Response to Spring Statement: Investment in fire and rescue services must be key part of Government’s plans, say Fire Chiefs

Responding to the Spring Statement delivered by the Chancellor of the Exchequer today, National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Chair, Mark Hardingham, said: 

“While we were not anticipating major funding announcements for fire and rescue services today, we urgently need assurances ahead of the Spending Review that investment in these critical services will be prioritised to protect public safety.

“We welcome the Chancellor’s commitment today that there will be a £625 million investment to address the chronic skills shortage in the construction industry, which we have repeatedly warned is a key barrier to building fire safety and remediating unsafe buildings. However, this investment must be backed by a clear strategy to ensure the funds are going to where they are needed most.

“The Chancellor spoke today of the impact of increased global uncertainty. Looking ahead to the upcoming Spending Review, fire and rescue services must be recognised for their vital role in responding to increasing resilience threats, from climate change to terrorism and emerging technologies. Since 2008, we have seen a reduction of 11,000 full-time firefighters, while 999 incidents have risen by 18% over the past decade, creating a growing gap between demand and resources. Additionally, the lack of new capital funding for fire services for over a decade has hindered efforts to modernise services and improve firefighter safety. Services are also grappling with the added pressure of their increased regulatory role in addressing the building safety crisis.

“While fire and rescue services were not in the spotlight today, we want to see them feature prominently in the Government’s plans in the coming months as we move towards the Spending Review. We stand ready to work with ministers to ensure that services are properly resourced to meet the increasing risks and demands they face.

“Without this investment, fire and rescue services risk being the forgotten members of the emergency services family.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

• The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is an independent membership association and the professional voice of the UK Fire and Rescue Service. NFCC supports fire and rescue services to continually improve, helping them to save lives and keep their local communities safe. NFCC is a charity and a membership association supporting and representing the UK Fire and Rescue Service. Founded in 1941, NFCC was established as a company and charity in 1998 as The Chief Fire Officers’ Association, transforming into the NFCC in 2017.