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Fire and rescue services across England face “real and significant cuts” to government funding that could undermine public safety, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has warned.
The organisation says proposed changes from the government’s Spending Review and Fair Funding Review 2.0 could strip more than £100m from frontline services, equating to the loss of around 1,500 wholetime firefighters – or as many as 2,300 posts once London and county brigades are included.
The warning comes as fire and rescue services are faced with a rising number of incidents. Data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) shows crews attended 600,185 incidents last year, up 20% from a decade earlier in 2014. Meanwhile, firefighter numbers have decreased by around 11,000 since 2008 – a reduction of 25% in 17 years.
NFCC Chair Phil Garrigan said the sector could not continue to deliver “more with less.” He added: “We are already seeing demand rising, risks evolving, and our remit expanding – from tackling the effects of climate change to responding to increased blue-light collaboration – all while firefighter numbers have fallen sharply. A failure to recognise these burdens and to forge ahead with the funding proposals as they stand would be incomprehensible. The safety of our communities depends on a settlement that matches the reality on the ground.”
Fire chiefs argue that proposed changes to the distribution of central grants will worsen the situation. Under the revised formula, population growth will carry greater weight in allocations, meaning areas with slower growth but higher risks – such as industrial sites, high-rise housing or deprivation – could face even deeper cuts. The NFCC says relying on council tax increases to plug the gap is unrealistic. Even if every authority raised its precept by the maximum £5 per year on Band D properties, this would not keep pace with inflation or rising staff pay.
NFCC is calling for:
- Real-terms protection for fire service funding
- Uncapped council tax flexibility subject to local consultation
- A risk-based funding model developed with the sector
- A dedicated system comparable to police funding that recognises fire and rescue’s national resilience role
- And a full risk assessment before any new formula is introduced
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has also condemned the Government’s approach, warning that the scale of the cuts will endanger both the public and firefighters. General Secretary Steve Wright said: “The fire service is already on its knees after 15 years of austerity. Cuts to the emergency services will cost lives. It is a matter of time until someone dies – either because we don’t have the resources to reach them in time, or because cuts mean firefighters are being put in harm’s way.”
The FBU highlighted that the fire service has already lost 12,000 posts since 2010, while the UK faces growing threats from wildfires, floods and extreme weather events. This year alone, around 900 wildfires have been recorded – more than during the heatwave of 2022. Wright accused Labour of betraying promises to deliver meaningful change after last year’s election victory, adding: “Time is running out for Labour to demonstrate that it can provide a real alternative to Tory austerity. The government must think again about these cuts.”
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