On-Call Research Study

Foreword

Steve Healey, DCFO Lancashire FRS and Andy Cole, CFO Dorset and Wiltshire FRS, Chair and Vice Chair of the On-call Strategic Group and NFCC leads for On-call

This study was commissioned by NFCC to provide a comprehensive evidence base on the sustainability of the on-call firefighter duty system across the UK. The on-call model remains a cornerstone of fire and rescue provision, delivering cost-effective and community-rooted emergency cover, particularly in rural and lower-risk areas. However, the research highlights significant and growing challenges, ranging from recruitment and retention pressures to cultural divides, training burdens, and inconsistent governance, that threaten its long-term viability.

The study sets out a spectrum of recommendations, from incremental local improvements to fundamental sector-wide reforms, structured around five strategic pillars: national leadership and co-ordination, governance, workforce flexibility, cultural change, and data-driven performance management. NFCC now has the opportunity to explore the viability of these recommendations and determine where to position itself on this spectrum of change.

Acting on these findings will require a coherent plan of action: addressing the challenges that sit within NFCC’s remit, while supporting services to tackle those that remain locally as well as working with strategic stakeholders on externally-led recommendations. In the coming months, we will be working with Chief Fire Officers and Chief Executive Officers, the On-call Strategic Group and On-call Practitioners Forum to develop a plan of action based on this report.

You can read the executive summary of the report in full below, and at the end of this page, you can download the the full report.

Please note that the PDF study has a number of tables and figures that are not accessible to those using assistive technologies, as well as issues with keyboard navigation. We are working to remedy these issues. We will update this page with the full accessible study when it is fully completed. In the meantime, you can read the executive summary on this page, below the study download.

Should you like to download the Executive Summary only, you can do so from the download button at the top right of this page.

National On-call Research Study

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Executive Summary

Exact Consultant Limited National On-call Study Report

This national study, commissioned by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), examines the sustainability of the on-call firefighter duty system across the UK. The on-call system remains a cornerstone of fire and rescue provision across the United Kingdom. It delivers a highly cost-effective and flexible means of ensuring fire cover, particularly in rural and lower-risk areas. On-call firefighters also add social capital to local communities and the UK economy. However, this study has identified that the system faces significant and growing challenges which, if not addressed, will undermine its ability to protect communities in the future.

The challenges are not new. Issues such as falling numbers of on-call firefighters, difficulties in recruitment and retention, declining appliance availability, and increasing training and competence requirements have been recognised for decades. Despite numerous local initiatives, there has been little systemic change. The evidence base compiled for this review highlights both the scale of the problem and the urgent need for co-ordinated national action.

Key Issues Identified

  • Recruitment and retention remain fragile, with socio-demographic changes, high personal commitment, and limited employer support reducing the available pool.
  • Training and competence requirements are increasingly onerous and inflexible, designed around wholetime standards and poorly adapted to the needs of an on-call workforce. Rigid role maps, limited flexibility and poor work-life balance deter potential recruits, and stifle change.
  • Cultural barriers persist, a wide perception of a ‘two-tier system’ between wholetime and on-call staff undermines morale, with many on-call firefighters reporting feeling under-valued or treated as “second class”.
  • The system is fragmented, with multiple different approaches to managing on-call firefighters in the retained duty system across the UK, leading to duplication, inefficiency, and missed opportunities for sharing learning and good practice.
  • Variations in local governance, limited operational independence for Chief Fire Officers have created inconsistency and inefficiency across the system. Shortcomings on funding, and national direction hinder reform and prevent innovation from developing beyond local short-term projects.
  • Current measures of performance, particularly availability, do not effectively reflect community risk. Inconsistent data quality and fragmented approaches make benchmarking and workforce planning difficult.

Choices for Change

The study identifies a spectrum of potential solutions ranging from local incremental improvements to radical reimagining of the role. These are presented along a spectrum of change.

From the Highlight Report issued Aug 2025: We can view change on a continuum ranging from ‘thinking the unthinkable’ i.e. completely reimagining the role at one end of the spectrum, to making incremental improvements at the other.

This is not a journey to be embarked on in steps – the full breadth of the spectrum has a role to play, with fundamental sector reform and national co-ordination ensuring that local innovation can flourish. The NFCC must decide where to position itself — incrementalism alone will not stop long-term decline.

