PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
(12 March 2026)

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the sustainability of fire and rescue services in England over the next three years; and what steps he plans to take to address budget deficits facing fire and rescue authorities.

Asked by:
Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat)

The 2026/27 Local Government Finance Settlement will make available almost £1.95 billion in core spending power (CSP) for standalone fire and rescue authorities (excluding York & North Yorkshire and Greater Manchester). This was the first multi-year funding Settlement in 10 years, giving services the certainty to plan and invest for the long term.

In 2026/27, all standalone services will see an above inflation increase in CSP, with services seeing CSP increases between 3.8% and 7.7% compared to 2025/26. By the end of the multi-year period, we will have provided a 12.75% increase in CSP compared to 2025/26.

Decisions on how resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each fire and rescue authority.

The Ministry will continue to work closely with stakeholders across the sector to ensure that fire and rescue services have the resources they need to protect communities.

Answered by:
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