Pay structure reform in the UK Fire and Rescue Service

The National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire & Rescue Services (NJC) has been discussing reform of the Grey Book pay structure for operational firefighters in the UK for several years. We are now at a point where the aims and objectives of the main stakeholders – the government, the employees (represented by the Fire Brigades Union) and the employers (represented by the National Employers) – are aligned in such a way that we now have an opportunity to make significant progress towards a new pay and grading structure that enables the expansion of the role of a Firefighter to support national resilience and allow the sector to respond to new and emerging risks.

The current pay structure within the Grey Book over 20 years old, it is a flat structure, with no spinal points or incremental progression and there is no job evaluation process or structure in place to enable the evaluation of knowledge, skills or competency in role. Initial work has begun on what a new pay structure might look like and we are now seeking assistance from an external party to provide assurance to our work programme and project plan, to help create a robust job evaluation system specifically fit for purpose in the operational fire and rescue space, and to draw on good practice from other sectors.

Before undertaking the technical design of the job evaluation system, the supplier will work collaboratively with the NJC Joint Secretaries and the LGA’s Workforce Team to shape the project through a structured scoping and advisory phase. This will ensure alignment with national priorities and the principles already agreed by both parties (the employers’ side and the employees’ side of the NJC).