Incremental changes within individual FRSs

  • Refine policies and practices
  • Disseminate learning and good practice
  • Improve recruitment and retention
  • Better use of data
  • Better change management
  • Cultural shift

Fundamental reforms of existing on-call approach

  • Challenge the orthodoxy
  • Greater partnership and collaboration
  • Broaden the role
  • Increase awareness
  • Improve leadership and governance

National sector-wide reform

  • Wide ranging reforms to fire and recue sector
  • Rationalise services
  • Standardise governance model
  • Reform funding
  • Greater consistency and national co-ordination

Completely rethink the role

  • Develop a national volunteer force for Civil Resilience
  • In collaboration with Health, Defence, Policing and Community partners

Strategic Imperatives

The evidence points to the need for a coherent, multi-level programme of reform organised around five strategic pillars:

  1. National Strategic Reform driven by stronger national leadership and co-ordination. To establish a national on-call strategy with transformative investment to tackle the systemic challenges and embed consistency across services.
  2. Leadership and Governance improvements, including rationalisation of structures, sustainable multi-year funding settlements, and the creation of a College of Fire.
  3. Workforce Reform and Flexibility creating more attractive, effective, and efficient workforce models. Using tiered contracts, modular training, and modernised role maps that align competence to risk.
  4. Cultural change and inclusive leadership to address the two-tier perceptions, improve morale, and enhance diversity.
  5. Data, technology, and performance management improvements with a standardised performance management framework with outcome-focused measures linked to community risk. Supported by investment in shared national data systems and enhanced digital tools; to enable evidence-based decision-making, consistent measurement, and effective workforce planning.

Each of the choices for change options are structured with detailed recommendations grouped around these five strategic pillars.

Conclusion

The on-call system is not broken — but it is fragile. Without intervention and transformative investment, it risks further decline, reducing the resilience and effectiveness of UK fire and rescue services. This study sets out a coherent national framework for action, balancing local flexibility with consistent national leadership. By acting decisively across the five pillars, NFCC, government, and local services can secure the future of the on-call duty system and strengthen its role in protecting communities across the UK.

Doing nothing is not an option. In the absence of any nationally directed reform and despite the unarguable cost-effectiveness of on-call firefighters and the retained duty system, the challenges of maintaining sufficient on-call cover are forcing many FRSs to look at investing more money in wholetime firefighters and reducing their reliance on on-call. Several FRSs have recently consulted the public and implemented plans to remove or replace aspects of their on-call delivery model.

There are other options…

A call to action

The sustainability of the on-call duty system is at a critical juncture. While it remains a cost-effective and community-rooted model, systemic challenges—ranging from recruitment and retention to cultural divides and inconsistent national co-ordination—threaten its future viability. This recommendations framework outlines a multi-tiered approach for the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) to lead a transformation that is strategic, inclusive, and evidence-based.

The NFCC is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation. By combining national co-ordination with local innovation, and balancing incremental improvements with bold reform, the sector can reshape the on-call system into a modern, resilient, and valued model of community protection.

This is not a journey to be embarked on sequentially in steps through the four change choices – the full breadth of the spectrum has a role to play, with fundamental sector reform and national co-ordination ensuring that local innovation can flourish. The NFCC must decide where to position itself — incrementalism alone will not stop long-term decline.

Summary of Recommendations

These recommended actions are designed to be implemented in parallel, with governments providing support to NFCC to act as the central driver of change. The goal is to reshape the on-call system into a modern, resilient, and valued model of community protection.

Incremental changes within FRSs

  1. National Strategic Reform
    • CFOs and FRA leaders to ensure national reforms are implemented at FRS level with all local structural and cultural barriers effectively tackled
  2. Leadership and Governance Improvements
    • Ensure strategic ownership of on-call at senior leadership level
    • Promote and embed inclusive leadership development
    • Increase awareness and understanding of on-call issues among FRA and scrutiny members
    • Improve on-call representation and voice in governance
    • Promote and build community and employer engagement
  3. Workforce Reform and Flexibility
    • Implement flexible contract and tiered roles
    • Develop proportionate training and competence pathways
    • Improve workforce planning and data use
    • Review and refine generic policies and processes to reflect the unique needs of on-call staff
    • Build employer engagement and develop incentives for employers to release staff
    • Maximise skills and innovation from on-call cohorts
    • Prioritise wellbeing and work-life balance
  4. Cultural Change
    • Tackle the two-tier perception
    • Embed inclusive and participatory leadership
    • Strengthen community and employer partnerships
    • Monitor and evaluate cultural progress
    • Create tailored engagement and communication with on-call staff
    • Foster greater inclusion and diversity
    • Build a culture of respect and wellbeing
  5. Data, Technology and Performance Management
    • Strengthen data scrutiny and accountability
    • Invest in digital tools and technology
    • Enhance analytical capacity and capability
    • Link performance measures to community risk

