This plan sets out a bold new step for national security and national cohesion. It is designed to up-skill the next generation with jobs, training, and opportunities for all. The plan will give 18-year-olds the choice of a full-time military placement for 12 months or the opportunity to volunteer for one weekend a month for a year in the community.
This Conservative policy will focus on civic pride, developing community cohesion, and giving 18-year-olds the opportunity to service, but also the freedom to determine how they wish to do it.
National Service is expected to cost £2.5 billion a year by 2029/30, £1 billion of which will be funded through a crackdown on tax avoidance and evasion – itself estimated to be worth £6 billion a year by the end of the next Parliament. The remaining £1.5 billion will come from funding also allocated to the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which is expected to be extended for a further three years. From 2028/29, the UKSPF will be diverted into National Service whilst the Royal Commission takes over in ensuring equitable distribution of spending across the UK.
Cherilyn says:
“National Service will give young people the chance to learn and develop essential skills and experiences which will give them a real head start in their lives.
“This plan is all about choice. I know that many well want to serve in our fantastic armed forces, and I encourage them to do so, but they can serve in other ways. It takes a lot to build a society, and National Service is all about being able to choose how you help those around you and give back to your community.
“Cornwall has always had a strong history of community and service. This plan will help that to become a national reality and give young people the skills and opportunities they need to get ahead and be successful whilst also making a difference for others.”
Whether in the Armed Forces or volunteering in our NHS, National Service will give every young person the opportunity to do their duty to serve their country and their community, and to help to build a secure future for the UK.
