What changed between the 2025 and 2026 pay scales
Two circulars define the two scales. NJC/3/25, dated 30 May 2025, set rates from 1 July 2025 after a 3.2% award. NJC/2/26, dated 3 July 2026, set rates from 1 July 2026 after a 3.8% award. Between them, every annual figure in the firefighting roles table rose by 3.8%, rounded to the nearest pound, and hourly rates were re-derived from the new annual figures using the standard 52.143 and 42 divisors.
The percentage rise was the same at every pay point, but the pound cash increase grows with seniority: £1,155 for a Development Firefighter, £1,477 for a Competent Firefighter, £1,720 for a Watch Manager Competent A and £2,826 for an Area Manager Competent B. A percentage award is worth more in pounds the higher your pay point.
The award applied to Continual Professional Development payments too, with the same 3.8% from 1 July 2026 (the 2025 award had raised them by 3.2%). Whether the new rates have reached your payslip depends on when your service processed the award; see firefighter pay rise back pay. For a full account of the 2026 award, see firefighter pay rise 2026.
Every pay point compared: 2025 against 2026
The table lists all 16 pay points in NJC circular Appendix A: 2025 annual, 2026 annual, the cash increase, the percentage and the hourly rate change. Annual rounding means the percentage shown to one decimal place is 3.8% throughout, though two-decimal figures vary slightly (3.79% to 3.81%), which is expected from rounding to whole pounds.
Use the table to check that your payslip has moved to the right figure, and to see which figure applied before 1 July 2026. The 2025 column is the rate that applied for the year to 30 June 2026; if you are checking arrears, the difference column is the annual amount the award adds at your pay point, so divide by 12 or 13 to get the amount per pay period.
| Role and stage | 2025 annual | 2026 annual | Increase | Rise | Hourly rate 2025 to 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighter Development | £30,384 | £31,539 | +£1,155 | 3.8% | £13.87 to £14.40 |
| Firefighter Competent | £38,881 | £40,358 | +£1,477 | 3.8% | £17.75 to £18.43 |
| Crew Manager Development | £41,322 | £42,892 | +£1,570 | 3.8% | £18.87 to £19.59 |
| Crew Manager Competent | £43,104 | £44,742 | +£1,638 | 3.8% | £19.68 to £20.43 |
| Watch Manager Development | £44,038 | £45,711 | +£1,673 | 3.8% | £20.11 to £20.87 |
| Watch Manager Competent A | £45,260 | £46,980 | +£1,720 | 3.8% | £20.67 to £21.45 |
| Watch Manager Competent B | £48,202 | £50,034 | +£1,832 | 3.8% | £22.01 to £22.85 |
| Station Manager Development | £50,135 | £52,040 | +£1,905 | 3.8% | £22.89 to £23.76 |
| Station Manager Competent A | £51,642 | £53,604 | +£1,962 | 3.8% | £23.58 to £24.48 |
| Station Manager Competent B | £55,301 | £57,402 | +£2,101 | 3.8% | £25.25 to £26.21 |
| Group Manager Development | £57,743 | £59,937 | +£2,194 | 3.8% | £26.37 to £27.37 |
| Group Manager Competent A | £59,476 | £61,736 | +£2,260 | 3.8% | £27.16 to £28.19 |
| Group Manager Competent B | £64,013 | £66,445 | +£2,432 | 3.8% | £29.23 to £30.34 |
| Area Manager Development | £67,792 | £70,368 | +£2,576 | 3.8% | £30.96 to £32.13 |
| Area Manager Competent A | £69,823 | £72,476 | +£2,653 | 3.8% | £31.88 to £33.09 |
| Area Manager Competent B | £74,360 | £77,186 | +£2,826 | 3.8% | £33.95 to £35.24 |
Sources: NJC/3/25 and NJC/2/26 Appendix A. Increase and percentage are calculated from the published annual figures.
Overtime and hourly rates: 2025 and 2026
Hourly rates were re-derived from the new annual figures (annual ÷ 52.143 ÷ 42, each rounded to the penny) and overtime is time and a half. A competent firefighter's hourly rate rose by £0.68, from £17.75 to £18.43, and overtime by £1.02, from £26.63 to £27.65. A development firefighter's hourly rate rose from £13.87 to £14.40 and overtime from £20.81 to £21.60.
The overtime increases matter if you work extra hours. Ten hours of overtime at a competent firefighter's rate is £276.50 in 2026 against £266.30 in 2025, a difference of £10.20. If your service is still paying the 2025 overtime rate, or applied the 2026 rate late, you may be due arrears on each overtime hour worked since 1 July 2026. The overtime calculator works out the current figure.
