Members of the Armed Forces community could be counted at the next census, as support grows for new questions to be included.

Kingston Council is backing The Royal British Legion’s “count them in” campaign, which calls for data to be collected to better suit services to the community.

There are an estimated 6.5million to 6.7million members of the Armed Forces community in the UK, but little is known about their exact numbers or location.

Council leader Kevin Davis said: “It cannot be right that our servicemen and women, veterans and their families are effectively hidden from official statistics, and that’s why Kingston Council is only too happy to back the call for new questions to be added to the next UK Census.”

The information is hoped to be used by public bodies, councils and charities to tailor their work to the needs of the community.

Charles Byrne, director-general of The Royal British Legion, said: “As a nation we promise to provide lifelong care and support for those who serve our country. By adding questions to the 2021 UK Census, we can help public bodies and charities deliver the best services they can for our Armed Forces community, when and where it is needed most.”