The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has said it is planning to go to court over a ‘secret letter’ circulated amongst chief fire officers that it said was “attempting to block firefighters receiving the pensions they are legally entitled to”.

The letter from the National Fire Chief Council (NFCC) was posted anonymously to the FBU’s head office and recommended that “fire and rescue services review their current policy to reflect the latest correspondence from the HM Treasury dated 23 March 2022 that clearly advises services not to be applying immediate detriment prior to legislation being in place”.

‘Immediate detriment’ refers to a resolution for a group of firefighters who are not receiving their full pension, because the McCloud ruling will not be implemented in legislation until October 2023.

A memorandum of understanding to facilitate the immediate detriment issue being resolved was agreed between fire and rescue services, via the Local Government Association, and the FBU, but has not been implemented in every fire and rescue service, according to the FBU.

“Chief fire officers need to look after their people,” commented FBU national officer, Mark Rowe.

“It beggars belief that – in the middle of a cost of living crisis – the NFCC is proactively seeking to keep retired firefighters’ pensions down via a letter they don’t have the integrity or courage to make public.

“This letter makes an already difficult situation even worse. It places another barrier in the way of firefighters receiving the pensions they deserve.

“It’s disgraceful that currently retired firefighters, some of whom have retired on grounds of ill-health, are less likely to receive the pensions they are legally entitled to.

“It’s an outcome that badly lets down retired and current firefighters and the FBU will do everything in its power to protect our members’ pensions.”

Pensions Age has contacted the NFCC for comment.

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