Benefits

Remuneration

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service offers pay in line with the National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services. Following annual appraisals, our support staff receive annual pay increments up to the top of their associated pay band. All our operational employees receive pay increases in line with their proven competence up to the level of pay associated with their role. Our On Call firefighters receive an annual retaining fee dependent on the number of hours they are available and this can vary from the minimum 48 hours of availability per week (40% cover) to the maximum of 120 hours of availability per week (100% cover). In addition to the annual retaining fee, our On-Call firefighters receive payments for attending and turning out for emergency calls, attending ‘drill nights’ and other duties.

On Call Firefighter Salary Scales
  Trainee Retaining Fee Development Retaining Fee Competent Retaining Fee
Availability
40% – 48 hours £934.80 £973.63 £1245.60
50% – 60 hours   £1217.04 1557.00
60% – 72 hours   £1460.45 £1868.40
70% – 84 hours   £1703.86 £2179.80
75% – 90 hours   £1825.56 £2335.50
80% – 96 hours   £1947.26 £2491.20
90% – 108 hours   £2190.67 £2802.60
100% – 120 hours   £2434.08 £3114.00
Disturbance Allowance and Hourly Rates
Disturbance Allowance £4.10 £4.10 £4.10
Hourly Rate £10.67 £11.11 £14.22

*during training you will not work more than 48 hours per week and will not be in atendance at emergency incidents.

Wholetime Firefighter Salary Scales
Level of Competence Basic Annual Hourly Rate Overtime Rate
Trainee £23,366.04 £10.67 £16.01
Development £24,399.00 £11.11 £16.67
Competent £31,144.08 £14.22 £21.33

You will be on development pay for a period of time. You will be auto enrolled into the 2015 pension scheme at 11.00% of your earnings. The tax code issued to you would be applied along with the current rate of National Insurance”

Holidays

We offer 25 days annual leave plus public holidays for our support employees increasing to 29 days following five years’ service. We offer 28 days annual leave for our wholetime firefighters increasing to 31 days following five years’ service. On-Call firefighters are entitled to 28 days per annum increasing to 35 days following five years’ service. This does not include bank holidays.

Pensions

We offer our employees the opportunity to join a relevant pension scheme as soon as they start work; either the Local Government Pension Scheme or the Firefighter’s Pension Scheme.

Health

We have an Occupational Health Unit and your Line Manager can refer you to them where necessary. Occupational Health can provide everything from fitness advice to physiotherapy and counselling. Childcare vouchers and eye care vouchers are also available.

Training

The training we offer our firefighters is challenging but enjoyable, with theory and practical work covering basic rescue techniques. In the first few months you learn to use equipment and breathing apparatus, foam and fire extinguishers, ladders, hoses and hydraulic equipment. You will also study essential life-saving skills such as teaching fire safety and giving first aid. The way in which your initial training course is delivered is dependent upon whether you are a wholetime or an On-Call firefighter. If you are an On-Call firefighter, much of your training and development will take place either at your own station or at our training centre in Loughborough. Your course will be delivered in modular form with eight modules in total usually 27 weekdays and 18 weekend days over a period of seven months. There is normally a period of two weeks between each module. The Fire Service College in Gloucestershire also provides specific training and qualifications for Fire and Rescue Service employees. It provides core training for Inspecting Officers and Fire Safety Officers, together with additional training for staff working in areas such as community fire prevention, licensing, health care, building design, fire engineering and investigation. You can also take part in management development programmes relevant to your role.

Study Support and Subscriptions

We may support our employees to study for appropriate qualifications or professional status where appropriate. This may include time off for study. We also pay the annual subscription for membership of appropriate professional bodies where relevant.

Opportunities for Career Progression

How quickly you progress depends on you. It doesn’t depend on how many years you have served but your abilities. We’ll help you make the most of those abilities so that whatever role you undertake and wherever you start in Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service, you’ll be able to realise your full potential.

Flexible Working

Depending on the requirements of the roles undertaken, our employees may work from home or start and finish earlier or later to balance their home and work lives. We also offer career breaks, job sharing, term-time working and annualised hours.

Career Breaks

We may offer career breaks to our employees with more than one year service an unpaid career break of between three months and one year in duration.

Helpline

Our employees can use our confidential 24 hour helpline which offers a range of resources as well as just a sympathetic ear. This service provides support for any kind of problem from financial issues to legal advice.