Firefighter PAO (Pre-Arranged Overtime)
PAO Hourly Rates by Rank (Wholetime)
| Rank | Basic hourly | PAO hourly (1.5×) |
|---|---|---|
| Firefighter (Development) | £13.87 | £20.81 |
| Firefighter (Competent) | £17.75 | £26.63 |
| Crew Manager (Competent) | £19.68 | £29.52 |
| Watch Manager (Competent B) | £22.01 | £33.02 |
| Station Manager (Competent B) | £25.25 | £37.88 |
| Group Manager and above | — | Not eligible |
Pre-Arranged Overtime (PAO) is overtime worked at 1.5× your basic hourly rate, paid for time worked beyond your contracted 42-hour week. PAO is the standard mechanism for paid overtime under the NJC Grey Book — distinct from unplanned operational over-runs and recall-to-duty arrangements which can have their own treatment.
PAO is available to Firefighter, Crew Manager, Watch Manager and Station Manager grades. Group Manager and above are not eligible — they're on the Conditional Service Agreement and instead receive the FDS allowance for on-call working.
PAO earnings are pensionable under FPS rules. Tax and NI are deducted as normal. A typical operational firefighter working 10 hours of PAO per month at Competent earns an extra £3,196/year gross (10 × £26.63 × 12).