The full derivation for every role is in firefighter hourly rate UK 2026, and the overtime rates guide explains when overtime applies. Group and Area Managers have no nationally published overtime rate in either year.
| Role and stage | Hourly 2025 | Hourly 2026 | Overtime 2025 | Overtime 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighter development | £13.87 | £14.40 | £20.81 | £21.60 |
| Firefighter competent | £17.75 | £18.43 | £26.63 | £27.65 |
| Crew Manager competent | £19.68 | £20.43 | £29.52 | £30.65 |
| Watch Manager Competent A | £20.67 | £21.45 | £31.01 | £32.18 |
| Watch Manager Competent B | £22.01 | £22.85 | £33.02 | £34.28 |
| Station Manager Competent B | £25.25 | £26.21 | £37.88 | £39.32 |
Sources: NJC/3/25 and NJC/2/26 Appendix A.
On-call retainers and payments: 2025 against 2026
Retained duty system payments also moved with the award. For a competent firefighter the full annual retainer (15% of basic pay) rose from £5,832 to £6,054, an increase of £222, and the day-crewing retainer (5%) from £1,944 to £2,018, an increase of £74. For a development firefighter the full retainer rose from £4,558 to £4,731 (£173) and the day-crewing retainer from £1,519 to £1,577.
Work activity is paid at the basic hourly rate, so it rose from £17.75 to £18.43 (competent) and £13.87 to £14.40 (development). The disturbance payment per call-out rose from £5.12 to £5.31, an increase of 19 pence, or about 3.7%. For an on-call firefighter with 100 call-outs a year, that is £19 more in disturbance payments.
The retainer structure itself did not change between 2025 and 2026: the 2024 agreement moved the RDS retainer to 15% for full cover with lower bands from 1 January 2025. The 2024 rate had been 10% for full cover, which is why long-serving on-call firefighters may remember a different structure. See on-call firefighter pay and the worked annual earnings examples.
| Payment | 2025 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full retainer, competent (15%) | £5,832 | £6,054 | +£222 |
| Day-crewing retainer, competent (5%) | £1,944 | £2,018 | +£74 |
| Full retainer, development (15%) | £4,558 | £4,731 | +£173 |
| Day-crewing retainer, development (5%) | £1,519 | £1,577 | +£58 |
| Disturbance payment per call-out | £5.12 | £5.31 | +£0.19 |
Sources: NJC/3/25 and NJC/2/26 Appendix B.
What did not change in 2026
The structure of the scale did not change. The two-stage ladder (development and competent), the A and B competent bands for Watch Manager and above, the absence of a nationally published overtime rate for Group and Area Managers, and the 95% relationship for control roles were the same in 2025 and 2026. The trainee rate had already gone from the pay tables on 1 July 2025.
The Grey Book rules on flexible duty (a pensionable 20% supplement for Station Managers and above), overtime, public holidays and on-call bands are separate from the pay circular and were not changed by the 2026 award. What did change is the cash value of each rule, because the supplement, overtime and retainers are all calculated from basic pay.
Employers and the FBU also said pay reform discussions would continue. The FBU's 2 July 2026 circular said negotiators would continue through the NJC to achieve an agreed programme of pay reform and that the NJC Joint Secretaries would soon issue a revised circular containing newly agreed pay bandings. Until that appears, the NJC/2/26 table is the current national scale.
A three-year view: 2024, 2025 and 2026
Looking over three years shows the cumulative effect. A competent firefighter was on £37,675 from 1 July 2024, £38,881 from 1 July 2025 and £40,358 from 1 July 2026: rises of £1,206 (3.2%) and £1,477 (3.8%), or £2,683 in total over two awards. The development rate went from £29,442 to £30,384 to £31,539, and Crew Manager competent from £41,767 to £43,104 to £44,742.
In 2024 there was also a trainee rate: £28,265, which is why the entry-level comparison across the three years is not like for like. In 2024 the lowest firefighter rate was the trainee £28,265; from 1 July 2025 it is the development rate, which was £30,384 in 2025 and £31,539 in 2026. A new starter on the lowest available rate is therefore £3,274 a year better off in 2026 than the lowest 2024 rate.
