Date of Request
15/11/25
Request
Dear FOI Team,
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, please provide the following information for the most recent five full financial years held by HWFRS.
1. Total Cost of Resilience Shifts
For each of the last five years, please provide:
- The total amount of money spent on resilience shifts
(i.e., overtime or additional hours used to cover shortfalls such as leave, sickness, training, courses, or unavailability).
2. Breakdown by Duty System
For each year, please provide how resilience shift spending was divided between:
- Wholetime firefighters
- Retained/on-call firefighters
- Any other category used locally
3. Breakdown by Rank (If Held)
For each year, please provide resilience shift spending by rank:
- Firefighter
- Crew Commander
- Watch Commander
- Station Manager (if applicable)
- Any other ranks that receive resilience shift payments
4. Number of Shifts / Hours Covered
For each year, please provide:
- The total number of resilience shifts used
- Or, if recorded differently, the total number of overtime hours used for resilience cover
5. Policy or Guidance Documents
Please provide:
- Any current HWFRS policy, procedure or internal definition explaining what constitutes a resilience shift, and when it is used.
Regards,
Clear Source Media
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 partially held and is detailed below. The relevant documents are attached as requested.
1. Total Cost of Resilience Shifts
For each of the last five years, please provide:
- The total amount of money spent on resilience shifts
(i.e., overtime or additional hours used to cover shortfalls such as leave, sickness, training, courses, or unavailability).
2020/21 £592,361.46
2021/22 £600,142.21
2022/23 £472,140.65
2023/24 £745,478.34
2024/25 £384,748.79
2. Breakdown by Duty System
For each year, please provide how resilience shift spending was divided between:
- Wholetime firefighters
2020/21 £452,539.59
2021/22 £445,124.66
2022/23 £353,109.98
2023/24 £569,771.34
2024/25 £303,245.08
- Retained/on-call firefighters
2020/21 £95,516.29
2021/22 £140,188.41
2022/23 £88,746.83
2023/24 £149,450.80
2024/25 £64,050.56
- Any other category used locally
Control
2020/21 £44,305.58
2021/22 £14,829.14
2022/23 £30,283.84
2023/24 £26,256.20
2024/25 £17,453.15
3. Breakdown by Rank (If Held)
For each year, please provide resilience shift spending by rank:
Firefighter
- Crew Commander
- Watch Commander
- Station Manager (if applicable)
- Any other ranks that receive resilience shift payments
The rank is not held in a reportable format so we are unable to provide this information.
4. Number of Shifts / Hours Covered
For each year, please provide:
- The total number of resilience shifts used
2020-21 1,257
2021-22 1,320
2022-23 1,027
2023-24 2,748
2024-25 1,064
5. Policy or Guidance Documents
Please find the Policy attached.
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