Firefighter pay

Firefighters in the UK get a 3.8% pay rise from 1 July 2026, under the National Joint Council (NJC) for local authority fire and rescue services. A firefighter in development now earns £31,539 a year, and a competent firefighter £40,358, which works out at £18.43 an hour. The rates are set nationally, so a wholetime firefighter gets the same basic salary in Cornwall as in Cumbria.

The 2026/27 rates by role

These figures come from NJC circular NJC/2/26, dated 3 July 2026.

Role	Annual basic pay from 1 July 2026
Firefighter (development)	£31,539
Firefighter (competent)	£40,358
Crew manager (development)	£42,892
Crew manager (competent)	£44,742
Watch manager	£45,711 to £50,034

Rates for trainee firefighters, station managers and above, and control room staff are not listed here because those lines of the circular were not checked. The full circular, published by fire and rescue services, has every rate. Fire control operators have their own fire control operator profile.

From development to competent

New firefighters start on the development rate once they finish initial training. You then work through a development programme, building a portfolio of evidence against national standards while on the job. When your service signs you off as competent, you move to the competent rate.

The jump is £8,819 a year, the largest single step on the firefighter scale. How long it takes depends on the service and on your progress, and there is no fixed national timescale. Ask at interview how the service runs development and what support you get.

Crew and watch manager roles have the same two stages: a development rate first, then competent once signed off. Promotion means applying and passing the service’s process, which usually includes assessment of leadership and incident command.

Wholetime and on-call firefighters

The rates above are for wholetime firefighters, who work a full-time shift pattern. On-call (retained) firefighters live or work near a fire station and respond to calls when needed, usually alongside another job. They are paid on the same NJC rates but in a different way: an annual retainer, plus payments for each call-out, training session and hour of work. The 2026/27 on-call figures are not available here, so check the service’s advert or the NJC circular.

On-call earnings swing with how busy your station is and how much cover you give.

The 2026/27 award in context

The 3.8% award runs from 1 July, the usual settlement date for firefighters. It is a little higher than other public sector awards this year: police officers in England and Wales got 3.5% from 1 September 2026, NHS staff in England 3.3% from 1 April 2026, and council staff 3.3% from 1 April 2026. The police pay guide covers the officer scale, and public sector vs private sector pay puts the figures alongside other jobs.

Tax and take-home pay

On the competent rate of £40,358, income tax at 20% and National Insurance at 8% apply to pay above £12,570. Firefighters pay into the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme, and contributions come out of gross pay before tax. Member rates depend on salary and are set by the scheme, and your service’s pensions team can give you the current table. Overtime, if your service uses it, is taxed like basic pay. The take-home pay calculator gives monthly net figures.

Getting in

Fire and rescue services recruit wholetime firefighters in campaigns that open at intervals and are competitive. On-call vacancies tend to open more often. Selection usually includes online tests, physical tests, an interview and a medical. The firefighter profile covers each stage and what services look for.