Pay and conditions
Rates of pay for operational wholetime firefighters
- Trainee (Phase 1) 12 Weeks** - £28,265
Development (Phase 2) 12 weeks – 24 months** - £29,442
Competent (Phase 3) - £37,675
(correct as of December 2024)
**Timings are approximate and may vary
Pension benefits
New entrants will be contractually enrolled on to the Firefighter Pension scheme 2015.
Highlights of the pension include:
- A pension of 1/59.7th of your pay every year, added to your pension account and protected against inflation.
- The option to convert part of your pension into a tax-free lump sum when you retire.
- Immediate payment of pension benefits to you.
- Retire at pension age – 60 or retire early from age 55 (but with an early payment reduction).
- A lump sum of three years’ final pay if you die in service.
- A substantial employer contribution towards the cost of your benefits.
- The choice of deferring payment of your pension benefits until State Pension Age if you leave the scheme early or transferring them to another pension arrangement (unless you were a member for less than three months when you would get a refund of contributions instead.
- Employee contributions vary from 10% to 14.5% of your pay depending on your rate of pay.