Firefighter salary 2026/27
What a wholetime firefighter earns in development and once competent from 1 July 2026, and what it leaves after tax, National Insurance and pension.
Firefighter pay stages
| Stage | Salary | Hourly | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development | £31,539 | £14.40 | £1,952 |
| Competent | £40,358 | £18.43 | £2,376 |
Wholetime, 42-hour week, 2015 fire pension, tax code 1257L, no CPD or overtime. There are only two stages. You start in development and move to the competent rate once your service signs you off, which is worth £424 a month in take-home pay.
Once competent, most services also pay a CPD payment for keeping your skills up. It is set locally and counts for your pension, so add it in the calculator above.
What a firefighter does
Fires are only part of the job. Firefighters go to road crashes, floods, water and height rescues, chemical spills and people trapped in lifts or machinery. A large share of the work is prevention: fitting smoke alarms, giving safety advice and visiting schools and the people most at risk.
Typical duties
- Responding to 999 calls and working as part of a crew on a fire engine.
- Rescuing people from fires, vehicles, water and heights, and giving first aid.
- Home fire safety visits and community safety work.
- Daily checks and maintenance of the engine and equipment.
- Drills and training, including breathing apparatus, hose work and ladders.
Hours and shifts
Wholetime firefighters work an average of 42 hours a week. Many services use a pattern of two days and two nights followed by four days off, but day crewing and other systems are common. You work weekends and public holidays as part of the rota.
How to become a firefighter
Each fire and rescue service recruits for itself, often only once or twice a year. You must be at least 18 to work as a firefighter, and many services ask for GCSE English and maths and a full driving licence. Selection usually includes:
- Written tests on working with numbers, understanding information and situational judgement.
- Physical tests such as a ladder climb, carrying equipment, dragging a casualty and working in an enclosed space.
- An interview, a medical and background checks.
New firefighters do an initial course of several weeks, then spend their development period on a watch, usually as a level 3 apprenticeship.
Where it can lead
You can specialise in areas like water rescue, fire investigation or protection, or go for promotion to crew manager and then watch manager.
Common questions
How much does a firefighter earn in 2026?
A wholetime firefighter earns £31,539 in development and £40,358 once competent, from 1 July 2026, plus any CPD payment and overtime.
How much does a trainee firefighter take home a month?
About £1,952 a month after tax, NI and the fire pension, on £31,539.
How long until I get the competent firefighter rate?
There is no fixed time. You move up once your service is satisfied you are competent, which usually takes two to three years.
Do firefighters get paid more at night?
No. Wholetime firefighters get the same basic salary whatever shifts they work. The shift pattern is built into the 42-hour week.