Cuts

Firefighters on an aerial ladder platform over a burning roof

Firefighters demand end to cuts in Scotland

Firefighters in Scotland are fighting back against proposed cuts following over a decade of underfunding by the Scottish government.  The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is currently consulting on 23 proposals to downgrade fire cover at a number of specific stations, or close them entirely. The FBU...

Red Notice September 2025

11 Sep, 2025

The September 2025 edition of Red Notice, a monthly newsletter for FBU members sharing the latest updates from the union's campaigning work.

Cuts pushed through in Hampshire and Isle of Wight despite agreed delay

05 Sep, 2025 By Alice Dann

Planned cuts to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service have been implemented by the former chief fire officer, despite the fire authority voting to delay the decision in late August. Chief Fire Officer Neil Odin, who stepped down from his role in September, confirmed in a video message...

MPs urged to fight for funding as fire authority gives extra time to find cash

29 Aug, 2025 By Michael Chessum

After a campaign by firefighters, Hampshire and Isle of Wight fire authority voted today to delay cuts to frontline firefighter posts, giving time to find additional resources. All eyes are now on central government and the region’s MPs, who are being urged by the Fire Brigades Union to lobby for...

Firefighters urge fire authority to defer £1.6 million frontline cuts amid crisis

27 Aug, 2025 By Michael Chessum

The Fire Brigades Union and concerned members of the public are calling on Hampshire and Isle of Wight fire authority to defer £1.6 million of proposed frontline cuts to the fire service at its meeting this Friday. The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) has already lost one...

march with FBU flags in street - 2023 rally

Union slams “disgraceful” wave of new cuts as thousands of firefighter jobs could face axe

21 Aug, 2025 By Michael Chessum

The Fire Brigades Union has reacted angrily to the news that fire and rescue services are to face deep cuts, just over a year after Labour came to power. Cuts imposed by central government could equate to the loss of around 2,300 firefighter posts. The news follows yet another below inflation...

"Shocking" lack of resources as 17 fire services send crews to Dorset & Wiltshire wildfire

14 Aug, 2025 By Alice Dann

Firefighters continue to tackle the major wildfire at Holt Heat, Dorset, with a critical lack of resources meaning that crews have had to travel from across the UK to assist. All neighbouring fire and rescue services have sent crews, including Devon and Somerset; Avon; Gloucestershire; Oxfordshire...

Wildfire major incident in Dorset reveals dangers of fire service funding crisis, says FBU

11 Aug, 2025 By Alice Dann

With two significant wildfire incidents breaking out within 24 hours this weekend, the Fire Brigades Union has issued a warning that UK fire services do not have the resources to keep the public safe. In the last 24 hours, a major incident was declared at a wildfire in Holt Health, Dorset, while...

Invest in fire service to protect public from emerging risks of e-batteries, says FBU leader

28 Jul, 2025 By Alice Dann

Firefighters need resources to keep public safe from emerging risks of e-batteries and climate change, says the leader of the Fire Brigades Union. The Office for Product Safety recently reported that there were at least 211 e-scooter and e-bike fires last year, including five that caused fatalities...

FBU members rally with flags outside fire authority meeting

Hampshire and Isle of Wight firefighters protest against “dangerous” cuts at fire authority meeting

11 Jul, 2025 By Alice Dann

On the weekend of 28 June, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight fire and rescue service were reduced to just 23 out of 80 fire engines available due to a lack of resources. The Fire Brigades Union says that this shows that the frontline is already severely overstretched and under-resourced, and that...

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