Fire Service
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DismissFire Service is a publicly funded organisation. They respond to fire emergencies.
nationalfirechiefs.org.uk/Fire-and-Rescue-ServicesAbout jobs at Fire Service
Pay
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Good
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Most people are paid a living wage
Do Fire Service pay a living wage?
Most people are paid a living wage.
How we know this
94% of people say they are paid at or above the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 84 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are ÂŁ12.60 per hour, and ÂŁ13.85 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Okay
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Only some people are paid market rates
Do Fire Service pay market rates?
Only some people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
43% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 65 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2023 and January 2025.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Good
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Everyone is paid the same, whatever their age
Do Fire Service pay the same regardless of age?
Yes, people under the age of 21 get paid the same as those above 21.
See what Fire Service pays different age groupsHow we know this
The average pay of under 21s is the same as those above 21.Based on data from 99 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between November 2022 and April 2025.
Good
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Most people get paid breaks
Do workers at Fire Service get paid breaks?
Yes. Most people get paid breaks.
How we know this
74% of people say they get paid breaks.Based on data from 91 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Good
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Most people get sick pay
Do Fire Service pay sick pay?
Yes. Most people get proper sick pay.
How we know this
93% of people say they would get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 92 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
This is more than the legal minimum, which says you should only get paid if you are unwell for 4 full days. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Good
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Most people don’t do unpaid extra work
Do workers at Fire Service do extra work that they don't get paid for?
Rarely. Most people don’t do unpaid extra work.
How we know this
84% of people report that they don’t do extra unpaid work.Based on data from 74 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.
Hours and flexibility
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Good
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4+ weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Fire Service?
Most people get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 0% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 9% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 14% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 77% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 22 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2023 and December 2024.
Why this matters
At a good job, you get plenty of notice about when you’re working.
This makes it easy for you to plan the rest of life, as well as your finances, because you know how much you’ll be working and when.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get any choice of shifts
Do Fire Service workers get to choose the shifts they work?
Most people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
80% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 70 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Needs improving
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Hard to change shifts
How easy is it for Fire Service workers to change shifts?
Most people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
75% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 55 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. It should be easy to change a shift if you need to, whether that’s in an emergency or for planning ahead.
Good
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Easy to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Fire Service?
Most people find it easy to book holiday.
How we know this
74% of people report it’s easy to book holidays.Based on data from 84 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Good
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Shifts don’t get changed at short notice
Do Fire Service managers change shifts at short notice?
Most managers don’t change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
100% of people say their manager doesn’t changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 74 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Good
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Most people find it easy to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Fire Service?
Most people find it easy to take sick leave.
How we know this
97% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 89 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Good
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Most parents say it’s good
Is working at Fire Service good if you’re a parent or carer?
Most parents and carers say this is a good place to work.
How we know this
71% of people who care for a child or other relative report this is a good place to work.Based on data from 24 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2023 and March 2025.
Why this matters
Whether it’s looking after children or caring for a relative, a good job should support your responsibilities outside of work.
Workplace
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Good
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Most people feel treated with respect
Do people at Fire Service feel treated with respect by their managers?
Most people feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
75% of people say they’re treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 85 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Good
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Most people get proper breaks
Do people at Fire Service get proper breaks?
Most people get proper breaks.
How we know this
70% of people report that they get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 91 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
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Some people are stressed
Is it stressful to work at Fire Service?
Some people feel stressed here.
How we know this
52% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 88 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
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Most people enjoy their job
Do people at Fire Service enjoy their jobs?
Most people enjoy their job.
How we know this
89% of people report they enjoy their job.Based on data from 85 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
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Most people recommend their team
Do people at Fire Service recommend working with their team?
Most people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
72% of people report that they would recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 94 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
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Most people get enough training
Do people get enough training when they start at Fire Service?
Most people got enough training when they started.
How we know this
88% of people report they got enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 91 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Good
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Most people get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Fire Service?
Most people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 72% of people report being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 85 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Needs improving
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do people think Fire Service head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
77% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 87 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Good
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Most people feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how Fire Service is doing?
Most people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
69% of people feel that they are kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 83 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2023 and April 2025.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
Pay ranges at Fire Service
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ÂŁ28.0k-38.7k per year
Fire Service job reviews
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Best thing
Working as a team, the hours worked and holidays
Worst thing
Upper management and none firefighting staff who look down on firefighters and and treat them disrespectfully.
Firefighter at Fire Service, August 2023
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Best thing
Helping people, working with good people.
Worst thing
The role can be stressful and helping people who are in a terrible situation can leave a toll on occasion
Firefighter at Fire Service, July 2023
Jobs by location
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3 job openings
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11 job openings
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1 job opening
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6 job openings
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1 job opening
Handy to know
How are people paid?
Based on 95 Fire Service employees
How much notice do people get of their shifts?
Based on 22 Fire Service employees