06000016	17	2,429	717	161	124,062
Erewash E07000036	3	2,429	541	145	47,216
Gwynedd W06000002	11	2,405	560	126	48,003
Denbighshire W06000004	20	2,396	528	172	39,271
Amber Valley E07000032	17	2,395	502	136	53,227
Eastbourne E07000061	1	2,373	519	138	42,580
Monmouthshire W06000021	9	2,371	539	179	37,826
Hinckley and Bosworth E07000132	4	2,354	476	135	46,477
Mansfield E07000174	6	2,351	461	131	45,081
Hart E07000089	0	2,340	444	129	37,051
Chorley E07000118	2	2,339	505	131	47,152
Forest of Dean E07000080	0	2,335	428	136	34,320
Hartlepool E06000001	6	2,325	457	122	38,020
Norwich E07000148	85	2,324	487	98	61,465
Greenwich E09000011	6	2,309	715	101	110,923
Windsor and Maidenhead E06000040	6	2,291	588	136	57,912
East Staffordshire E07000193	1	2,280	496	132	48,384
Tonbridge and Malling E07000115	2	2,275	644	152	50,498
Chesterfield E07000034	1	2,248	407	118	45,285
Worthing E07000229	2	2,244	530	138	46,625
Babergh E07000200	4	2,232	471	149	37,345
Preston E07000123	8	2,230	519	108	56,742
West Lancashire E07000127	10	2,228	662	138	45,495
Broxtowe E07000172	11	2,224	478	141	45,506
Dacorum E07000096	12	2,213	622	122	60,443
Gedling E07000173	1	2,203	590	130	48,626
Bracknell Forest E06000036	6	2,196	504	136	47,406
Lewes E07000063	2	2,194	543	143	40,804
Guildford E07000209	9	2,182	605	142	52,823
Warwick E07000222	3	2,171	568	119	59,760
South Staffordshire E07000196	2	2,163	496	131	43,325
Rushcliffe E07000176	5	2,162	579	122	47,015
Wyre Forest E07000239	20	2,141	476	138	42,547
Lichfield E07000194	3	2,140	473	119	42,896
North East Derbyshire E07000038	1	2,116	420	115	43,335
Mid Devon E07000042	3	2,107	403	145	32,975
Blackburn with Darwen E06000008	11	2,056	454	106	56,140
North West Leicestershire E07000134	7	2,035	417	112	42,402
Rugby E07000220	6	2,010	531	109	44,358
Reading E06000038	7	2,009	496	127	65,043
South Derbyshire E07000039	11	2,008	522	115	42,584
Torfaen W06000020	11	1,999	585	152	37,494
Reigate and Banstead E07000211	6	1,994	645	139	57,066
West Devon E07000047	2	1,993	319	133	22,372
Cannock Chase E07000192	7	1,985	420	127	40,918
North Hertfordshire E07000099	76	1,978	561	139	53,977
Isle of Anglesey W06000001	3	1,956	327	95	28,441
Worcester E07000237	2	1,945	498	124	42,153
Torridge E07000046	2	1,942	376	104	28,033
Staffordshire Moorlands E07000198	7	1,941	407	143	39,857
Barnet E09000003	17	1,937	758	111	146,094
East Hertfordshire E07000242	22	1,928	567	106	59,398
Malvern Hills E07000235	0	1,904	433	159	32,396
Sevenoaks E07000111	5	1,895	544	105	46,464
Surrey Heath E07000214	1	1,875	390	109	33,634
Sutton E09000029	7	1,870	676	113	79,683
Blaby E07000129	5	1,865	415	107	40,183
East Cambridgeshire E07000009	3	1,829	345	109	34,917
Thurrock E06000034	7	1,817	552	105	63,899
Harborough E07000131	4	1,806	418	111	38,075
Burnley E07000117	6	1,798	316	93	37,659
Tunbridge Wells E07000116	5	1,797	530	107	45,786
Wandsworth E09000032	10	1,787	1,006	131	134,459
Hounslow E09000018	13	1,782	544	118	100,504
Richmond upon Thames E09000027	13	1,779	736	119	78,058
Bromsgrove E07000234	1	1,734	460	81	38,989
High Peak E07000037	1	1,699	450	115	38,507
Luton E06000032	11	1,698	496	94	76,643
Elmbridge E07000207	14	1,688	591	112	53,185
Boston E07000136	5	1,678	252	98	27,371
Enfield E09000010	20	1,657	616	111	118,519
Bolsover E07000033	2	1,614	346	107	33,193
Hastings E07000062	0	1,612	432	97	38,311
