On-call Firefighter Pay Scales
As an On-call Firefighter, you will receive a monthly allowance based upon the number of hours you are available for call out, plus a fixed fee for every call out, and an hourly rate for whilst you are attending incidents – please see below for those rates.
The table below shows salaries in the Fire Service with effect from 1 January 2025.
| Position | |
|---|---|
| Firefight-er | |
| Trainee | |
| Whole-time Annual Salary | £28,265.0 |
| 15% retainer 120 hours and above * | £4,239.75 |
| 12.5% retainer, 91 to 119 hours | £3,533.13 |
| 10% retainer, 61 to 90 hours | £2,826.50 |
| 7.5% retainer, 31 to 60 hours | £2,119.88 |
| 5% retainer up to 30 hours | £1,413.25 |
| Basic pay rate per hour ** | £12.91 |
| Rate per occasion *** | £4.96 |
| Developm-ent | |
| Whole-time Annual Salary | £29,442.0 |
| 15% retainer 120 hours and above * | £4,416.30 |
| 12.5% retainer, 91 to 119 hours | £3,680.25 |
| 10% retainer, 61 to 90 hours | £2,944.20 |
| 7.5% retainer, 31 to 60 hours | £2,208.15 |
| 5% retainer up to 30 hours | £1,472.10 |
| Basic pay rate per hour ** | £13.44 |
| Rate per occasion *** | £4.96 |
| Competent | |
| Whole-time Annual Salary | £37,675.0 |
| 15% retainer 120 hours and above * | £5,651.25 |
| 12.5% retainer, 91 to 119 hours | £4,709.38 |
| 10% retainer, 61 to 90 hours | £3,767.50 |
| 7.5% retainer, 31 to 60 hours | £2,825.63 |
| 5% retainer up to 30 hours | £1,883.75 |
| Basic pay rate per hour ** | £17.20 |
| Rate per occasion *** | £4.96 |
| Crew Manager | |
| Developm-ent | |
| Whole-time Annual Salary | £40,041.0 |
| 15% retainer 120 hours and above * | £6,006.15 |
| 12.5% retainer, 91 to 119 hours | £5,005.13 |
| 10% retainer, 61 to 90 hours | £4,004.10 |
| 7.5% retainer, 31 to 60 hours | £3,003.08 |
| 5% retainer up to 30 hours | £2,002.05 |
| Basic pay rate per hour ** | £18.28 |
| Rate per occasion *** | £4.96 |
| Competent | |
| Whole-time Annual Salary | £41,767.0 |
| 15% retainer 120 hours and above * | £6,265.05 |
| 12.5% retainer, 91 to 119 hours | £5,220.88 |
| 10% retainer, 61 to 90 hours | £4,176.70 |
| 7.5% retainer, 31 to 60 hours | £3,132.53 |
| 5% retainer up to 30 hours | £2,088.35 |
| Basic pay rate per hour ** | £19.07 |
| Rate per occasion *** | £4.96 |
| Watch Manager | |
| Developm-ent | |
| Whole-time Annual Salary | £42,672.0 |
| 15% retainer 120 hours and above * | £6,400.80 |
| 12.5% retainer, 91 to 119 hours | £5,334.00 |
| 10% retainer, 61 to 90 hours | £4,267.20 |
| 7.5% retainer, 31 to 60 hours | £3,200.40 |
| 5% retainer up to 30 hours | £2,133.60 |
| Basic pay rate per hour ** | £19.48 |
| Rate per occasion *** | £4.96 |
| Competent A | |
| Whole-time Annual Salary | £43,857.0 |
| 15% retainer 120 hours and above * | £6,578.55 |
| 12.5% retainer, 91 to 119 hours | £5,482.13 |
| 10% retainer, 61 to 90 hours | £4,385.70 |
| 7.5% retainer, 31 to 60 hours | £3,289.28 |
| 5% retainer up to 30 hours | £2,192.85 |
| Basic pay rate per hour ** | £20.03 |
| Rate per occasion *** | £4.96 |
| Competent B | |
| Whole-time Annual Salary | £46,707.0 |
| 15% retainer 120 hours and above * | £7,006.05 |
| 12.5% retainer, 91 to 119 hours | £5,838.38 |
| 10% retainer, 61 to 90 hours | £4,670.70 |
| 7.5% retainer, 31 to 60 hours | £3,503.03 |
| 5% retainer up to 30 hours | £2,335.35 |
| Basic pay rate per hour ** | £21.33 |
| Rate per occasion *** | £4.96 |
| Position | Whole-time Annual Salary | 15% retainer 120 hours and above * | 12.5% retainer, 91 to 119 hours | 10% retainer, 61 to 90 hours | 7.5% retainer, 31 to 60 hours | 5% retainer up to 30 hours | Basic pay rate per hour ** | Rate per occasion *** |
| Firefight-er | ||||||||
| Trainee | £28,265.0 | £4,239.75 | £3,533.13 | £2,826.50 | £2,119.88 | £1,413.25 | £12.91 | £4.96 |
| Developm-ent | £29,442.0 | £4,416.30 | £3,680.25 | £2,944.20 | £2,208.15 | £1,472.10 | £13.44 | £4.96 |
| Competent | £37,675.0 | £5,651.25 | £4,709.38 | £3,767.50 | £2,825.63 | £1,883.75 | £17.20 | £4.96 |
| Crew Manager | ||||||||
| Developm-ent | £40,041.0 | £6,006.15 | £5,005.13 | £4,004.10 | £3,003.08 | £2,002.05 | £18.28 | £4.96 |
| Competent | £41,767.0 | £6,265.05 | £5,220.88 | £4,176.70 | £3,132.53 | £2,088.35 | £19.07 | £4.96 |
| Watch Manager | ||||||||
| Developm-ent | £42,672.0 | £6,400.80 | £5,334.00 | £4,267.20 | £3,200.40 | £2,133.60 | £19.48 | £4.96 |
| Competent A | £43,857.0 | £6,578.55 | £5,482.13 | £4,385.70 | £3,289.28 | £2,192.85 | £20.03 | £4.96 |
| Competent B | £46,707.0 | £7,006.05 | £5,838.38 | £4,670.70 | £3,503.03 | £2,335.35 | £21.33 | £4.96 |
More senior posts attract varying rates of pay.
*The Full Annual Retainer
This is the full annual retainer for an employee providing full cover (which is defined 120 hours and above per week – hpw) and is 15% of the annual basic pay of a wholetime employee in the same role.
**Rate Per Hour
This is the basic hourly rate of a wholetime employee in the same role.
***Disturbance Payment Per Occasion
This is the fixed disturbance payment made on each occasion that an employee is called out.