London Fire Brigade recruitment: process, eligibility, tests

Is London Fire Brigade recruiting right now?

LFB is the largest fire and rescue service in the UK by staff numbers and covers Greater London, so many candidates search for its recruitment first. It does not run a permanent open application. When we checked LFB's how-to-apply page on 29 September 2026 it said recruitment is paused while LFB reviews its selection process, that an update would follow, and that the Brigade had sufficient applicants to fill training places until April 2027.

That status can change quickly, and we are not in a position to say whether any window is open when you read this. The reliable way to find out is to check LFB's careers pages, sign up for career event notifications and monitor our page on when fire services are recruiting, which explains how windows work without claiming live vacancies. You can also compare other services on our services directory.

While recruitment is paused, treat the time as preparation. The tests and fitness standards LFB has published are stable enough to train for, and the outreach approach means there is value in knowing the process before an announcement, so you are not starting from zero when a window opens.

The LFB selection process, stage by stage

LFB publishes the following stages. Outreach comes first and is required for all applicants: you attend an outreach event to discuss the role, complete an information session covering the apprenticeship, training and job details, and take part in an outreach experience day. After the programme you are told how to apply. The application then assesses suitability and your understanding of the career path.

Online tests follow and must be completed at home; they are verified at the assessment centre. The assessment centre includes an interview, a roleplay, a written exercise and online test verification, and successful candidates move to fitness testing. After that come a medical and eye test, references and checks, and then a training course. The table below summarises the sequence.

Eligibility: what LFB has published

LFB's eligibility page describes a number of requirements. As we understand the published wording when checked, applicants must be over 17 and a half at application, with no upper age limit; be UK or EU citizens or permanent UK residents with no work restrictions; hold a full UK or EU driving licence and be willing to gain an LGV licence within 18 months of joining; and be free from unspent criminal convictions. LFB also says that no specific qualifications are required, but candidates without English and maths at GCSE grade C/4 or equivalent will complete Functional Skills as part of the apprenticeship, and asks candidates to be prepared to be clean-shaven so a breathing apparatus mask seals safely.

Requirements of this kind change with policy, and we are summarising rather than quoting a current legal document, so confirm each point on the LFB page before relying on it. For the general picture across services, read firefighter entry requirements, firefighter age limit and height, tattoos and criminal record.

One point worth emphasising is the welcome for a wide range of candidates: LFB's careers page states 'Whatever your gender, height or background we welcome diversity'. There is no published height requirement in the material we reviewed, and LFB emphasises technique in its fitness tests.

LFB fitness tests: the detail

LFB's fitness page describes the Chester treadmill fitness test as a 12-minute graded treadmill test designed to assess whether a candidate can achieve the minimum recommended aerobic capacity of 42 ml/kg/min. You walk at 6.2 km/h with the gradient at 0 per cent for two minutes, rising by 3 per cent every two minutes until it reaches 15 per cent. Our bleep test standard guide explains how the same aerobic target is expressed on the shuttle run used by other services.

The practical stations are a 13.5-metre ladder climb to two-thirds height with a leg lock and a symbol to identify; a ladder lift of a 30 kg simulator bar to 190 cm; a casualty drag of a 55 kg dummy backwards around a 30-metre course with four cones; an enclosed space test wearing a breathing apparatus face mask, with vision obscured halfway; equipment assembly of a portable pump in fire gear; and an equipment carry over 25 metres around two cones in 5 minutes 47 seconds, involving hose and a 33 kg barbell.

Because LFB uses the treadmill test rather than a running test, your training should include incline walking at 6.2 km/h rather than only running. Then add strength and carrying work for the practical stations. The fitness readiness checker is a quick way to see where you stand, and the Fitness Pass Suite offers structured plans.

Training, apprenticeship and the first months

LFB's selection page states a 15-week training course followed by on-the-job station training. The Brigade has also described all new firefighters as completing an 18-month apprenticeship in which they receive a Level 3 qualification in Operational Firefighting; the initial 15 weeks prepare trainees for continuing the apprenticeship at a station as a firefighter in development. Trainees are supported with functional skills where needed.

Course structure can change; documents published around April 2024 recorded a move to a 15-week programme (from 13), and LFB has consulted on further changes to how the initial course is delivered. That is a reminder to confirm current details when you are invited to training rather than to expect a fixed number. For a wider view of how initial courses run across services, see firefighter training course: what to expect, and for the apprenticeship standard see firefighter apprenticeship UK.

During the development period pay follows the national development and competent structure. From 1 July 2026 the national development firefighter rate is £31,539 and the competent rate is £40,358, and London services also provide London weighting or allowances that are separate from those national tables. Check LFB's current job advert for the exact pay; our pay scales page explains the national baseline.

Medical, references and checks

After the fitness tests LFB carries out a medical questionnaire and examination, and may request GP records. It says acceptable colour vision is required, that glasses and contact lenses are permitted and that specific restrictions apply after laser eye surgery. As always, current medical standards are set by LFB's occupational health team and cannot be judged from a general website.

LFB's references stage includes an enhanced DBS check, documentation of a three-year history covering study, travel and unemployment, and, for self-employed applicants, around five references; it states that personal references are not accepted. That level of detail explains why applicants are advised to gather dates and addresses early.

Any gap in your history should be explained clearly rather than left blank. If you have a criminal record, the position depends on whether convictions are spent or unspent and on the service's policy; see our requirements guide and speak to LFB's recruitment team if you are unsure.

How to prepare while recruitment is paused

Preparation is worthwhile because the underlying assessments are consistent and because a window may open with short notice. Start with fitness: build to the aerobic standard and the strength for the ladder lift, casualty drag and carry. Then work on reasoning tests and evidence for interview, and collect your documents so that you can complete the application quickly.

Make a checklist: proof of right to work, qualifications, driving licence details, a three-year history with dates, referees and any medical evidence. Practise the online tests using timed papers, and prepare five to eight real examples that show teamwork, communication, resilience and respect. The Core Code of Ethics is a useful frame for the interview.

Use the recruitment timeline planner to model how an LFB process of 4 to 12 months would fit around your work and family, and consider the Candidate Bundle if you want the preparation tools in one place. If you may apply elsewhere, compare routes in how to become a firefighter in the UK.

London-specific questions: pay, housing and commuting

Working in London affects your finances and logistics. London weighting can lift pay above the national tables, but housing costs are high, and you should think about where you would live relative to stations and shift patterns. A commute at the start and end of a night shift is different from a nine-to-five journey, and rotas mean you may work at different times of day.

For the money picture, see our guide to London firefighter salary and use the pay calculator with the figures from your offer letter. For long-term planning, firefighter pension 2015 explains the main England scheme and the Firefighter Career Suite helps you connect recruitment decisions with progression.

If you are outside London, other services have their own recruitment cycles, and some have on-call routes that LFB does not use in the same way. Comparing several services can increase your options, as long as you meet each service's eligibility and can attend their stages.