Date of Request
09/01/2026
Request
Dear Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service,
I would please like to know:
1) Your parental leave policies, including paternity leave and pay and maternity leave and pay. If you have different policies for firefighters and non-firefighter staff, please include both
2) In the last three years for which you have data, how many staff members were eligible for paternity leave?
3) In the last three years for which you have data, how many staff members took paternity leave, and for how many weeks on average?
4) In the last three years for which you have data, what was the average salary for staff who were eligible for paternity leave? (If it is not possible to provide this, please provide the average salary for all the organisation’s staff instead)
For queries 2 – 4, please provide separate data for firefighter and non-firefighter staff, but if this is not possible, please provide combined data for both instead.
If you are unable to answer all of these questions, please prioritise answering them in order.
Thank you very much.
Yours faithfully,
Response
Good Morning
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 attached and below:
- Your parental leave policies, including paternity leave and pay and maternity leave and pay. If you have different policies for firefighters and non-firefighter staff, please include both –
Please find policies attached.
2) In the last three years for which you have data, how many staff members were eligible for paternity leave?
| Date | As of 1st April 2023 | As of 1st April 2024 | As of 1st April 2025 |
| Operational | 455 | 440 | 398 |
| Non-operational | 63 | 68 | 72 |
3) In the last three years for which you have data, how many staff members took paternity leave, and for how many weeks on average?
| Year | Operational | Support staff | RDS and Support | Weeks on average |
| 2023 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2025 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
4) In the last three years for which you have data, what was the average salary for staff who were eligible for paternity leave? (If it is not possible to provide this, please provide the average salary for all the organisation’s staff instead)
The data in the table below shows an average salary for staff eligible for paternity leave. The data includes all staff, operational and support staff. For wholetime operational staff, the competent salary has been used. For Support staff the salary at the bottom of each banding has been used. For On-call staff the retainer fee has been used.
| Date | As of 1st April 2023 | As of 1st April 2024 | As of 1st April 2025 |
| Combined | £21,523 | £20,169 | £25,804 |
If you have any questions regarding your request, please contact Information Governance on tel: 0345 122 4454 or by e-mail at 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