This Armed Forces Day, we pay tribute to the extraordinary contribution of those who serve, have served, and the families who support them. At the heart of our national security are the people who put on the uniform and put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe. This week is about saying thank you.

Since assuming office last July, this Labour Government has taken meaningful and long-overdue steps to reset the nation’s contract with the men and women who serve.

We inherited a system that had been run down for over 14 years: morale at an all-time low, thousands of families in unfit housing, and service personnel forced to rely on benefits because of low pay. That is no way to treat those who defend our country. This Labour government is changing that.

In our first year alone, we delivered the largest pay rise for our Armed Forces in over two decades. For the first time, every full-time member of our forces is paid at least the National Living Wage. A 6% increase last year, followed by a further 4.5% this year, means a cumulative uplift of over 10% since we took office. This is not only about fairness, it is also about recruitment, retention, and restoring pride in our forces.

We’ve introduced legislation to establish an Armed Forces Commissioner, an independent champion for service personnel and their families. For the first time, there’ll be a direct route to raise concerns outside the chain of command, with the power to investigate issues and report directly to Parliament. For the first time, military families will have a genuine advocate, ensuring the reality of service life is heard and acted upon at the highest level.

We’re investing over £1.5 billion to improve forces’ accommodation, delivering higher move-in standards, urgent repairs, and a proper complaints system, and bringing homes back into public ownership following a failed privatisation deal made by Conservative ministers in 1996.

We’re also committed to making sure that those who have served are not forgotten about once they leave. That is why we have launched the VALOUR programme, backed by £50 million, as well as an additional £3.5 million in dedicated homelessness support to establish a national network of support centres across the UK who will help veterans access housing, healthcare, employment support and more.

We have also delivered on our pledge to make the Veterans’ ID Card an accepted form of voter identification – a practical recognition of their service and status.

And we are investing in the future of our Armed Forces by expanding opportunities for young people. We are boosting the Cadet Forces by 30% by 2030 – creating 42,000 new places and widening access to a career in defence, particularly for young people from underrepresented backgrounds. Cadets develop crucial skills, leadership and confidence, and we are determined to give more young people an opportunity.

In this new era of threats, we must build society’s understanding of what the Armed Forces do to deter the threats we face and keep us safe. And we must honour those who served in decades gone by. So, this week, in Armed Forces Week, I hope you will all join me in paying tribute – and celebrating – those who serve and served and our wider Forces community.