Official Statistics

Annex A to RESCAS 2025 main report: tri-service questionnaire items

Published 10 July 2025

1. Life in the Reserves

How satisfied are you with:

• Life in the [Service] Reserve in general [R001]

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied)

How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following?

• I am proud to be in the [Service] Reserve [R002]
• I feel motivated to the best job I can for the [Service] Reserve [R003]
• I would recommend joining the [Service] Reserve to others [R004]
• I feel a strong personal attachment to the [Service] Reserve [R166]
• The [Service] Reserve inspires me to do the best in my role [R167]
• The [Service] Reserve motivates me to help it achieve its objectives [R168]
• I think that the [Service] Reserve respects individual differences (e.g. cultures, working styles, backgrounds, ideas, etc.) [R153]

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree)

How does life in the [Service] Reserve compare with what you expected it to be when you first joined? [R075]

(Much better/ Better/ About the same/ Worse/ Much worse)

How long do you intend to stay in the [Service] Reserve? [R009]

(Less than 1 year/ 1-2 years/ 3-4 years/ 5-6 years/ 7 years plus/ Not sure)

2. Reasons for joining, staying and leaving the Reserves

What were your main reasons for joining the [Service] Reserves? (tick all that apply):

• To serve my country [R055]
• Interested in joining the Regulars in the future [R056]
• To do something different [R057]
• Reserve pay or bounty [R058]
• The courses/skills training on offer [R059]
• To develop my civilian career [R060]
• For excitement and adventure [R061]
• For the challenge [R062]
• Personal development [R063]
• The type of work [R064]
• To travel and experience new places [R065]
• To make a difference/do something worthwhile [R066]
• To go on exercise or be deployed [R067]
• For fitness and to do something active [R068]
• Career opportunities in the [Service] Reserve [R069]
• The experience of Service life [R070]
• To meet like-minded people/make new friends [R071]
• Former Regular and wanted to carry on serving in some capacity [R072]
• Recommended by friends, family or colleagues [R169]
• Other (please specify) [R073, R074 – text response only]

What are your main reasons for staying in the [Service] Reserves? (tick all that apply):

• To serve my country [R076]
• Interested in joining the Regulars in the future [R077]
• To do something different [R078]
• Reserve pay or bounty [R079]
• The courses/skills training on offer [R080]
• To develop my civilian career [R081]
• For excitement and adventure [R082]
• For the challenge [R083]
• Personal development [R084]
• The type of work [R085]
• To travel and experience new places [R086]
• To make a difference/do something worthwhile [R087]
• To go on exercise or be deployed [R088]
• For fitness and to do something active [R089]
• Career opportunities in the [Service] Reserve [R090]
• The experience of Service life [R091]
• The people, friends and camaraderie [R092]
• The prospect of improved Reserve Terms and Conditions in the future [R093]
• Other (please specify) [R094, R095 – text response only]

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION ONLY IF YOU PLAN TO LEAVE WITHIN THE NEXT YEAR. Thinking about your reasons for leaving, what has played a part in your decision? (tick all that apply):

• The money I receive from my Reserve service is insufficient [R096]
• I don’t want to be mobilised on operational tours [R097]
• Lack of opportunity to be mobilised on operational tours [R098]
• I was not happy with my role during my last operational tour [R099]
• Poor management and leadership [R100]
• I have received inadequate training [R101]
• I am not happy with the administrative support I receive [R102]
• Lack of opportunity for promotion [R103]
• Lack of opportunity to lead and command [R104]
• Lack of opportunity to develop technical skills [R105]
• Lack of challenge [R106]
• Too much time spent doing administration/JPA [R107]
• I want to join one of the Regular Services [R108]
• Personal or family pressures [R109]
• Work or employer pressures [R110]
• Bored with the [Service] Reserve [R111]
• Don’t like the way the Regulars treat me [R112]
• I’ll have reached the Reserves retirement age [R149]
• I don’t feel valued by the Service [R114]
• Health issues or pregnancy [R115]
• My civilian employer doesn’t support my Reserve service [R170]
• Other (please specify) [R116, R117 – text response only]

3. Pay, Allowances and Admin Support

How satisfied are you with the following?

