After the fire service: second careers for ex-firefighters

Why leaving the fire service is a career change, not just a job change

The fire service is a strongly defined career with its own ranks, pay scales, pension and sense of identity. Leaving it means moving into an employment market that uses different job titles and often assumes different qualifications. Many people leave after a first career of twenty or thirty years, others leave earlier because of injury, family or a change of interest, and each situation has different financial pressures.

Two facts help. First, your pension does not disappear: under the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme 2015, leavers with three months’ qualifying service normally become deferred members with a pension that is revalued each year and payable later. Second, your Grey Book experience develops transferable skills that employers value, even if they do not use the same words. Our guide to leaving the fire service covers resignation, notice and pension options in detail.

It is sensible to treat the move as a project with a timeline. The sections below suggest how to describe your skills, options to consider, questions to ask about pay and pension, and a step-by-step plan. If you are still deciding whether to leave, look at the alternatives inside the service, such as a different role, part-time working or a move to another service, covered in firefighter ranks and career progression and transfer between fire services.

Translating fire service experience into employer language

The first task is to describe what you do in terms a hiring manager will recognise. The National Careers Service profile of a firefighter lists duties including practice drills, responding to emergencies, rescuing people and animals, managing hazardous material spills, delivering fire safety presentations and conducting building inspections. Those tasks map to competences employers look for: risk assessment, incident management, safety inspection, public education and working under pressure.

Grey Book roles add management experience. A Crew Manager or Watch Manager leads a team and takes responsibility for its safety and development; a Station Manager or above manages budgets, people and operational command. If you have held these roles, describe the number of people you led, the responsibilities, and the outcomes, not just the job title. If you have held specialist roles, such as driving, breathing apparatus instruction, hazardous materials or community safety work, say so.

Qualifications matter. Employers in regulated fields ask for specific certificates, and fire service training does not always map directly. Keep a record of your training history and, if relevant, the level of qualification. Where you need a recognised award, plan to complete it while you are still employed if your service supports study, which can save time and money.

Realistic options and what National Careers Service says about pay

Three roles have National Careers Service profiles that make useful reference points. A health and safety adviser develops safety policies and procedures, advises and trains staff, conducts inspections and risk assessments and investigates accidents. The profile gives pay of £26,000 at the start to £48,000 for experienced advisers, 37 to 40 hours a week, and entry routes including degrees, apprenticeships and professional qualifications through NEBOSH or IOSH while working.

A training officer designs and delivers learning materials, online or face to face. The profile gives £24,000 to £40,000, 37 to 40 hours a week, with routes including university, college, apprenticeship, progression from HR or training assistant roles, direct application with relevant training experience, and CIPD-approved courses. A driving instructor earns £32,000 to £45,000 on the profile, working 20 to 40 variable hours, and must complete an approved training route, pass the ADI Part 1, 2 and 3 exams, hold a full licence for over three years, be over 21 and pass enhanced checks.

These are indicative ranges, not what you will earn, and starting pay for a career changer may sit at the lower end while you gain sector experience. Other routes include fire safety and building safety roles in the private and public sectors, emergency planning, control room or security roles, teaching and lecturing, and trades or business ownership. If you want to stay near the sector, consider fire control roles, or on-call firefighting alongside a new job; see on-call firefighter availability.

Money first: pay gap, pension and the first year

Compare like with like before you move. A competent firefighter earns £40,358 basic from July 2026, before allowances and overtime, and the pension is a significant part of the package. A role advertised at a similar salary may offer less holiday, less generous sick pay and a smaller pension contribution. Use the pay calculator to work out your current take-home, then run the same calculation on the new salary. Include pension contributions in both calculations.

Plan for the transition. You may need a cushion for a notice period without overtime, any gap between jobs, retraining costs and the loss of contractual sick pay. The Grey Book scheme of six months’ full pay is unusually generous; most employers offer statutory sick pay only, which GOV.UK lists at £123.25 a week. If you rely on your household income, consider income protection; see firefighter income protection and life cover.

Housing and borrowing matter too. Lenders assess your income and job history, and a new job may mean a probation period. If you plan to buy or remortgage, complete it before you leave or understand how the change will be assessed. Our mortgage borrowing calculator and firefighter mortgage guide explain how lenders treat income.

Your firefighter pension while you start a new career

If you leave with at least three months’ qualifying service, your FPS 2015 pension becomes a deferred pension. It is held in a deferred account and increased each year in line with the cost of living. It can be paid from State Pension age (or 65 if higher), or from age 55 with an early payment reduction. You could also ask about a transfer, but the scheme guide advises comparing the benefits carefully first, and independent regulated advice is strongly advisable.

There are useful nuances. A deferred pension can be partly commuted for a lump sum. If you return to scheme membership within five years, the deferred account is closed and your active account re-established. If you have legacy service or remediable service, the position differs; see the pension remedy guide. To see how long service affects the numbers, use the pension calculator and read firefighter pension 2015.

Your new employer’s pension matters too. Workplace pensions in most private-sector roles are defined contribution, where your outcome depends on contributions and investment returns rather than a guaranteed formula. Compare employer contribution levels, and consider whether you should keep your deferred firefighter pension in place while you build the new one. See firefighter pension transfers.

Qualifications, study and bridging work

Many second-career routes need extra qualifications. The National Careers Service lists professional qualifications through NEBOSH or IOSH for health and safety advisers, CIPD-approved courses for training roles and the ADI exams for driving instructors. Ask employers which qualifications they actually require, and check the provider and level before paying. Some apprenticeship routes are open to career changers.

Bridging work reduces risk. Some firefighters keep an on-call role while they build another career, subject to the employer’s secondary employment rules and working time limits, described in firefighter second job. Others take contract or agency work in safety or training while completing qualifications. A gradual transition is not right for everyone, but it can protect income and help you test a new field.

Support is available. The Fire Fighters Charity says it supports the whole fire services community, serving and former, so it remains a resource after you leave, and our mental health support guide explains how to reach it. Leaving a strong identity behind can be hard, and it is worth acknowledging that and asking for help early if you feel adrift.

• Check the exact qualification an employer requires before you pay for a course
• Use study leave or flexible working, if your service allows it, before you resign
• Keep your training records and certificates in one place
• Test the market with informational interviews before committing

A step-by-step plan for the move

A structured plan makes the change less daunting. The order below puts the money and pension checks first, then the career work, then the resignation.

1. Decide your reason for leaving and your target: a role, a sector or a lifestyle.
2. Get your pension position, leave balance and expected final pay in writing.
3. Build a budget for the transition, including a cushion and the loss of contractual sick pay.
4. Research target roles on the National Careers Service and job adverts, and note qualifications and pay.
5. Translate your CV into employer language and ask trusted contacts to review it.
6. Start any required qualification while still employed, if possible.
7. Secure an offer in writing before you resign, then follow the notice steps in leaving the fire service.
8. Review the first six months and adjust, including your pension and protection cover.