Fire Minister Brandon Lewis’ claims over firefighter pensions have been ‘comprehensively discredited’, firefighters have claimed today.
On several occasions, Lewis has been quoted as claiming that government proposals will enable firefighters to receive £26,000 a year when they retire.
But firefighters are now demanding Lewis stops making the claim after independent fact checking organisation Full Fact published their analysis of his claim.
Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary, said: “Firefighters and the general public deserve to be told the truth on pensions.
“Expecting large numbers of firefighters in their late 50s to fight fires and rescue families is not just ludicrous: it’s dangerous to the public and to firefighters.
“Lewis’ claims have now been comprehensively discredited. He must now face the reality of the proposals he has made and come back the negotiating table ready to listen to common sense.”
Under government proposals firefighters, who already pay some of the highest contributions in the public or private sector, would also be expected to pay an average of 13.2% of their salary and would have one of the worst ratios of contributions between employer and employee.
Fullfact’s report says: “A closer reading suggests [that £26,000] is an unrealistic sum for most firefighters.
“£7,000 in state pension has been added, but the State Pension is only payable at state pension age (65 and rising), whereas the government’s current proposals suggest an occupational retirement age of 60.”
The analysis also points out that Lewis’ figures are based on a firefighter working in the service for 40 years: precisely the issue that firefighters are contesting to be possible.
The government’s own figures have shown that thousands of firefighters could face the sack without access to a proper pension simply because they are getting older.
A recent government review found that over half of current firefighters between the ages of 50 and 54 are no longer able to meet fire and rescue service fitness standards for fighting fires. Beyond the age of 55, two thirds fail to meet the standards.
Fullfact’s analysis can be found at http://fullfact.org/factchecks/how_generous_firefighters_pensions_scheme_26000-29202
