Fire Service Salary Calculator
Select a rank and pay point to estimate take-home pay, including FPS 2015 pension contributions, Income Tax and National Insurance, based on the national fire and rescue service pay scale.
Role Details
Enter your rank and pay point
Pay Estimate
Estimated take-home pay breakdown
National Fire Service Pay Scale
Wholetime basic annual salaries under the national NJC pay scale, effective 1 July 2026, before overtime, pension deductions and Income Tax.
| Rank | Pay Point | Basic Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Firefighter | Development | £31,539 |
| Firefighter | Competent | £40,358 |
| Crew Manager | Development | £42,892 |
| Crew Manager | Competent | £44,742 |
| Watch Manager | Development | £45,711 |
| Watch Manager | Competent B | £50,034 |
| Station Manager | Development | £52,040 |
| Station Manager | Competent B | £57,402 |
| Group Manager | Development | £59,937 |
| Group Manager | Competent B | £66,445 |
| Area Manager | Development | £70,368 |
| Area Manager | Competent B | £77,186 |
Fire Service Salary FAQ
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about firefighter pay, pension and take-home earnings.
Under the national pay scale effective 1 July 2026, a wholetime firefighter earns £31,539 during development and £40,358 once competent. Pay rises with rank, reaching £44,742 for a competent Crew Manager, up to £50,034 for a Watch Manager, up to £57,402 for a Station Manager, up to £66,445 for a Group Manager and up to £77,186 for an Area Manager.
Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (FPS) 2015 members pay a tiered contribution based on their pensionable pay, deducted before tax under a net pay arrangement. From 1 April 2026 the tiers run from around 11.09% for lower pensionable pay up to 17.09% for the highest earners, so the exact rate depends on rank and pay point.
Yes. Overtime pay is added to gross earnings and is taxed and subject to National Insurance in the normal way. However, overtime is usually excluded from pensionable pay, so it does not attract a further pension contribution.
Development pay applies while a firefighter or manager is still working towards being signed off in their role, typically during the first two to three years. Competent pay applies once training and workplace assessments are complete, and represents a permanent increase — for a firefighter this is currently an £8,819 jump.