Fundamental Reforms of Existing On-Call Systems

  1. National Strategic Reform
    • Convene a national “On-Call Futures” summit with MHCLG, CFOs, FRA leadership, and sector partners to coincide with the National Study’s publication
    • Develop and co-ordinate the implementation of a National On-Call Strategy
    • Secure long-term funding reform
  2. Leadership and Governance Improvements
    • Create a National On-Call Co-ordination Unit within NFCC
    • Establish a College of Fire (and Resilience)
    • Reform governance and funding structures to support change
    • Establish a formalised engagement protocol with representative bodies for on-call reforms
    • Create a standing On-Call Reform Partnership Board including NFCC, FRAs, government, and representative bodies, to co-develop policy proposals and monitor implementation
  3. Workforce Reform and Flexibility
    • Develop a differentiated model that allows on-call firefighters to commit to when and where it works for them and fulfil a wider variety of roles
    • Introduce tiered commitment with proportionate competences and training requirements
    • Review and amend Grey Book role maps to facilitate differentiated competency frameworks
    • Integrate emergency medical response and other community protection duties
    • Make provision for local authority and Green Book staff to take ‘office hours’ on-call contracts
    • Extend employee rights for time-off (from primary employment) for public duties to on-call firefighters
    • Set ambitious national targets to recruit and retain more women as on-call firefighters
    • Facilitate a national or regional approach to co-ordinating emergency response driver training courses
    • Governments to implement a UK-wide Employer Engagement Scheme
    • NFCC to co-ordinate National Recruitment and Branding Campaigns
  4. Cultural Change
    • Redefine the role using differentiated contracts to foster parity of esteem
    • Promote tiered contracts to improve workforce flexibility and inclusion
    • Modernise training for proportionate competency
    • Strengthen leadership and governance to support and embed culture shift
    • Use national reforms to drive local legitimacy
    • Enhance public recognition and visibility of on-call roles
  5. Data, Technology and Performance Management
    • Develop a standardised national performance framework
    • Establish a national data and analytics capability
    • Leverage technology for operational efficiency
    • Embed performance management into governance
    • Support FRSs in embedding benefits realisation and outcome-based evaluation into reform programmes

National Sector-Wide Reform

  1. National Strategic Reform
    • Rationalise governance structures by reducing the number of FRAs and moving towards larger, regional or combined-authority models
    • Establish a UK-wide on-call strategy and co-ordination unit within NFCC or a College of Fire, to unify definitions, metrics, and approaches
    • Create a College of Fire (and Resilience) as a statutory body to set national standards, drive innovation, and embed learning (similar to the College of Policing)
    • Introduce multi-year funding settlements (3–5 years) to enable long-term planning and capital investment
    • Regularly update national frameworks (England, Wales, Scotland, NI) to align strategic direction while respecting devolved contexts
  2. Leadership and Governance Improvements
    • Implement a national leadership programme to build inclusive, participatory leadership skills across senior and middle management
    • Provide clearer operational independence for Chief Fire Officers, ensuring they can make professional, risk-based decisions
    • Strengthen governance arrangements by ensuring FRA members have robust training and are held accountable for on-call and wholetime sustainability
    • Increase oversight and scrutiny of cultural and workforce issues at local and national levels
  3. Workforce Reform and Flexibility
    • Modernise Grey Book and Green Book role maps to allow greater flexibility, enabling firefighters to take on prevention, protection, and resilience functions
    • Create nationally consistent career pathways to support retention and progression across on-call and wholetime roles
    • Enable firefighters to use their wider skills (e.g. health, education, resilience, community engagement) to increase value and broaden the role
  4. Cultural Change
    • Embed coaching and mentoring approaches for middle managers, particularly station managers
    • Promote leadership standards via a College of Fire (and Resilience), creating a shared professional framework
    • Strengthen governance accountability so local resistance cannot block national direction
    • Improve diversity in recruitment by setting ambitious targets for women and underrepresented groups, and tailoring recruitment campaigns accordingly.
    • Improve station facilities (for example, privacy, kit design, flexible shifts) to support diversity
    • Set clear diversity goals at national and local levels, linked to performance frameworks
    • Nationally mandate a ‘lessons learned’ process, similar to policing and health sectors
    • Define clear governance responsibilities for culture and behaviour in FRAs
  5. Data, Technology and Performance Management
    • Develop a national data and performance framework with clear, consistent definitions
    • Introduce a central data and analytics hub
    • Invest in shared digital tools
    • Shift performance measures to outcomes
    • Roll out a national digital rostering and availability app
    • Align data collection with national and devolved government needs
    • Embed data literacy across leadership
    • Mandate benefits realisation in projects – require all new initiatives to demonstrate measurable outcomes and efficiency gains.