• Your Reserve Service pay [R010]
• Your Annual Bounty [R011]
• Your Reserve Service expenses allowance (for travel etc.) [R012]
• The admin support within your unit [R013]

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied/ Don’t know/NA)

4. Kit and Equipment

How satisfied are you with the following?

• The availability of personal* equipment/kit you have to do your role [R015]
• The standard of personal* equipment/kit you have to do your role [R016]

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied/ Don’t know/NA)

*E.g. clothes, boots, personal weapon etc.

5. Mobilisation

Have you been mobilised as a Reservist? [R121]

(Yes/ No)

Have you been mobilised as a Reservist in the last 3 years? [R172]

(Yes/ No)

How satisfied are you with the following?

• The support you received from the [Service] when you were last mobilised [R020]
• The support your family received from the [Service] when you were last mobilised [R021]

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied/ Don’t know/NA)

6. Training

How satisfied are you with the following?

• The amount of training you have received for your current role [R022]
• The quality of training you have received for your current role [R023]
• The amount of leadership training you have received [R025]
• Your opportunity to take part in Adventurous Training [R026]

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied /Don’t know/NA)

7. Career Progression

How satisfied are you with the following?

• Your career management within your unit [R027]
• Your opportunities for personal development [R029]
• Your opportunities for promotion [R030]

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied / Don’t know/NA)

8. Perception of Reserves

As an [Service] Reservist, how strongly do you agree or disagree with the following?

• I feel valued by Regulars [R031]
• I feel valued by society [R032]

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree / Don’t know)

9. Family Support

How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following?

• My family supports my Reserve service [R125]
• My family values my Reserve service [R126]
• My family would prefer that I was not a Reservist [R127]

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree / Don’t know / NA)

10. Your Civilian Employment

What is your current civilian employment status (Where more than one option applies please choose the option that is most predominant to you) [R054]

(Not applicable - I am currently FTRS/ In full-time employment/ In part-time employment/ Self-employed/ Not in civilian employment – seeking civilian employment/ Not in civilian employment – not seeking civilian employment/ In full time education/personal development/ In part-time education/ Other (Please specify))

What type of organisation do you work for in your main civilian job (please tick one box only) [R043]

(Private sector organisation/company/ Public Sector Organisation/ Third Sector (Charity)/ Self-employed/ N/A – I don’t currently have a civilian job/ Other (Please specify))

How many employees work for your main civilian employer or for you if you are self-employed (please tick one box only) [R045]

(None/ Fewer than 10 employees/ 10-50 employees/ 51-250 employees/ More than 250 employees/ N/A – I don’t currently have a civilian job)

Is your main civilian employer aware that you are an [Service] Reservist? (Please tick one box only) [R046]

(Yes/ No/ Don’t know/ Self-employed/ N/A – I don’t currently have a civilian job)   ### How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following?

• My main civilian employer supports my Reserve service [R047]
• My main civilian employer values my Reserve service [R048]
• My main civilian employer would prefer that I was not a Reservist [R049]
• My civilian colleagues support my Reserve service [R050]
• Being a Reservist is good for my civilian career [R051]
• I use my civilian skills in the [Service] Reserve [R052]
• I use skills gained through my military experience in my civilian employment [R053]

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree/ Don’t know/ N/A)

Do you believe that you have been unreasonably disadvantaged in a civilian job as a result of your Reserve service in the last 12 months (e.g., missed bonus, missed pay increase, given lesser role, made redundant etc.)? [R123]

(Yes/ No/ Don’t know/ N/A)

If you believe that you have been unreasonably disadvantaged in a civilian job as a result of your Reserve service please tell us how.

(open comments box) [R124]

Do you believe that you have been advantaged in a civilian job as a result of your Reserve service in the last 12 months (e.g., new/improved role or promotion due to skills learned in the [Service], status for being in the [Service] etc.)? [R140]

(Yes/ No/ Don’t know/ N/A)

If you believe that you have been advantaged in a civilian job as a result of your Reserve service please tell us how.

