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The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has said that the 2025-26 Scottish Budget, which includes over £400m for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), “won’t touch the sides” when it comes to bridging the gap to keep communities safe.
The Scottish Parliament approved the Scottish Government’s proposed budget on Tuesday this week.
Under the spending plans, SFRS will get £412.2m this coming a year, up from £393.4m in 2024-25 — an increase of 4.78%. But that’s simply not enough, according to the FBU, who highlighted that over 1,200 firefighter posts have been lost to cuts over the past 13 years
The FBU also highlighted that 10 fire engines were axed in 2023 due to budget cuts and remain unavailable.
The FBU says that £80m of capital investment per year is needed to address “significant backlogs” which have left fire stations and control rooms in poor condition.
Colin Brown, FBU executive council member for Scotland, said that, while the funding increase is welcome, it’s simply not enough once inflation has been taken into account.
SFRS needs “serious long-term investment to equip firefighters to protect homes and lives,” said Brown.
“Fire stations and control rooms are in appalling condition across the country, left to decay without investment,” he added.
“The budget also fails to account for the potential impact of changes to employers’ national insurance contributions outlined by Westminster. Without additional funding, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service could be left short of millions of pounds.
“This budget is a step in the right direction, but won’t touch the sides. To keep communities safe, the Scottish government must commit to reverse cuts and provide the funding the fire and rescue service desperately needs.”
Colin Brown, FBU executive council member for Scotland.
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