Completely Rethink the Role

  1. National Strategic Reform
    1. Create a statutory Civil Protection and Resilience Mandate for FRSs, redefining their purpose to include emergency response, community safety, resilience, and civil contingencies.
    2. Develop a UK-wide Civil Protection Strategy, co-ordinated by central government, aligning FRS, police, NHS, armed forces, and voluntary sector roles.
    3. Establish a national Civil Resilience Board, with NFCC, College of Fire, NHS, policing, and local government representation, to oversee delivery and standardisation.
    4. Embed FRSs into national security and resilience frameworks, ensuring alignment with LRFs (Local Resilience Forums) and regional risk assessments.
  2. Leadership and Governance Improvements
    1. Establish a dedicated National Civil Resilience Force (NCRF) Co-ordination Unit based within a College of Fire and Resilience to provide the strategic leadership.
    2. Expand the remit of FRA governance to cover civil protection responsibilities in addition to fire, prevention, and rescue.
    3. Train FRA members in resilience, risk management, and partnership governance to strengthen oversight.
    4. Ensure operational independence of CFOs, enabling them to lead on cross-sector resilience planning.
    5. Establish joint leadership programmes for senior leaders across FRS, police, ambulance, and health to build shared culture and capability.
  3. Workforce Reform and Flexibility
    1. Develop tiered contracts to permit flexible engagement, allowing individuals to contribute at different levels of commitment.
    2. Reform Grey/Green Book role maps to reflect broader prevention and resilience tasks beyond traditional fire and rescue community risk.
    3. Implement modular training pathways, tailored to specific resilience roles (fire suppression, flooding, EMS support, prevention, etc.). Recognise that not all NCRF members need full firefighter competence. Specialist modules should be developed for community resilience, medical response, logistics, and technical support.
    4. Build a joint skills register across FRS, NHS, and local government to deploy staff flexibly during major emergencies
  4. Cultural Change
    1. Shift the identity of firefighters from “fire-only responders” to multi-risk civil protection professionals, equally valued for resilience and prevention roles.
    2. Run national campaigns (similar to the London 2012 “Games Makers”) to promote community volunteering alongside on-call firefighting.
    3. Launch a ‘one workforce’ campaign to break down the two-tier system between wholetime and on-call by ensuring all are recognised as contributors to resilience.
    4. Promote diversity and inclusion by tailoring recruitment to attract women, minority groups, and people with professional skills in health, education, and logistics.
    5. Foster a partnership culture, normalising joint exercises and shared working with NHS, police, and voluntary organisations.
  5. Data, Technology and Performance Management
    1. Develop a national resilience performance framework measuring outcomes in prevention, protection, and resilience (not just response times)
    2. Create integrated data platforms linking FRS, police, ambulance, and local government systems to enable shared situational awareness
    3. Use predictive analytics to anticipate risks (flooding, heatwaves, pandemics) and inform multi-agency deployment models
    4. Invest in technology for resilience hubs (remote working, digital training, and shared community alert systems)
    5. Build capacity for evidence-based evaluation, ensuring reforms deliver measurable resilience and socio-economic value

The Future

The on-call duty system undoubtedly remains an asset worth investing in — but sustaining it will require collective commitment, stronger national direction, and innovation in how to attract, retain, and support on-call firefighters.

The NFCC is pivotal and uniquely placed to lead and influence this change. Acting at both the national and local levels, and by balancing incremental improvements with bold, long-term reform, the sector should ensure the on-call system remains resilient, valued, efficient and effective for the communities it serves.