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For the first time in 2021, census respondents were asked whether they had previously served in the UK armed forces in a bid to improve the treatment of veterans across the two nations through better data.

Latest data from the Office for National Statistics shows 5,521 people in Lancaster said they were a veteran at the time of the census – 5% of usual residents aged 16 and over.

Of them, 4,326 had served in the regular UK armed forces and 961 as a reserve.

One in 20 people living in Lancaster is a veteran of the UK armed forces, the first figures of their kind reveal..

Of all the areas in the Lancaster district, Heysham and Overton hosts the highest number of veterans.

In Lancaster, 119 veterans ( 2%) were in communal establishments last year, and 5,403 (98%) were in households.

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National statistician Sir Ian Diamond said: “For the first time our data is able to show the vast scale of our armed forces community."

Total number of residents who previously served in regular UK armed forces, reserve armed forces or both

Bare – 335

Morecambe Westgate – 336

Heysham & Overton – 651

Morecambe South West – 263

Morecambe West End – 263

Morecambe Town – 331

Hest Bank & Bolton-le-Sands – 332

Halton & Caton – 263

Carnforth, Silverdale & Warton – 423

Scale Hall & Torrisholme – 501

Kellet & Lune Valley – 229

Skerton & Vale – 286

Marsh, Haverbreaks & Scotforth – 349

Lancaster East – 263

Scotforth East & Bowerhan – 179

Lancaster Central – 190

University, Galgate & Dolphinholme – 225

Moorlands & Greaves – 103

Percentage of over-16 population who are veterans

Bare – 7.3%

Morecambe Westgate – 6.2%

Heysham & Overton – 6%

Morecambe South West – 5.7%

Morecambe West End – 5.7%

Morecambe Town – 5.6%

Hest Bank & Bolton-le-Sands – 5.3%

Halton & Caton – 5.3%

Carnforth, Silverdale & Warton – 5%

Scale Hall & Torrisholme – 5%

Kellet & Lune Valley – 4.5%

Skerton & Vale – 4.3%

Marsh, Haverbreaks & Scotforth – 4.1%

Lancaster East – 4.1%

Scotforth East & Bowerhan – 3.9%

Lancaster Central – 2.3%

University, Galgate & Dolphinholme – 2.3%

Moorlands & Greaves – 2.3%

Census 2021 reveals for first time how many armed forces veterans are living in each area of Lancaster & Morecambe

Total number of residents who previously served in regular UK armed forces, reserve armed forces or both

Percentage of over-16 population who are veterans