Senior officers in fire, ambulance, prison and related services: average salary and pay in the UK
The ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) puts median weekly pay for full-time senior officers in fire, ambulance, prison and related services at £1,117.90 in April 2025; no reliable annual figure is published.
What the figures show
A full-time median is published for women only; the sample of men is too small.
Since 2021 the median has risen 31.9% (from £847.80), faster than the 25.7% for all jobs.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, weekly | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30th percentile | – | – | £24.72* |
| 40th percentile | £1,021.50* | – | £26.16* |
| Median (50th percentile) | £1,117.90* | £1,014.90* | £26.76* |
| Mean | £1,403.70* | £1,241.70* | £33.68* |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £47,129 | £847.80* | £20.44* | £46,222 | £797.80 |
| 2022 revised | – | £986.20* | £22.94* | – | – |
| 2023 revised | – | £1,146.20* | £27.31* | – | £1,146.30 |
| 2025 provisional | – | £1,117.90* | – | – | £1,014.90* |
What senior officers in fire, ambulance, prison and related services do
Fire officers plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the activities and resources of a specific physical or functional area of a statutory or private fire brigade/service and the resources necessary for the protection of property at fires within a salvage corps area. Ambulance officers plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the resources necessary for the provision of ambulance services. Prison officers (principal officer and above) plan, organise, direct, and co-ordinate the activities and resources necessary for the running of a prison, remand or detention centre. Customs officers plan and direct the work of customs, excise and immigration staff in the monitoring and inspection of goods and persons crossing national borders. (ONS SOC 2020, 1163)
Also covers: chief immigration officer (HM Revenue and Customs), fire service officer (government), prison governor, station officer (ambulance service), area controller, area manager, brigade manager, chief officer, chief warder, company officer, district officer, divisional officer, fire captain, fire inspector, firemaster (Scotland), first officer, group manager and principal officer (55 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Liaises with other senior officials and/or government departments to determine staffing, financial and other short- and long-term needs
- Prepares reports for insurance companies, the Home Office, Scottish Home and Health Department, and other bodies as necessary
- Advises on the recruitment, training and monitoring of staff
- Fire officers plan, direct and co-ordinate an operational plan for one or more fire stations, attend fires and other emergencies to minimise danger to property and people, arrange for the salvaging of goods, immediate temporary repairs and security measures for fire damaged premises as necessary
- Ambulance officers plan, organise, direct and co-ordinate the activities of ambulance personnel and control room assistants, for the provision of ambulance services for emergency and non-emergency cases
- Prison officers interview prisoners on arrival and discharge/departure, receive reports on disciplinary problems and decide on appropriate action, make periodic checks on internal and external security, and provide care and support to prisoners in custody
The position of senior fire officer is achieved by internal promotion. Entry to senior positions within the prison service and revenue and customs is either by internal promotion or by open competition; both organisations operate accelerated promotion schemes available to internal and external applicants. Entry to the prison and fire services are subject to age restrictions, and both the prison service and revenue and customs impose nationality conditions. Entry to senior positions within the ambulance service is largely by internal promotion from supervisory roles.
Related
Senior officers in protective services (median £66,432) · Senior police officers · Health services and public health managers and directors · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026