Nearly 38,000 UK Armed Forces veterans were living in Northern Ireland at the time of Census 2021, according to a new report from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). The analysis, published on 25 June 2026, linked Ministry of Defence administrative records to census data to create a detailed demographic profile.

The linkage identified 37,697 veterans, predominantly male (88.6 per cent) and concentrated in the 50 to 59 age group. Almost 80 per cent were born in Northern Ireland, while those born elsewhere mostly arrived before 1991.

The report highlighted contrasts with the non-veteran population. Veterans were more likely to be economically active, with 43.9 per cent in full-time employment compared to 32.8 per cent of non-veterans. The most common industry for employed veterans was public administration, education and health.

Health outcomes showed a mixed picture. While most veterans reported good (34.9 per cent) or very good (32.8 per cent) health, around one-third had their daily activities limited by a long-term condition. Almost half had at least one long-term health condition, with veterans more likely than non-veterans to suffer from long-term pain or discomfort and deafness or partial hearing loss.

Home ownership was high, with 74.1 per cent of veteran households owner-occupied, similar to the wider population. The most frequent household type was a couple family (61.1 per cent), while one in five veterans lived alone. Marital status data showed 60.9 per cent were married or in a civil partnership.

Educational attainment among veterans was slightly lower at the top end: 23.9 per cent held a Level 4 or above qualification, compared to 28.5 per cent of non-veterans. However, veterans were less likely to have no qualifications at all.

NISRA cautioned that the dataset does not include personnel who left the armed forces before 1975, likely undercounting veterans aged 65 and over. Despite this limitation, the agency said the report provides a valuable basis for planning support services across Northern Ireland, with breakdowns available by council area and health trust.