Ministers have made regulations amending regulation 110 of the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (England) Regulations 2014, updating the member contribution bands and rates from 1 April 2026. The statutory instrument was laid before Parliament on 11 March 2026 and applies to the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 2015 in England. (infolaw.co.uk)
From 1 April 2027, the annual pensionable pay thresholds will be uprated on 1 April each year where there is an increase in the Consumer Prices Index for the preceding September compared with the September before that. Threshold figures are to be rounded up to the nearest £100, and the Secretary of State may decide to use another UK price index for this purpose. The CPI referenced is the all‑items index published by the Statistics Board (ONS). (infolaw.co.uk)
The instrument replaces references to reference pay with annual pensionable pay when setting a member’s contribution tier. For retained, on‑call and part‑time firefighters this means contribution rates will be determined by that firefighter’s own annual pensionable pay rather than by comparison with a whole‑time equivalent. This aligns with the government’s consultation outcome confirming a move to actual pensionable pay as the fairer basis for tiering. (gov.uk)
The Home Office and, subsequently, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government set out the policy case for change during consultation, citing a need to meet the target average member contribution yield of 13.2% after Government Actuary’s Department projections showed a 13.0% yield over 2024–2027. The updated structure retains tiering to protect lower‑paid members and to support participation. The revised rules take effect from 1 April 2026, with CPI‑linked uprating from 1 April 2027. (gov.uk)
The instrument records consultation with affected stakeholders and the laying of a report under section 22(2) of the Public Service Pensions Act 2013, as well as Treasury consent in accordance with section 3(5). These steps are prerequisites for amending member contribution provisions in public service schemes. (gov.uk)
Scope is England for the scheme itself, though the instrument extends to England and Wales. Since 1 April 2022, the legacy 1992 and 2006 schemes have been closed to future accrual and all active firefighters in England accrue under the 2015 career average scheme, so the revised contribution structure applies across the active membership. (gov.uk)
For fire and rescue authorities and scheme managers, the immediate operational task is to configure payroll so the new bands and rates trigger correctly from 1 April 2026 and to ensure assessments use annual pensionable pay. Administrators should review mid‑year band movement processes, update member communications, and confirm how annualisation is derived for variable‑hours staff so that deductions align with the regulatory definition. (gov.uk)
For members, deductions may change modestly as the new bands and rates take effect. Those working part‑time or on‑call should find assessments more closely reflect actual earnings rather than whole‑time equivalents. Firefighters promoted during the year should expect contribution tier checks to follow the updated rules set out in regulation 110 as amended. (gov.uk)
Looking ahead, payroll and pensions teams should build an annual checkpoint each autumn once the Office for National Statistics publishes September CPI. Any increase compared with the previous September will flow through to new thresholds on the following 1 April, rounded up to the nearest £100 as specified in the instrument. (gov.uk)
The Explanatory Note to the instrument indicates that no full impact assessment has been produced on the basis that no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen. Authorities should nevertheless document local implementation costs and system changes for Pension Board oversight. (infolaw.co.uk)