Over 2,000 firefighter positions could disappear due to Government cuts, the Fire Brigades Union has warned.
Based on the National Fire Chiefs Council modelling, a funding shortfall of £102m can be expected due to the ‘below inflation’ settlement for 2025-26.
The Fire Brigades Union has said that this will account for the loss of roughly 2,300 firefighters when London and county brigades are included in the calculations.
According to the union, the ‘deep cuts’ to the service put both the public and the lives of firefighters at risk, with fire and rescue brigades having already faced the loss of 12,000 firefighters over the last 15 years.
The union has cautioned that teams are understaffed in some regions, while dealing with ‘significantly’ slower response times, against a backdrop of climate change that poses ‘increasing threats’ such as ‘wildfires, floods and extreme weather events’.
Steve Wright, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, argued that the cuts are ‘simply disgraceful, given that the service is ‘already on its knees’.
Mr Wright said: ‘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 UK has a record number of billionaires. The average FTSE 100 CEO takes three days to earn a firefighter’s whole annual salary. There is a clear alternative – introduce a wealth tax, rebuild our public services, and create an economy for workers.’
