The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has issued its response to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Autumn Budget, presented to the House of Commons on 26 November, characterising the announcement as a continuation of austerity. The FBU highlights “significant gaps” in public sector funding and reiterates its view that a wealth tax is required to address ongoing cost-of-living pressures. The National Fire Chiefs Council has also provided a comprehensive statement on the Budget measures.

FBU general secretary Steve Wright commented: “Like all public sector workers, firefighters have waited years for a Budget that starts to turn the page on austerity. Although there are steps in the right direction, significant gaps remain that must be addressed if our public services are to be rebuilt.”

Wright continued: “The increase in the statutory minimum wage is welcome and will help many low-paid workers. However, we had hoped to see more action to boost pay across the board, reflecting Labour Party Conference policy and the reality of the cost of living scenario.”

Further, Wright noted: “Without meaningful action on taxing extreme wealth, this Budget does not yet provide secure and long-term investment or break with austerity. The Fire and Rescue Service will continue to face huge pressure and the risk of further cuts, including fire station closures, cuts to firefighter numbers and continued real-terms pay cuts for firefighters.”

In conclusion, Wright observed: “As an affiliated Trade Union, we will continue to work with the Labour Government. Under my leadership, we will stand firm in pressing for the investment our Fire and Rescue Service urgently requires in order to keep our communities safe.”

Comment from the NFCC

Also responding to the Budget Statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) chair Phil Garrigan commented: “In a year of major Government spending decisions, the NFCC has been clear: Fire and Rescue must not become the forgotten Emergency Service. Recent announcements suggest we may see the first real-terms increase to fire funding in more than a decade, which is a welcome step forward, but it doesn’t reverse the long-term impact of years of cuts.”

Garrigan went on to state: “The Autumn Budget didn’t reference Fire and Rescue, but our focus remains unchanged. We will continue to highlight the need for sustained investment so that Fire and Rescue Services can meet rising demand. Fire and Rescue Services are attending significantly more incidents than they were ten years ago, despite a substantial fall in firefighter numbers and an ageing estate shaped by the loss of around £1 billion in capital funding.”

According to Garrigan, the announcement on funding reforms was an encouraging start. “We look forward to further clarity and continued progress. The risk landscape is evolving rapidly. Our Fire and Rescue Services are on the front line of climate-related emergencies, advancing energy technologies and an expanded regulatory role in building safety. We are ready to meet these challenges, but doing so requires modern and well-resourced services.”

In closing his observation, Garrigan said: “Fire and Rescue is the foundation of our national resilience. It’s essential that investment keeps pace with the demands we face.”

Funding front line response

A coalition of organisations – including Greenpeace, Tax Justice UK, Friends of the Earth, Tipping Point UK and Global Justice Now has further cautioned that “the UK is dangerously under-prepared for the growing threat of wildfires, flooding and the wider impacts of the climate crisis”.

In a joint letter to the Chancellor and to Environment Secretary Ed Miliband, the organisations state: “We are asking you to make substantial and long-term investment in the UK’s Fire and Rescue Service.”

Their intervention comes amid ongoing pressures on the Fire and Rescue Service, which has seen one-in-five firefighter roles lost since 2010. This year has also marked the worst wildfire season on record, exceeding the unprecedented incidents of summer 2022. Projections indicate that days classified as having a ‘very high’ wildfire risk are likely to triple by 2050.

The letter references the Holt Heath wildfire earlier this summer, noting that 17 Fire and Rescue Services, including crews from as far away as Merseyside, were required to respond. Many firefighters were without specialist wildfire PPE during the incident.

The signatories are calling for:

Significant new central government funding for the Fire and Rescue Service to ensure adequate firefighter numbers, emergency fire control personnel and specialist capability to manage increasing wildfire and flooding risks.

A statutory duty for Fire and Rescue Services in England to respond to flooding, aligning England with existing arrangements in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

A UK-wide wildfire resilience strategy, developed in collaboration with the FBU and other key stakeholders, to establish consistent national standards for planning, training and operational response.

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