Understanding Firefighter Salary UK

If you are considering a career as a firefighter or are already in the service, knowing how firefighter salary UK figures are structured is essential. Firefighters in the UK are paid according to national pay scales agreed by the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services. The most recent pay award, effective from 1 July 2026, gave a 3.8% increase on previous rates.

Unlike many other public sector roles, firefighters work a standard 42-hour week, which is longer than the typical 37.5 hours used for NHS or civil service roles. This means that when comparing hourly rates, you need to account for the longer working week.

How Hourly Rates Are Calculated

The NJC uses a precise formula to convert annual salaries into hourly rates. As confirmed in the NJC circular NJC/2/26 and the London Fire Brigade policy PN0558, the steps are:

1. Annual salary is rounded to the nearest pound.
2. Divide by 52.143 (the number of weeks in a year).
3. Divide by 42 (the standard weekly hours for wholetime firefighters).
4. The result is rounded to the nearest penny.

For example, if the annual salary is £42,474, the hourly rate would be approximately £19.39. This formula is used for basic pay, overtime, and flexible duty supplements.

Average Firefighter Pay from the Latest Survey

The Local Government Association (LGA) conducted a comprehensive Firefighters’ Workforce Survey in 2025, covering 47 out of 48 fire and rescue services. Key findings for firefighter salary UK include:

• Average basic annual salary for wholetime firefighting roles: £42,474.48
• Average gross annual pay (including overtime, allowances, etc.): £44,760.00
• Average basic salary for full-time male firefighters: £41,701.44 (5% higher than female full-time basic salary of £39,747.60)
• Average gross pay for full-time male firefighters: £45,786.60 (7% higher than female gross pay of £42,696.48)

For control-specific roles (fire control operators), the average basic salary was £36,705.72 and average gross pay £38,625.12.

Pay Scales for 2026

The NJC circular NJC/2/26 sets out specific annual salaries for different roles from 1 July 2026. These include:

• Fire Control Operator equivalent:
• First six months: £27,835 (uprated due to National Living Wage)
• After six months and during second year: £27,835
• Third year: £28,210
• Fourth year: £29,596
• Fifth year: £32,236
• Leading Fire Control Operator equivalent: £34,523
• Senior Fire Control Operator:
• First year in rank: £35,405
• Second year in rank: £36,748
• Junior Firefighters (from 1 July 2026):
• Aged 16 or 17: £27,756
• Aged 18: £30,277

Note that some junior and control operator rates have been uplifted to comply with the National Minimum Wage / National Living Wage.

Overtime and Additional Payments

Overtime is a significant part of many firefighters’ earnings. The LGA survey found that 46% of wholetime firefighters received overtime, with an average annual payment of £3,945.84. The median overtime amount was £2,589.96, indicating that a minority receive very high overtime.

Additionally, 59% of wholetime firefighters received Continuing Professional Development (CPD) payments averaging £1,106.64 per year, and 9% received an Additional Responsibility Allowance (ARA) averaging £750 per year.

Part-Time and Retained Firefighters

Not all firefighters work full-time. The survey identified 16,499 retained (on-call) personnel, whose average annual retainer was £4,493.88 and average gross total pay £10,496.64. Part-time wholetime firefighters had an average basic salary of £20,981.04, reflecting their reduced hours.

When converting part-time pay to an hourly rate, you should use the actual contracted hours per week. The NJC formula still applies, but with fewer hours.

Comparing Firefighter Pay to National Benchmarks

According to the on-site reference data, the UK median full-time gross annual pay is approximately £39,039, which equates to about £20.02 per hour at 37.5 hours per week. Firefighters’ average basic salary of £42,474 is above the national median, but their hourly rate (based on 42 hours) is around £19.39 – slightly below the national median hourly rate. This highlights the importance of considering hours worked when comparing salaries.

The National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over is £12.71 per hour (2026/27 rate), so even junior firefighters at £27,756 per year earn well above the minimum wage when calculated on a 42-hour week (approximately £12.70 per hour).

London Weighting

Firefighters in London may receive additional London weighting, but specific figures were not provided in the search results. The London Fire Brigade policy confirms that the same national formula is used for hourly rates, but additional allowances may apply. Check your contract or the brigade’s website for details.

How to Convert Hourly to Annual Salary

If you know your hourly rate as a firefighter, you can estimate your annual salary using the formula:

Annual salary ≈ hourly rate × 42 hours per week × 52 weeks

However, the NJC uses 52.143 weeks for official calculations, so for precise figures use:

Annual salary = hourly rate × 52.143 × 42

For example, at £19.39 per hour: £19.39 × 52.143 × 42 = £42,474 (the average basic salary).

Use our Hourly to Salary calculator to convert your own rate, or read more salary articles for comparisons with other roles.

Summary

• Firefighter salary UK averages around £42,474 basic, with gross pay reaching £44,760 including overtime.
• The standard working week is 42 hours, so hourly rates are lower than for jobs with similar annual salaries but shorter weeks.
• Pay scales are set nationally by the NJC, with a 3.8% increase from July 2026.
• Overtime, CPD payments, and allowances can significantly boost total earnings.
• Part-time and retained firefighters have proportionally lower pay.

Always check the latest NJC circular and your individual contract for precise figures.