St Albans E07000240	9	1,593	551	89	56,748
Pendle E07000122	6	1,568	265	89	36,140
Mole Valley E07000210	4	1,552	450	79	35,054
Castle Point E07000069	2	1,537	389	105	35,355
Rochford E07000075	0	1,514	383	89	33,572
Epping Forest E07000072	1	1,512	451	62	52,531
Hyndburn E07000120	8	1,509	304	70	32,899
Crawley E07000226	8	1,507	373	102	43,512
Tamworth E07000199	1	1,506	311	86	30,991
Uttlesford E07000077	0	1,474	424	87	34,970
Spelthorne E07000213	10	1,471	331	89	39,904
Rutland E06000017	1	1,465	189	68	14,971
Melton E07000133	4	1,465	274	86	20,770
Ealing E09000009	26	1,462	630	95	131,446
Redditch E07000236	1	1,433	359	105	34,480
Merton E09000024	15	1,426	549	93	79,646
Derbyshire Dales E07000035	3	1,421	326	90	30,443
Welwyn Hatfield E07000241	2	1,419	405	84	44,299
Adur E07000223	0	1,409	332	95	25,842
Redbridge E09000026	13	1,392	556	71	101,681
Woking E07000217	17	1,370	340	83	39,627
Gravesham E07000109	2	1,367	347	96	39,912
Harrow E09000015	8	1,356	451	72	87,755
Ceredigion W06000008	0	1,343	358	112	29,080
Lewisham E09000023	14	1,333	635	83	120,327
Rossendale E07000125	11	1,331	280	85	28,854
Kingston upon Thames E09000021	12	1,329	493	85	63,707
Tandridge E07000215	2	1,300	448	108	33,765
Stevenage E07000243	1	1,299	267	62	34,882
Dartford E07000107	2	1,286	362	80	43,966
Blaenau Gwent W06000019	25	1,258	301	56	28,700
Lambeth E09000022	8	1,240	762	71	132,607
North Warwickshire E07000218	1	1,230	248	73	26,028
Cambridge E07000008	11	1,209	351	59	50,839
Waltham Forest E09000031	7	1,199	522	61	101,112
Ribble Valley E07000124	0	1,195	259	69	25,224
Runnymede E07000212	1	1,194	318	62	33,261
Southwark E09000028	17	1,189	711	59	128,842
Oxford E07000178	17	1,175	391	89	53,566
Maldon E07000074	0	1,161	322	65	26,352
Three Rivers E07000102	4	1,149	301	73	35,331
Harlow E07000073	5	1,104	287	60	36,398
Merthyr Tydfil W06000024	73	1,091	225	58	24,338
Barking and Dagenham E09000002	17	1,082	413	52	72,337
Hertsmere E07000098	5	1,068	337	69	41,203
Broxbourne E07000095	9	1,048	309	60	38,424
Brentwood E07000068	1	1,021	321	76	30,920
Hammersmith and Fulham E09000013	25	1,021	546	71	79,581
Westminster E09000033	44	1,021	534	72	93,147
Oadby and Wigston E07000135	2	974	203	58	21,380
Brent E09000005	19	909	405	46	117,231
Kensington and Chelsea E09000020	26	908	401	55	65,494
Camden E09000007	19	897	399	49	91,397
Epsom and Ewell E07000208	0	862	290	77	30,093
Newham E09000025	23	849	412	41	114,178
Watford E07000103	5	844	246	57	38,477
Tower Hamlets E09000030	19	813	480	45	119,182
Slough E06000039	5	794	273	30	51,321
Haringey E09000014	16	778	432	39	103,825
Islington E09000019	14	740	427	45	95,270
Hackney E09000012	36	658	422	53	104,912
City of London E09000001	0	65	44	5	4,800
Isles of Scilly E06000053	1	61	12	1	867
Barnsley E08000038	given for its area before 1 April 2025, under E08000016	given for its area before 1 April 2025, under E08000016	given for its area before 1 April 2025, under E08000016	given for its area before 1 April 2025, under E08000016	given for its area before 1 April 2025, under E08000016
Sheffield E08000039	given for its area before 1 April 2025, under E08000019	given for its area before 1 April 2025, under E08000019	given for its area before 1 April 2025, under E08000019	given for its area before 1 April 2025, under E08000019	given for its area before 1 April 2025, under E08000019

