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NJC Circular 2/26 · effective 1 July 2026

UK firefighter pay scales 2026

The complete national baseline for firefighting roles. Use the filters to focus on a role, then move into take-home or on-call modelling.

Calculate take-homeCalculate on-call pay
Development firefighter£31,539£14.40 per hour
Competent firefighter£40,358£27.65 overtime
Competent crew manager£44,742£20.43 per hour
Area manager, competent B£77,186£35.24 per hour
Turn these rates into your own payThe scale is the national baseline. Your take-home depends on overtime, allowances, tax code and pension band.
Free take-home calculator →Personal Pay Report · £7.99 →
Wholetime roles

Annual, hourly and published overtime rates

Annual figures are rounded first. Hourly rates use annual ÷ 52.143 ÷ 42, following the circular's rounding method.

RoleStageAnnualHourlyOvertime
FirefighterDevelopment£31,539£14.40£21.60
FirefighterCompetent£40,358£18.43£27.65
Crew ManagerDevelopment£42,892£19.59£29.39
Crew ManagerCompetent£44,742£20.43£30.65
Watch ManagerDevelopment£45,711£20.87£31.31
Watch ManagerCompetent A£46,980£21.45£32.18
Watch ManagerCompetent B£50,034£22.85£34.28
Station ManagerDevelopment£52,040£23.76£35.64
Station ManagerCompetent A£53,604£24.48£36.72
Station ManagerCompetent B£57,402£26.21£39.32
Group ManagerDevelopment£59,937£27.37Not published
Group ManagerCompetent A£61,736£28.19Not published
Group ManagerCompetent B£66,445£30.34Not published
Area ManagerDevelopment£70,368£32.13Not published
Area ManagerCompetent A£72,476£33.09Not published
Area ManagerCompetent B£77,186£35.24Not published
Retained duty system

On-call retainers and activity rates

Full cover is the national 15% retainer; day crewing is 5%. The published disturbance payment is £5.31 per occasion.

RoleStageFull retainerDay crewingWork activity
FirefighterDevelopment£4,731£1,577£14.40/hr
FirefighterCompetent£6,054£2,018£18.43/hr
Crew ManagerDevelopment£6,434£2,145£19.59/hr
Crew ManagerCompetent£6,711£2,237£20.43/hr
Watch ManagerDevelopment£6,857£2,286£20.87/hr
Watch ManagerCompetent A£7,047£2,349£21.45/hr
Watch ManagerCompetent B£7,505£2,502£22.85/hr
Station ManagerDevelopment£7,806£2,602£23.76/hr
Station ManagerCompetent A£8,041£2,680£24.48/hr
Station ManagerCompetent B£8,610£2,870£26.21/hr
Group ManagerDevelopment£8,991£2,997£27.37/hr
Group ManagerCompetent A£9,260£3,087£28.19/hr
Group ManagerCompetent B£9,967£3,322£30.34/hr
Area ManagerDevelopment£10,555£3,518£32.13/hr
Area ManagerCompetent A£10,871£3,624£33.09/hr
Area ManagerCompetent B£11,578£3,859£35.24/hr
Development and competent

Pay follows competence in role

Development pay usually applies while the service assesses and supports competence in the role. Higher management roles can have competent A and B points; the job evaluation and local post determine which applies.

Local differences

Basic pay is not total earnings

CPD, flexible-duty, temporary-promotion and specialist payments may sit above basic pay. Control-specific operational roles use the separate 95% national table.

Primary source

Check the circular

These figures are transcribed from the National Joint Council pay award published 8 July 2026.

Open NJC/2/26 →

FBU pay scales 2026: who sets firefighter pay?

There is no separate “FBU pay scale”. The rates on this page are the national rates agreed by the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services, a body with two sides: the fire service employers and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). The employers make an offer, the FBU consults its members, and if the offer is accepted the NJC publishes the new rates in a numbered circular.

In 2026 the offer was 3.8% on all NJC basic pay rates and CPD payments from 1 July 2026. FBU members accepted it in a consultative ballot (54% in favour on a 68% turnout) and the NJC published the rates in circular NJC/2/26 on 3 July 2026. Our explainer on the NJC pay process covers each step, and firefighter pay rises since 2009 shows every earlier award.

Not every service uses these exact figures: London Fire Brigade has its own pay scale, and local additions can change what lands on your payslip. For the headline answer with every rank, on-call earnings and take-home pay, read the firefighter salary UK 2026 guide.

Are FBU pay scales and NJC pay scales the same thing?

There is no separate FBU pay scale. Firefighter pay scales are the national rates agreed by the National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services, which has an employers' side and an employees' side. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) sits on the employees' side, consults its members on offers, and the NJC publishes the agreed rates in a numbered circular.

When do the new firefighter pay scales take effect?

NJC awards normally take effect on 1 July. The 2026 award of 3.8% on all NJC basic pay rates and CPD payments took effect on 1 July 2026, with the rates published in NJC circular 2/26 on 3 July 2026. Services then implement it through payroll, so back pay may follow.

Does every firefighter use these pay scales?

These are the national NJC rates, which most services use as the baseline. London Fire Brigade has its own pay scale, and local additions, allowances and duty systems can change what you actually receive. Always check your contract and payslip.

Premium tools

From the pay scale to your own pay

The scale shows national rates. Your real pay depends on your overtime, allowances, tax code and pension band. The Personal Pay Report works it out for £7.99; Promotion Prep shows what the next rank is worth. One payment, VAT included, 24-day refund if unused.