Shifting UK attitudes on defence

FGS Global has conducted a nationally representative survey of 2,065 UK adults. The survey assessed attitudes to defence partnerships, the role of defence in the future of the UK economy and security, and the attractiveness of the sector as an employer and how that has changed in the last year.

As trust in the U.S. as a security partner diminishes - the UK public now believe we should work more with the EU on defence. However, while 69% agree the work of the defence industry has a direct impact on the national security, only one in three people are comfortable with their pension being invested in defence stocks. Key findings from the research revealed:

• The UK public is nearly twice as likely to agree the EU is a reliable security and defence partner compared to the U.S., with 54% of the public agreeing the EU is a reliable security and defence partner for the UK, vs. only 28% saying the same of the US. Notably, 68% of 2024 Labour voters agree the EU is a reliable security and defence partner, compared to just 19% thinking the same of the U.S.

• Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) of the UK public believe the defence sector positively contributes to the

  UK’s national security but only 5 out of 10 (51%) think the growth of the defence sector would

  be good for the economy

• 11% of the UK public are more likely to see the defence industry as an attractive employer

  than in January 2024, but significant differences exist between different parts of the UK, with

  public in the North West of England and West Midlands most favourable, and public in

  Scotland and London least favourable

• 35% of the UK public are comfortable with their pensions being invested in defence stocks,

  showing there is still work to be done on communicating its benefits

  
  

The UK public expresses a clear preference for the EU as a defence and security partner compared to the U.S.

FGS Global’s findings reveal 54% of the public agree the EU is a reliable security and defence partner for the UK, while only 28% say the same of the US. Of those that report voting Labour in 2024, 68% agree the EU is a reliable security and defence partner, compared to just 19% thinking the same of the US. Reform voters are the only group to agree overall that the US is a reliable partner.

Regionally, the Scottish public have the most negative perception of the US being a reliable security and defence partner for the UK, with just 18% agreeing. In the North West of England, 29% agree the US is a reliable partner, whereas London is the only UK region split on whether US is a reliable security and defence partner, with 35% agreeing and 37% disagreeing.

The UK public increasingly recognise the value of defence, but remain reluctant to invest their pensions

At a time when national security and capability dominates the news agenda, perceptions relating to the impact of the defence industry are mixed. 44% of the public agree the work of the UK defence industry has a direct impact on their personal wellbeing and future security, up from 34% in December 2023. As few as half the public (51%) agree that increased UK Government spending on defence would be good for the UK economy. 72% of Conservative voters agree compared to only 62% of Reform UK voters and 51% of Labour voters.

While the public recognises the importance of investment in the defence industry, only a third (35%) want their pensions invested in UK defence companies. A further 2 in 5 say they either don’t know or are neutral when it comes to their pension being invested in defence companies. Filling this knowledge gap with the general public about the importance and benefits of their pensions being invested in the UK defence industry will help both unlock benefits for the industry, and the UK more broadly.

Conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza contribute to opposing views on the defence sector as an employer, with significant regional variation

The public view the defence industry is an increasingly attractive sector in which to work, with overall favourability rising by 11% since January 2024. 31% of the public say they have ethical concerns about working in the defence industry, with 2 in 5 of 18-34 year olds agreeing, compared to only 18% of over 55s

The public in the North West of England is the most favourably disposed towards working in the defence sector with a net 12% of respondents saying they find the sector attractive, followed by the West Midlands with a net 10% score. Despite Scotland’s position as a significant location for defence manufacturing and support activity, respondents from the country were the least favourably disposed to working in the sector, with a net -5% score, followed by respondents from London with a net -3% score.

International conflicts also play a part in the public’s attraction to the sector, with 27% of the public indicating that the war in Ukraine makes working in the defence industry less appealing. Similarly, over a third (35%) of the public agree that the Israel-Gaza conflict makes working in defence less appealing, 42% are either neutral or say they don’t know. Those from an ethnic minority background (47%) and 18-34s (50%) are considerably more likely to agree that Israel-Gaza conflict has made working in defence less appealing.

Commenting on the findings, Sir Craig Oliver, said:

“FGS Global’s findings illustrate attitudes to defence and who makes a reliable security partner are shifting – with President Trump’s geopolitical moves being the major contributing factor.

“The UK public overwhelmingly views the EU as a more reliable security partner than the US, but incredibly stark divisions exist between supporters of the UK’s main political parties and the public in different parts of the UK on this issue, highlighting the challenges for the UK Government as it seeks to navigate a rapidly evolving geopolitical environment.

“Our findings show that while 69% of the public believes the UK defence industry positively contributes to the country’s national security, the industry and the government have further work to do to explain how growth in the sector will benefit the UK economy and to persuade individuals of the benefits of their pensions savings being invested in the sector.”

To inform these findings, FGS Global conducted a poll a nationally representative sample of 2,065 UK adults in March 2025, building on similar research in December 2023 and January 2024. The findings are nationally representative on the basis of age, gender, region and ethnicity.

If you would like to understand more about the research findings, please contact:

Richard Webster-Smith or Emma Black