The full history back to 2021 is in firefighter pay rises history. For the interactive figures for any role see the pay scales pages and firefighter pay scales 2026.
| Role and stage | 1 July 2024 | 1 July 2025 | 1 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firefighter development | £29,442 | £30,384 | £31,539 |
| Firefighter competent | £37,675 | £38,881 | £40,358 |
| Crew Manager competent | £41,767 | £43,104 | £44,742 |
| Watch Manager Competent B | £46,707 | £48,202 | £50,034 |
| Station Manager Competent B | £53,586 | £55,301 | £57,402 |
| Area Manager Competent B | £72,054 | £74,360 | £77,186 |
Sources: NJC/3/24, NJC/3/25, NJC/2/26 Appendix A. The 2024 table also listed a trainee firefighter at £28,265.
Local scales: London compared
London Fire Brigade applies NJC awards to its own local scale, so the cash increase differs. LFB Policy 558 records that the July 2026 rates represent an average 3.8% increase in basic pay, with a Development Firefighter at £37,402 and a Competent Firefighter at £47,991. The 2025 equivalents implied by the policy and LFB's careers page are £36,032 and £46,234, which is £1,370 and £1,757 lower.
Some services publish their own pay policy statements each April that restate the NJC figures. If your service's pay page shows a competent firefighter at £38,881, it is showing the 2025 rate and should have been updated after 1 July 2026, unless your service has applied the award late. Check the effective date on any pay page. See the London firefighter salary guide for the London scale.
Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish services also advertised the 2025 rates before 1 July 2026: the SFRS advert in March 2026 and the South Wales transfer advert in May 2026 both quoted £38,881 for a competent firefighter. That is expected, because the 2026 rates only take effect from 1 July.
How to use the comparison
If you are an existing firefighter, use the comparison to check that your service has applied the 2026 award, and to calculate any arrears. Take the annual difference at your pay point, divide by 12 (monthly) or 13 (four-weekly), and multiply by the number of periods since 1 July 2026 that were paid at the old rate. For a competent firefighter that is £1,477 ÷ 12 = £123.08 a month, or £113.62 per four-week period.
If you are planning a move or a mortgage, use the 2026 column, and check that any advert or offer quotes the 2026 rate. If you are comparing services or ranks, compare the same effective date on both sides. The pay calculator converts any of these salaries to take-home pay, and the payslip checker compares your payslip lines with the national figures.
For a written summary tailored to your circumstances, including what to ask payroll and what your arrears should be, the paid Personal Pay Report is designed for this.
Frequently asked questions
How much did firefighter pay go up in 2026?
The NJC applied a 3.8% increase from 1 July 2026. A competent firefighter's basic pay rose from £38,881 to £40,358 (+£1,477) and a development firefighter's from £30,384 to £31,539 (+£1,155). Every national pay point rose by 3.8%.
What was the firefighter salary in 2025?
From 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 the national rates were £30,384 for a development firefighter and £38,881 for a competent firefighter, with hourly rates of £13.87 and £17.75. They come from NJC circular NJC/3/25, following a 3.2% award.
Is the 2026 pay rise the same percentage for every rank?
Yes. The 3.8% award applies to all NJC basic pay rates, so the percentage is the same, though the cash amount is larger at higher pay points: £1,155 at Development Firefighter and £2,826 at Area Manager Competent B.
What was the overtime rate in 2025?
A competent firefighter's overtime rate was £26.63 an hour from 1 July 2025 and £20.81 for a development firefighter. From 1 July 2026 they are £27.65 and £21.60. Overtime is the hourly rate at time and a half.
Did on-call pay increase in 2026?
Yes. The full retainer for a competent firefighter rose from £5,832 to £6,054, the day-crewing retainer from £1,944 to £2,018, hourly activity pay from £17.75 to £18.43 and the disturbance payment from £5.12 to £5.31.
Why does my payslip still show 2025 rates?
The 2026 rates apply from 1 July 2026, but payroll processing may lag. If you are still on 2025 rates, arrears should be due back to 1 July. Ask payroll when the award will be implemented and check the arrears against the annual difference at your pay point.
Primary sources
- NJC Circular NJC/3/25: pay award 2025 (rates from 1 July 2025)
- NJC Circular NJC/2/26: pay award 2026 (rates from 1 July 2026)
- NJC Circular NJC/3/24: pay award 2024 (rates from 1 July 2024)
- FBU — pay settlement 2025
- FBU — pay settlement 2026
- FBU circular 2026HOC093SW: pay award acceptance (2 July 2026)
- London Fire Brigade — Policy 558, operational staff pay rates (reviewed 24 July 2026)