On-call firefighters, still widely called retained, are paid quite differently
from wholetime staff. There is no salary. Instead there is an annual
retainer for being available, plus payments for each call attended
and for drills and training.
The retainer is set at 15% of the equivalent wholetime basic for full
cover, which currently works out at £5,832 a year at the competent rate and
£4,558 during development. Partial cover bands pay a third of that. This is why
a take-home table would mislead: for most on-call firefighters the retainer is a
minority of total earnings, and the rest depends entirely on how often the station
turns out.
That variability is the thing to model rather than average. Two on-call firefighters
at neighbouring stations on identical cover bands can earn very different amounts in a
year. The calculator lets you enter your own retainer and activity income together, so
the tax and National Insurance are worked out on the real total rather than on the
retainer alone.
On-call pay is pensionable, and on-call firefighters are members of the Firefighters'
Pension Scheme on the same tiered basis as wholetime staff. Because most on-call
earnings fall well below the £27,000 threshold, the 11% bottom tier usually
applies.
The other thing that distinguishes on-call from wholetime is how variable the income is month to month. A quiet month pays close to the retainer alone; a busy one can pay several times that. For anyone budgeting around it, or presenting it to a mortgage lender, the annual total matters far more than any single month, and it is worth keeping a record across a full year rather than extrapolating from a good one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do on-call firefighters get paid?
A retainer of £4,558 to £5,832 a year for full cover, which is 15% of the equivalent wholetime basic, plus payments for each call attended and for drills and training. Total earnings depend heavily on how often the station turns out.
Is the retainer the whole payment?
No, and for most on-call firefighters it is the minority of it. Activity payments for calls, drills and training typically add more than the retainer itself, but they vary far too much between stations to publish a meaningful average.
What is a partial cover band?
A commitment to be available for part of the week rather than full cover. Partial cover pays a third of the full retainer — £1,944 at the competent rate against £5,832.
Is on-call firefighter pay pensionable?
Yes. On-call firefighters are members of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme on the same tiered basis as wholetime staff. Most on-call earnings fall below the £27,000 threshold, so the 11% bottom tier usually applies.
Do on-call firefighters pay tax on the retainer?
Yes, it is ordinary employment income taxed through PAYE. For many on-call firefighters it is a second income alongside another job, in which case it is often taxed at the basic rate or higher from the first pound, because the Personal Allowance is already used by the main employment.
Can I do on-call alongside another job?
That is the usual arrangement. Most on-call firefighters have a primary employment and provide cover around it, subject to being able to reach the station within the required turnout time.
How is tax worked out on a second income?
If on-call is your second employment, your Personal Allowance is normally already used by the main job, so the on-call income is typically taxed from the first pound — often at the basic rate, sometimes higher. That surprises people expecting a tax-free portion.
Does on-call service count towards a fire service pension?
Yes. On-call firefighters are members of the Firefighters' Pension Scheme on the same tiered basis as wholetime staff. Because most on-call earnings fall below £27,000, the 11% bottom tier usually applies.