Fire control salary 2026/27
Fire control staff answer 999 calls and mobilise fire engines. Their pay follows the firefighting scale at a fixed percentage. This page sets out the 2026/27 rates for every control role, take-home pay and how the job compares with firefighting.
How control pay is set
Under the Grey Book, control roles are paid 95% of the matching firefighting role, so the 3.8% award on 1 July 2026 flows straight through. A firefighter (control) therefore earns £29,962 in development and £38,340 once competent. Fire and rescue services such as Dorset and Wiltshire show these figures in their control room adverts.
| Role and stage | Salary | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| Firefighter (Control), development | £29,962 | £1,870 |
| Firefighter (Control), competent | £38,340 | £2,272 |
| Crew Manager (Control), development | £40,747 | £2,396 |
| Crew Manager (Control), competent | £42,505 | £2,487 |
| Watch Manager (Control), development | £43,425 | £2,534 |
| Watch Manager (Control), competent a | £44,631 | £2,597 |
| Watch Manager (Control), competent b | £47,532 | £2,699 |
| Station Manager (Control), development | £49,438 | £2,795 |
| Station Manager (Control), competent a | £50,924 | £2,874 |
| Station Manager (Control), competent b | £54,532 | £3,074 |
Rates are 95% of the firefighting role, rounded to the nearest pound. Full time, 2015 fire pension, tax code 1257L. Some services job-evaluate control roles locally, so check the advert for the actual grade.
Control against firefighting
A competent firefighter (control) earns £38,340 against £40,358 for a competent wholetime firefighter, a gap of £2,018 a year. Take-home is £2,272 a month against £2,376. Control staff work shifts and do not ride the fire engine. A control crew manager at the competent rate earns £42,505 and takes home about £2,487 a month.
Moving from development to competent adds £8,378 a year, about £402 a month after deductions.
Pension and extras
Most control staff are in the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme and pay the same banded rates, though some services put them in the Local Government Pension Scheme. In the 2015 scheme a competent firefighter (control) pays 12.59%, about £402 a month. Compare the options in the fire pension calculator.
Use the firefighter pay calculator with the Fire control option to add overtime, allowances or a different tax code. The wholetime figures are on the firefighter salary page.
What fire control staff do
Fire control is the room that answers 999 calls for the fire service. Operators find out what is happening and where, send the right fire engines and specialist teams, and support crews by radio throughout the incident. Some calls mean talking a caller through escaping a fire while crews are on the way.
Hours and shifts
Control rooms run 24 hours a day, so staff work days and nights on a rota, including weekends and public holidays.
How to join
Services recruit for control separately from firefighters. There are no physical tests, but you will usually sit tests on listening, typing, map reading and handling information under pressure, then an interview.
Common questions
How much does a fire control operator earn?
A firefighter (control) earns £29,962 in development and £38,340 once competent, from 1 July 2026. That is 95% of the firefighting rate.
Why is control pay 95% of firefighter pay?
The Grey Book sets control roles at 95% of the matching firefighting role, so it rises with every national award.
Do fire control staff get the same pension as firefighters?
Usually, yes. Most control staff are in the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme and pay the same rates. Some are in the Local Government Pension Scheme instead.
Do control staff need to be fit?
No physical tests are normally required. Selection focuses on call handling, typing, listening and decision making.