Blackburn with Darwen and Burnley number of veterans revealed

However one Burnley charity is stating the figures don’t show a ‘true reflection’ on the number of veterans living across the areas and nationally, as many are homeless and the Census only accounts for those who live and are registered at a property.

The 2021 Census was the first to ask people about whether they had previously served in the armed forces.

It has now been revealed nearly a quarter of military veterans living in Burnley are over 80 years old.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show there were 2,990 veterans living in Burnley in March 2021 – around 680 (22.7 per cent) of whom were over the age of 80.

Whilst figures show a quarter of military veterans living in Blackburn with Darwen are over 80 years old.

In Blackburn with Darwen there were 3,525 veterans living in the area in March 2021 – around 900 (25.5 per cent) of whom were over the age of 80.

Rio Powell, Service Delivery Director at Healthier Heroes CIC in Burnley, said the figures are not a ‘true reflection’ of the veteran community.

Rio Powell from Healthier Heroes CIC (Image: Rio Powell)

She said: “We are so glad that there are now stats being taken about the veteran community.

“Unfortunately, the Census only accounts for those who live, and are registered at a property.

“Therefore, in our experience, there are more veterans, not only in Burnley, but nationally, but they are homeless.

“Saying this, is it a true reflection of the veteran community? Especially as the homeless veterans we have supported have an average age of early to mid-30s.

“Currently, we are housing 28 homeless veterans in our properties and supporting 98 veterans and family members, in the community. Our age ranges are six to 91.

“We offer veterans a holistic support package, encompassing activities and therapies for the mind, body and soul.

“This is delivered through a person-centred approach.

“Each veteran is assigned a support worker. They support the veteran with goal setting, medical appointments, wellbeing and mental health support.

“We have established a weekly activity programme for our service users.

“This will help build stronger social networks and friendships and we grant funds to provide extra wellbeing activities to promote positive wellbeing.”

Wayne Hester, Director of Volunteer at the Veterans Living History Museum, said there are many places across Blackburn with Darwen who offer support to veterans.

He said: “We are the Veterans Living History Museum, so what we do is signpost veterans to different organisations across Blackburn and Burnley.

“People can come to us for support, we have a Veterans Hub in Blackburn, and we also work with Rovers Veterans which is down at Blackburn Rovers which is the community trust and we are a mobile museum as well so whilst we are out doing the mobile museum anybody who needs signposting, we can sign post them from there as well.

“I think the data will give people the better outlook on how many veterans are out there living in the community.

“Support is massively vital for veterans in Blackburn with Darwen, it’s just reaching out to them and giving them the support that they need.

“We are always available to signpost people, and they can go down to the Blackburn Rovers Veteran Hub as well, and then you’ve got Blackburn British Legion which has just re-opened.

“We get a good group coming to see us each week, we’re open on Thursday and Blackburn Rovers is open on a Tuesday.

“Mainly they come down for a brew and for a chat and open up and if they do need that extra support then we can signpost them to the right service.

“Definitely come down and see us if you need support.”

Veterans Living History Museum in Blackburn (Image: Google)

The census shows 3.8 per cent of people in England and Wales aged 16 and over had served in the armed forces, or 1.9 million people.

At the time of the census, 31.8 per cent of veterans were aged 80 or over – compared to just 5.1 per cent of the non-veteran population.

The high proportion of octogenarian veterans is a product of the War Service and National Service that ran in the UK between 1939 and 1960, the ONS said.

National Service was a system of conscription that required healthy males aged 17 to 21 to serve in the armed forces for between 18 months and two years.

It was phased out in the late 1950s, meaning the last surviving people to have taken part in National Service will now be well into their 80s.

There were around 135 veterans over 90 years old in Burnley as of March 2021.

Meanwhile, just 11 per cent of veterans in the area were younger than 35.

Whilst there were around 155 veterans over 90 years old in Blackburn with Darwen as of March 2021.

And just 11.8 per cent of veterans in the area were younger than 35.

Rich Pereira, head of demography at the ONS, said: “Today’s data gives a greater understanding of our veteran armed forces community."

He added that the figures would be "crucial" for support and services for veterans.

While most veterans in England and Wales were born in the UK (94 per cent), around one in six (17 per cent) said they did not currently hold a passport.

Veterans across the two countries are also overwhelmingly male, as a result of conscription policies and cultural attitudes.

In Burnley, just 12 per cent of all veterans – including those who did not give their gender – were female.

Whilst in Blackburn with Darwen, just 12.6 per cent of all veterans were female.

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The Royal British Legion said the figures were the result of a campaign by the charity to have a question relating to military service added to the Census for the first time in 2021.

Hannah Pearce, director of campaigns, policy, and research at the charity, said: "The information will significantly improve our understanding of the Armed Forces community and ensure that we can deliver the best support possible to serving personnel, veterans and their families both now and in future years."

Ms Pearce added the data provided "new insights" into diversity within the veteran community.

She said: "For example, despite the ban on LGBTQ+ personnel serving in the military until 2000, there are no notable differences in sexual orientation data between veterans and the general population."

Some 91 per cent of veterans identified as straight or heterosexual, with 0.9 per cent as gay or lesbian and 0.5 per cent as bisexual – with little difference from the population at large when accounting for age, sex, and location.