His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has issued two separate revisit letters in England, setting out distinct findings for Avon Fire and Rescue Service and Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Mental health crisis is costing millions say UK Fire & Rescue Service
“Firefighters are being pushed beyond limits to keep the public safe,” says Fire Brigades Union.
Data obtained by Accident Claims Advice (ACA) via Freedom of Information Request to UK Fire Services has found that work-related stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD were the most common conditions cited for staff mental health absences in the last three years.
Out of thirty four Fire and Rescue Services that responded to the request in full before the deadline, thirty people reported a rise in staff absences due to mental health.
Cost of the mental health crisis
What’s more, the estimated total cost of all sickness absences (including for mental health) since 2021 is £84m at London Fire Brigade alone – so is likely to be well in excess of £100m for the UK’s fire services as whole.
Between 2021 and 2024 more than 24,000 UK Fire Service staff took at least one day off work due to mental health, with the figure rising year on year.
In 2021/22, 7,359 staff absences were recorded, rising to 8,300 the following year.
The figure has now reached a three-year-high with 10,338 UK fire staff mental health absences recorded – a rise of 40% compared with 2021/22.
The London Fire Brigade estimates that the total cost of all sickness absences to the service amounted to £25,693,253.88 between 2021/22 rising to £28,697,037.01 and is now at a three-year-high with the estimated cost to the service standing at £29,552,381.75 for 2023/24.
Fire Brigades Union General Secretaries statement
The Fire Brigades Union General Secretary, Matt Wrack, told ACA: “We are facing a mental health crisis in the fire and rescue service. Since attending traumatic incidents is an unavoidable part of the job for firefighters, mental health support is vital.
“After a decade of cuts and to address this crisis, we need central government to provide the investment needed to rebuild the service.”
Nationwide impact
Across the UK, the biggest increase in staff mental health sickness absences was recorded at Cumbria Fire and Rescue which saw a 75 per cent rise between 2021 and 2024. It is followed by Surrey Fire and Rescue which saw an increase of 68 per cent and Royal Berkshire, where staff mental health absences rose by 67 per cent in the last three years.
The highest number of mental health staff absences was at London Fire Brigade, where a total of 1,129 have been logged in the last three years.
UK Fire & Rescue discuss impact of mental health crisis: Summary
The Fire Brigades Union have spoken out about increased amount of firefighters who are struggling with their mental health.
General Secretary for the FBU, Mark Wrack, highlighted why firefighters might be struggling. Noting attending traumatic incidents and decades of cuts to the service as being impacting factors.
Fire services play key role in tackling youth violence in England
Multi-agency efforts address serious youth violence
A report published on 20 November 2024 by Ofsted, HMICFRS, HM Inspectorate of Probation, and the Care Quality Commission underscores the importance of fire services and other agencies in addressing youth violence in England.
The findings reveal that children as young as 11 are carrying knives for protection due to feeling unsafe.
A 2023 Youth Endowment Fund survey found that one in four children in England and Wales had been victims or perpetrators of violence, and nearly half had witnessed violent incidents.
Fire and rescue services were highlighted for their contribution to local safeguarding partnerships, particularly in identifying risks and collaborating on prevention strategies.
Fire services’ contribution to safeguarding partnerships
The report noted that effective multi-agency initiatives include fire services working with schools and community organisations to improve safety awareness and identify vulnerable children.
Inspectors cited examples of partnerships where fire services provided safety education, which helped mitigate risks linked to youth violence.
However, the report highlighted inconsistencies in how fire services and other agencies collaborate across regions, leaving some children without adequate protection.
The lack of comprehensive guidance on multi-agency working was also flagged as a key barrier to consistent safeguarding.
Training and early intervention critical for success
The report emphasised that fire services have an important role in early intervention.
Proper training enables fire personnel to identify and respond to risks effectively, especially for children at heightened risk of harm due to trauma or neurodivergence.
The report recommends expanding fire services’ involvement in preventative programmes and improving information-sharing practices to ensure timely interventions.
Michelle Skeer of HMICFRS said: “The effects of serious youth violence on both children and communities are deeply concerning.
“It is vital that police forces, fire services, and other safeguarding partners intervene at the earliest opportunity to disrupt risks to children and young people.”
Recommendations for fire services and safeguarding partners
The report calls for fire services to strengthen their partnerships with police, health services, and local authorities to develop cohesive strategies for reducing youth violence.
Training and awareness campaigns led by fire services, particularly in schools, were identified as valuable tools for prevention and education.
Inspectors also recommended focusing on children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to ensure that interventions are inclusive and effective.
Speaking about the findings, Lucy Harte of the CQC said: “We have seen how effective training and strong partnerships between local services can make a significant difference to the experience of these vulnerable children – but this is not a consistent experience for everyone.”
Role of fire services in addressing youth violence highlighted in England: summary
A report by Ofsted, HMICFRS, HM Inspectorate of Probation, and CQC highlights the crucial role of fire services in multi-agency efforts to tackle youth violence in England.
Fire services contribute to safeguarding by collaborating with schools and local organisations, providing safety education, and identifying risks early.
However, inconsistencies in these efforts and a lack of clear guidance hinder broader success.
The report emphasises the importance of improving training and partnerships to ensure fire services and other agencies can effectively protect vulnerable children, particularly those with special needs or neurodivergence.
Recommendations include expanding fire services’ role in prevention and intervention programmes to reduce harm.
Peaky Blinders, Downtown Abbey film set gutted in heavy Yorkshire fire
Image: West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service
More than 100 firefighters were involved in tackling a blaze at a mill complex used as a film location for hit shows such as Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey. Fire crews were drafted in to tackle the inferno at Dalton Mills in Dalton Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, the BBC reported.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said 20 pumps were called out just before noon on Thursday. The service said the incident was being scaled back but some crews would remain overnight to damp down the blaze.
People living in the vicinity were told to keep windows and doors closed and to avoid travelling through the area because of the smoke. There is a police cordon in place and some roads have been closed.
Nick Smith from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said nobody had been hurt in the fire. He said: “Internally the building has collapsed, the floor and the roof.” Firefighters spent the night damping down the fire neighbouring brigades were also in attendance, along with police, ambulances, Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency.
Fire Fighters Charity launches urgent appeal after coronavirus fundraising downturn
The Fire Fighters Charity has launched an urgent appeal for new donors after its usual fundraising income fell by around £200,000 per month during the lockdown period.
The charity, which offers specialist mental health, physical health and social well-being support to members of the UK’s fire services community, receives no Government funding and relies on its fundraising income to raise the £10 million it needs each year to operate its national services in support of over 55,000 members of the UK’s Fire and Rescue Services and their dependants, as well as the retired fire services community.
However, the cancellation of all face-to-face fundraising and mass participation events over the past few months and, it would seem, for much of the rest of 2020, means that the organisation’s income is falling short by hundreds of thousands of pounds each month.
CEO Dr Jill Tolfrey has explained why the charity decided to launch an urgent appeal aimed at all those across the fire services community, as well as those who admire and support it. “This is an unprecedented time for the Fire Fighters Charity. We’ve never before faced such an extended period of time without any traditional fundraising activity and, for an organisation that’s almost entirely funded through the generosity of its supporters, we need to find a way to turn this around.”
Tolfrey continued: “I’m therefore hoping that this urgent appeal will strike a chord with those generous individuals and every member of our incredible fire service family. From front line firefighters to support and control staff, retired personnel and everyone for whom we provide our services, we will always be there for you when you need us, but right now we need you. Please start donating today and let’s navigate this tough time together.”