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Household reference person previously served in regular UK armed forces · 316 areas, each shaded by the fifth of the areas its figure falls in

61 to 1,612
1,612 to 2,340
2,340 to 3,083
3,083 to 4,350
4,350 to 19k

Boundaries: Council boundaries, May 2026, from the geography spine. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

Source and licence

Publisher

Office for National Statistics (Census 2021)

Check it yourself

https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/create

Licence

Open Government Licence v3.0 – Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Retrieved

30 October 2026, 11:44 UTC

Raw files fetched

https://api.beta.ons.gov.uk/v1/population-types/HH/census-observations?area-type=ltla23&dimensions=hh_hrp_veteranSHA-256 a8adaae9977a28dd1a4c62adbfc7a3cd66461accd9107fb3a9332ff0f67e2afd · 601,669 bytes
https://api.beta.ons.gov.uk/v1/population-types/HH/dimensions?limit=500SHA-256 1d975dc4aefd42401ab90f911470590ac63e6faea9e8fd6f81b555127037b6d3 · 27,052 bytes

Verification

Verified against source, 30 October 2026, 11:50 UTC Run at 30 October 2026, 11:50 UTC; 1590 of 1590 figures matched the live source.

Result	Check	Detail
Pass	Provenance recorded	Office for National Statistics (Census 2021); Open Government Licence v3.0; retrieved 2026-10-30T11:44:17Z; 2 raw file(s)
Pass	Raw files match recorded SHA-256	2 of 2 files intact
Pass	Re-parsing raw files reproduces figures	1590 of 1590 figures and the headline reproduced
Pass	Figures are finite numbers	1590 figures, 0 invalid
Pass	Live source matches every figure	1590 of 1590 figures match exactly after downloading 2 source file(s) again (2 byte-identical); the headline matches
Pass	The ONS's answer for England and for Wales agrees	in 10 of 10 cells (a category in a nation) the councils sum to the nation's count at https://api.beta.ons.gov.uk/v1/population-types/HH/census-observations?area-type=ctry&dimensions=hh_hrp_veteran within twice the square root of the councils summed (1 exactly; the largest gap 0.43 of its limit), the Census's cell-by-cell perturbation
Pass	Source page answers	https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/create – HTTP 200

Notes

Census Day was the 21st of March 2021. The ONS perturbs every count slightly to protect privacy, each cell on its own, so a council's categories can add up to a total a few people different from one topic to another, and its councils add up to England's and Wales's counts only within a few dozen.
By council as the ONS's Census API gives them, its lower-tier local authorities of 2023, with Barnsley's and Sheffield's figures under the codes they had until the 1st of April 2025, as the API gives them. Scotland's and Northern Ireland's censuses are separate, so their councils are not here.
Every council's categories together count all its households, “Does not apply” those the question was not asked of.
The ONS's description of the topic, “Household Reference Person previously served in UK armed forces (5 categories)”: Identifies whether the Household Reference Person (HRP) in a household has previously served in the UK armed forces. This includes those who have served for at least one day in armed Forces, either regular, reserves or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations. Households are classified by if they were in the regular or reserved UK armed forces, both or neither.
The ONS's quality statement: Take care when comparing characteristics of UK armed forces veterans and non-veterans, as veterans are mainly male and older. Not adjusting for this fact can lead to misinterpretation, as variables such as health strongly relate to age and sex.