(open comments box) [R141]

Has your employer signed the Armed Forces Covenant (AFC)? [R201]

(Yes/ No/ Don’t know)

11. Fairness as Work

How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding fairness and equality in the [Service] Reserve

• I am treated fairly by the [Service] compared to Regulars [R174]
• I am treated fairly in the [Service] Reserve [R175]

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree / Don’t know)

Do you feel that the [Service] Reserve discipline system is …? [R176]

(Very fair/ Fair/ Neither fair nor unfair/ Unfair/ Very unfair)

Do you believe you have been subject to any of the following in a Service environment in the last 12 months? (Tick all that apply)

• Bullying [R177]
• Discrimination [R178]
• Harassment [R179]
• None of the above [R180]

Did you make a formal written complaint within the last 12 months about this discrimination, harassment and/or bullying? [R181]

(Yes/ No)

If you did make a formal written complaint, how satisfied were you/are you with the outcome? [R182]

(Very Satisfied/ Satisfied/ Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied/ Dissatisfied/ Very Dissatisfied)

If you believe you have been subject to bullying, harassment, or discrimination in a Service environment in the last 12 months, in your opinion, has the issue been resolved? [R184]

(Yes/ No/ Don’t know/ Prefer not to say/ Not applicable)

Which of these best sums up your awareness of the Service Complaints Process? [R190]

(I’ve heard of it and know a lot about it, I’ve heard of it and know a little about it, I’ve heard of it but know nothing about it, I’ve never heard of it)

Which of these best sums up your awareness of the Service Complaints Ombudsman? [R191]

(I’ve heard of it and know a lot about it, I’ve heard of it and know a little about it, I’ve heard of it but know nothing about it, I’ve never heard of it)

12. About You

Are you: [R129]

• A trained Reservist (completed phase 2 training)
• An untrained Reservist (not completed phase 2 training)

(Army ask this question using 12 options in ‘What is your rank?’; the options above are therefore derived for Army).

When did you join the Volunteer Reserves? [R128]

(In the last 3 months/ 4-11 months ago/ 1-2 years ago/ 3-4 years ago/ 5-6 years ago/ 7-10 years ago/ More than 10 years ago)

Are you: [R150]

(Male/ Female/ Prefer not to say)

How old are you? [R156]

(18-24/ 25-34/ 35-44/ 45-54/ 55-64/ 65+)

How many children do you support financially? [R152]

(0 children/ 1 child/ 2 children/ 3 children/ 4 or more children)

What is your current personal status? (Please tick one box only) [R148]

(Single (never married or formed a civil partnership)/ In a long term/established relationship (but not married or in a civil partnership)/ Married/in a civil partnership/ Separated, but still legally married or in a civil partnership/ Divorced/formerly in a civil partnership which is now legally dissolved/ Widowed/the surviving partner from a civil partnership/ Prefer not to say)

What is your highest qualification? (Please tick one box only) [R147]

(GCSEs or O-Levels/ Vocational Qualifications (NVQ1 & 2)/ A-Levels or equivalent (NVQ3)/ University degree or diploma or equivalent (NVQ4)/ Higher university degree/Doctorate/MBA or equivalent/ Other/ No formal qualifications)

What is your ethnic group? [R192]

(English, Welsh, Scottish, Northern Irish or British/ Irish/ Gypsy or Irish Traveller/ Any other White Background/ White and Black Caribbean/ White and Black African/ White and Asian/ Any other Mixed or Multiple ethnic background/ Indian/ Pakistani/ Bangladeshi/ Chinese/ Any other Asian background/ African/ Caribbean/ Any other Black, African or Caribbean background/ Arab/ Any other ethnic group)

Have you ever been a member of a Service Cadet Force? [R159]

(Yes/ No)

If yes, were you a member of the (tick all that apply):

• SCC [R160]
• CCF(RN) [R161]
• CCF(Army) [R162]
• CCF(RAF) [R163]
• ACF [R164]
• ATC [R165]

13. Well-being

As part of measuring national well-being, we are interested to understand how satisfied you are in general with life. The questions below are not linked particularly to the Service but to your life in general:

• Overall, how satisfied are you with your life nowadays? [R193]
• Overall, how happy did you feel yesterday? [R194]
• Overall, how anxious did you feel yesterday? [R195]
• Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile? [R196]

(0 to 10, 0=Not at all, 10=Completely)

14. Managing Change

How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following?

• Change is managed well in my immediate working team [R197]
• Change is managed well in my Unit/Establishment [R198]
• Change is managed well in the (Service) Reserve [R199]

(Strongly Agree/ Agree/ Neither agree nor disagree/ Disagree/ Strongly Disagree / Don’t know)