Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Guide

Firefighters’ pensions are among the most complex in the public sector, with three distinct schemes over 30 years and particularly strong benefits in the original FPS 1992. The current FPS 2015 uses a CARE design with a 1/55.6th accrual rate and a Normal Pension Age aligned to State Pension Age.

Updated July 2026 · 2026/27 figures

Firefighters across England have belonged to one of three pension schemes depending on their start date and service continuity. Reforms in 2006 and 2015 changed both the Normal Pension Age and the accrual method significantly — and the McCloud remedy subsequently gave eligible members the right to choose the better outcome for the remedy period.

The three schemes at a glance

FPS 2015: the current scheme

The Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 2015 (FPS 2015) is a Career Average Revalued Earnings scheme. Each year of service earns you a pension of 1/55.6th of your pensionable pay, revalued annually by CPI.

Accrual example

A Watch Manager on £44,000: £44,000 ÷ 55.6 = £791.37 of annual pension earned that year. Over a 30-year career averaging £42,000, that builds to roughly £22,661/year before CPI revaluation.

Member contributions (FPS 2015, 2026/27)

Employer contribution: approximately 26–28% of pensionable pay, funded by the relevant fire authority.

Normal Pension Age

FPS 2015’s NPA is State Pension Age (currently 66, rising to 67 between 2026 and 2028). This represented a significant increase from NPA 55 under FPS 1992 and NPA 60 under NFPS 2006, and is the primary reason the McCloud remedy has been so significant for firefighters.

Early retirement is possible from age 55 (rising to 57 in 2028) with an actuarial reduction. Ill-health retirement is available at any age.

FPS 1992: the original scheme

FPS 1992 is a final salary scheme that provided exceptionally generous benefits for a 30-year firefighting career. It is closed to new members but legacy benefits are preserved.

Key features of FPS 1992

• Pension formula: After 20 years’ service, the scheme begins to accrue. After 30 years (the full entitlement) the pension reaches the maximum of two-thirds of final pensionable pay
• Normal Pension Age: 55 — firefighters in FPS 1992 could retire at 55 with an unreduced full pension
• Compulsory retirement: Firefighters were required to retire at 55 under the old scheme rules
• Lump sum: The lump sum in FPS 1992 was achieved by commuting pension. The commutation factor was very generous — in some cases up to 4:1, making commutation much more valuable than in newer schemes
• Ill-health pension: Enhanced provision for firefighters injured in the line of duty, including two tiers of ill-health benefit

Example: FPS 1992

A Station Manager retiring at 55 after 30 years with a final pensionable pay of £50,000 would receive: (2/3) × £50,000 = £33,333/year, payable from age 55 for the rest of their life. That is 12+ years of pension before State Pension Age.

NFPS 2006: the transitional scheme

The New Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 2006 moved to career average and raised the NPA from 55 to 60. Key features:

• Accrual: 1/60th of pensionable pay per year
• Normal Pension Age: 60
• No automatic lump sum (commutation available)
• Revaluation: Retail Prices Index (RPI) in deferment (note: more generous than CPI used in FPS 2015)
• Ill-health: Two tiers as with FPS 1992

The McCloud remedy

The McCloud remedy was especially impactful for firefighters because the NPA change from 55/60 to 67 was very significant. The remedy period runs from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2022.

Eligible firefighters — those in FPS 1992 or NFPS 2006 on 31 March 2015 who were moved to FPS 2015 — have the right to choose, at retirement, whether their service during the remedy period is treated under their legacy scheme or FPS 2015. Given the NPA 55 vs NPA 67 difference, many FPS 1992 members will strongly prefer legacy scheme treatment for the remedy period.

Ill-health retirement provisions

All three firefighter schemes have two-tier ill-health retirement:

• Tier 1: Permanently disabled from firefighting duties but capable of other work. Pension = accrued benefits with an enhancement
• Tier 2: Permanently disabled from all regular employment. Pension = enhanced benefits, often significantly above accrued entitlement, reflecting the physically demanding nature of the role

Injury awards are also available for injuries sustained on duty — these are separate from the pension and paid by the employer.

Death benefits

• Death in service: Lump sum of 3× pensionable pay (FPS 2015)
• Survivor pension: 37.5% of the earned/prospective pension (FPS 2015)
• Ill-health death: If death results from a duty injury, enhanced death benefits apply
• Children’s pensions: Available for eligible dependent children

Practical planning tips

• Understand your NPA staircase: If you have FPS 1992 (NPA 55), NFPS 2006 (NPA 60), and FPS 2015 (NPA 67) benefits, you face three different NPAs — model income from all three carefully
• Check your McCloud entitlement: The remedy period benefit could be very significant for FPS 1992 members — ask your fire authority pensions team for an illustration
• Plan the long gap for FPS 2015: Retiring at 55 under FPS 2015 but not receiving the pension until 67 means 12 years of bridging income from savings or a second career
• Review injury award eligibility: If you have a duty injury, you may be entitled to an injury award on top of your pension — these are assessed separately by the fire authority

Official resources

• Firefighters’ Pension Scheme — GOV.UK
• Fire Brigades Union — Pensions
• McCloud remedy guidance — GOV.UK
• LGPS library (regulatory and scheme documents)