Date of Request
17/10/2025
Request
Good morning,
We are collecting information about maternity pay for competent wholetime women firefighters in your fire and rescue service. Below is the information we would like to obtain from you under the Freedom of Information Act.
Q1. Please send your fire and rescue service maternity policy or other relevant policy document, in place on 1 July 2025.
Q2. If your maternity pay arrangements have changed between 1 July 2025 and 17 October 2025, please send the revised policy as well as the previous one.
Q3. Please confirm that the fire and rescue service has implemented the National Joint Council pay agreement 2024, which means that competent wholetime women firefighters on maternity leave receive 26 weeks full pay?
Q4. How many weeks full pay maternity leave did your fire and rescue service pay on 1 July 2025? Please also tell us if this has improved since then and by how much.
Please acknowledge receipt of the request, so we know that it has been received by the right person responsible.
We would prefer to receive this information in electronic form – preferably as a table in Word or Excel format.
If you have any queries regarding this request, please e-mail or phone me.
Kind regards,
Fire Brigades Union
Response
Good Afternoon,
We thank you for your request for information, which has been received by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (the Service) and considered under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000.
The Service can confirm that the information that you have requested is held and is as per the below responses:
Q1. Please send your fire and rescue service maternity policy or other relevant policy document, in place on 1 July 2025.
Please find the Maternity Policy attached.
Q2. If your maternity pay arrangements have changed between 1 July 2025 and 17 October 2025, please send the revised policy as well as the previous one.
N/A
Q3. Please confirm that the fire and rescue service has implemented the National Joint Council pay agreement 2024, which means that competent wholetime women firefighters on maternity leave receive 26 weeks full pay?
We can confirm that this has been implemented.
Q4. How many weeks full pay maternity leave did your fire and rescue service pay on 1 July 2025? Please also tell us if this has improved since then and by how much.
45 weeks full pay. This has not changed to date since 1 July 2025.
If you have any questions regarding your request, please contact Information Governance and Committee Services on tel: 0345 122 4454 or by e-mail informationrequests@hwfire.org.uk. In any such communication please include the reference number assigned (see Subject).
Should you have any queries regarding the management of your request and wish to make either a complaint or request a review of the information disclosed to you, please do so by using Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service’s complaints system: Comments and Complaints. This must be done within 40 working days of our response to your request. After this date and in line with ICO guidance the Service is not obliged to provide an internal review of your request.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you may appeal the decision by contacting the Information Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, SK9 5AF, Tel: 0303 123 1113 (alternatively 01625 545745) or E-mail: casework@ico.org.uk.
Further information on Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service may be viewed at the Service’s website: www.hwfire.org.uk
Thank you for your request for information.
Kind regards,
Information Governance Team