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Original poster

To think compulsory national service for young people could be helpful for many?

322 replies

Jane379 · 17/05/2026 20:50

The recent thread on benefits generational cycle got me thinking...could compulsory national service period help some young people, including ones like these?

Or would it make things worse?

OP posts:
PinkFrogss · 17/05/2026 23:06

Jane379 · 17/05/2026 23:05

'put the poorer people out there, mould them into what we want to be. '

  • It's not 'poorer people' I'm referring to but people locked in a generational cycle of dependence on benefits (without work). I agree army can have negative mental health effects though...agree also with pps that national service program should include options other than military.
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Do you have a basic understanding of how universal credit works OP?

hahabahbag · 17/05/2026 23:06

An optional national service programme for 16-20 year olds lasting 12 months initially with an option to enlist for a further year could be a good idea but it must be optional and paid.

Original poster
Jane379 · 17/05/2026 23:05

Morepositivemum · 17/05/2026 23:02

Agree, the hypocrisy of trying to enforce something on young people that you never had to do yourself.

It is hilarious, and also let’s put the poorer people out there, mould them into what we want to be. I know you don’t automatically mean army but as someone who’s dated someone from the army and met a lot of his tightly wound colleagues, I wouldn’t assume they’ll become better people

'put the poorer people out there, mould them into what we want to be. '

  • It's not 'poorer people' I'm referring to but people locked in a generational cycle of dependence on benefits (without work). I agree army can have negative mental health effects though...agree also with pps that national service program should include options other than military.
OP posts:
Original poster
Jane379 · 17/05/2026 23:03

BrownBookshelf · 17/05/2026 22:22

I've never yet seen a compulsory national service proposal that adequately deals with, or even acknowledges, the Northern Ireland situation.

Might you elaborate on this? I have recently been researching NI but shamefully didn't consider that angle on this...

OP posts:
Morepositivemum · 17/05/2026 23:02

Agree, the hypocrisy of trying to enforce something on young people that you never had to do yourself.

It is hilarious, and also let’s put the poorer people out there, mould them into what we want to be. I know you don’t automatically mean army but as someone who’s dated someone from the army and met a lot of his tightly wound colleagues, I wouldn’t assume they’ll become better people

Original poster
Jane379 · 17/05/2026 23:02

Overworkedandknackered · 17/05/2026 22:57

I do think it would be good for some, less good for others, but I think there are some kids who would benefit from being away from their families and learning to be responsible, unfortunately it would put other young people who want to go to university and then start families back a year and the age at which people can afford to marry and have children is already rising.

This is a good point...

OP posts:
pizzaHeart · 17/05/2026 23:01

Jane379 · 17/05/2026 22:05

I would be happy to do it, as said above.

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Great ! Then do it.

Overworkedandknackered · 17/05/2026 22:57

I do think it would be good for some, less good for others, but I think there are some kids who would benefit from being away from their families and learning to be responsible, unfortunately it would put other young people who want to go to university and then start families back a year and the age at which people can afford to marry and have children is already rising.

tillyandmilly · 17/05/2026 22:52

Yes we should have this - as in other countries -

BrownBookshelf · 17/05/2026 22:52

Jane379 · 17/05/2026 22:46

I will respond to the rest of this tomorrow, these are important points...need to go to bed now..

But for now : as pp said, Sweden, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus have national service. Why would it have not worked well for Britain in the past? What makes us different?

 There may be valid reasons why it would work for them and not us, I'll think about this more tomorrow.
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Of those 5 countries, 1 has a border with Russia, 1 is too close for comfort and 1 got invaded and had a chunk of their territory occupied not very long ago, so in terms of differences that's a pretty big one. If your population think being invaded is a realistic threat, of course that colours how they feel about the compulsory national service.

Tickingcrocodile · 17/05/2026 22:50

Mysterian · 17/05/2026 21:25

I think there should be compulsory national service for anybody who calls for compulsory national service. Only fair.

Agree, the hypocrisy of trying to enforce something on young people that you never had to do yourself. I'm in my 40s and think life is so much more stressful for young people now than it was for me, with fewer opportunities. Young people need opportunities for reasonably paid employment and affordable housing, not national service.

Corianda · 17/05/2026 22:49

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 17/05/2026 22:30

France has a notably higher unemployment rate at 8.1% than the UK's 4.9%. The US's 4.3% is not that far off ours.

150,000 houses were built in the UK last year. Construction in other areas such as infrastructure (eg HS2) and energy (eg Hinckley Point, windfarms etc) is also continuing.

The UK's manufacturing and construction industries are roughly comparable to France's. Which, let me remind you, kills THREE TIMES AS MANY WORKERS as we do.

Any other bullshit claims you want to throw out?

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150,000 houses is nothing we need millions - we have thousands of people on long term benefits rather than unemployed so would not appear in the figures
added -I don’t know why you are so agitated about the points I have made -my initial post was about my friend who couldn’t afford to take on a trainee due to the cost of insurance -he was an antique furniture restorer - chances of death whilst at work are quite low there I should imagine

Original poster
Jane379 · 17/05/2026 22:48

canuckup · 17/05/2026 22:24

Yanbu

But

Little Timmy is autistic/ADHD/asd/anxious

Etc.etc

People with genuine conditions should be accommodated. The question is how many are genuine?

It's hard to know as there could be valud reasons many have increased (older paternal & maternal age, EDCs to name two) but there could also be potentially large numbers who do not actually have anxiety..

OP posts:
Original poster
Jane379 · 17/05/2026 22:46

Asuitablecat · 17/05/2026 22:27

Oh I would have hated this. I did 2 jobs whilst I was doing my A levels, so it wasn't like i was afraid of hard work, but would I fuck as like have done national service. I didn't like having my time dictated to.

I'm not actually sure who'd do it, either. About 40% of all the classes I teach have diagnosed, under investigation or should be adhd/ autism/ anxiety/ emotional difficulties. Would they all have to do it? Or would it fall on the other kids?

And I think I've read that NS didn't work for many kids, back in the day, as too many of them were ill equipped or just too arsey.

I will respond to the rest of this tomorrow, these are important points...need to go to bed now..

But for now : as pp said, Sweden, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus have national service. Why would it have not worked well for Britain in the past? What makes us different?

 There may be valid reasons why it would work for them and not us, I'll think about this more tomorrow.
OP posts:
BrownBookshelf · 17/05/2026 22:45

Voluntary programmes could be a decent idea, if we did them properly.

Original poster
Jane379 · 17/05/2026 22:44

mindutopia · 17/05/2026 22:18

Compulsory, no.

But I think it’s a fantastic voluntary option. That said, it is not an inexpensive programme to fund.

I grew up in a country where voluntary national service is a thing. Most people don’t do it. But I took a year out during uni and did. It paid relatively well for a uni student and I got a bursary at the end that paid for my final uni term. I’m really glad I did it. I worked for a charity in an area related to my degree. It was great work experience and a good time out for me.

It wasn’t forced though and it was well organised with proper training and support.

This sounds like a good idea. Might I ask what country this was? I understand if not.

OP posts:
Original poster
Jane379 · 17/05/2026 22:42

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 17/05/2026 22:12

Those countries have per-capita worker fatality rates three times higher than the UK (source) You may think that's an acceptable price to pay but I'm grateful that I live in a country where worker safety is not ignored.

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This!

OP posts:
GasperyJacquesRoberts · 17/05/2026 22:30

Corianda · 17/05/2026 22:18

Other countries don’t have the high numbers of non working adults that U.K. has - this will skew the numbers -we have almost no manufacturing or house building which can be considered more dangerous work which other countries will have which will also skew the numbers

Edited
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France has a notably higher unemployment rate at 8.1% than the UK's 4.9%. The US's 4.3% is not that far off ours.

150,000 houses were built in the UK last year. Construction in other areas such as infrastructure (eg HS2) and energy (eg Hinckley Point, windfarms etc) is also continuing.

The UK's manufacturing and construction industries are roughly comparable to France's. Which, let me remind you, kills THREE TIMES AS MANY WORKERS as we do.

Any other bullshit claims you want to throw out?

Asuitablecat · 17/05/2026 22:27

Oh I would have hated this. I did 2 jobs whilst I was doing my A levels, so it wasn't like i was afraid of hard work, but would I fuck as like have done national service. I didn't like having my time dictated to.

I'm not actually sure who'd do it, either. About 40% of all the classes I teach have diagnosed, under investigation or should be adhd/ autism/ anxiety/ emotional difficulties. Would they all have to do it? Or would it fall on the other kids?

And I think I've read that NS didn't work for many kids, back in the day, as too many of them were ill equipped or just too arsey.

canuckup · 17/05/2026 22:24

Yanbu

But

Little Timmy is autistic/ADHD/asd/anxious

Etc.etc

PinkFrogss · 17/05/2026 22:23

GreenSmallBird · 17/05/2026 22:11

How exactly do you think this would solve the problem of inter-generational benefit recipients? Do you think people will suddenly be lifted out of poverty and have the will to work? I just don’t understand how you think this will work other than pissing off the majority of kids who do ok at school and have plans for the future that don’t involve playing soldiers or enforced community service.

Not to mention how many inter generational benefit claimants are there? You can’t just decide working isn’t for you and that’s that for life.

BrownBookshelf · 17/05/2026 22:22

I've never yet seen a compulsory national service proposal that adequately deals with, or even acknowledges, the Northern Ireland situation.

basoon · 17/05/2026 22:20

There was compulsory national service in the past. I didn't recall that it helped with social mobility in any way

PinkFrogss · 17/05/2026 22:19

Jane379 · 17/05/2026 22:04

Have I done it? I'm older Gen Z : no. I would be happy to, though.

Edited
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Are you not doing anything worthwhile at the moment?

If not then I’m sure posters can come up with some suggestions.

DD is also older Gen Z and would not be happy to do a years national service - how would she pay her mortgage, and would her job still be waiting for her after? I imagine many adults feel that way.

Corianda · 17/05/2026 22:18

GasperyJacquesRoberts · 17/05/2026 22:12

Those countries have per-capita worker fatality rates three times higher than the UK (source) You may think that's an acceptable price to pay but I'm grateful that I live in a country where worker safety is not ignored.

Show quote history

Other countries don’t have the high numbers of non working adults that U.K. has - this will skew the numbers -we have almost no manufacturing or house building which can be considered more dangerous work which other countries will have which will also skew the numbers