Scotland’s firefighters have warned that any further reductions to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) budget will leave communities, businesses and households increasingly exposed to risk and could ultimately cost lives. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has issued the warning as Finance Secretary Shona Robison prepares to set out the Scottish Government’s draft budget this week.
Union figures show that almost 1,250 firefighter posts have been lost since the creation of the single national service in 2013, representing around a sixth of the workforce. Over the same period, SFRS has experienced a real-terms reduction of almost £84m in its resource budget alongside a capital backlog of more than £800m, with many stations now described as no longer fit for purpose.
Response times have also lengthened, increasing by around 90 seconds from under seven minutes to almost eight and a half minutes since 2014, according to union leaders. The FBU argues that this erosion of capacity is already undermining the service’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies.
The current SFRS Service Delivery Review, which outlines options to reshape the service, has become a focal point for local concern. Proposals being consulted on include possible station closures, reduced fire cover and the removal of appliances across areas such as Edinburgh, Dundee, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Inverclyde and the Scottish Borders.
Community representatives, local councils and MSPs have joined the FBU in opposing these options, warning that the combined effect of job losses, ageing infrastructure and reduced cover will fall hardest on vulnerable communities. They are calling for a change in direction that prioritises investment over further retrenchment.
FBU Scottish secretary John McKenzie said this week’s budget is “critical” for the future of Scotland’s firefighters and urged ministers to break with what he characterised as a pattern of underfunding. He argued that previous finance secretaries had failed to put the safety and wellbeing of communities first.
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McKenzie set out a stark equation: budget cuts mean fewer firefighters, fewer firefighters mean slower response times, and slower response times increase the risk to public safety. Summing up the union’s position, he insisted that “cuts cost lives” and called for “significantly increased funding” for SFRS.
The Scottish Government has rejected the suggestion that it is failing the fire service, insisting that it is providing record funding for SFRS in 2025‑26. A spokesperson said ministers recognised the vital role firefighters play in keeping communities safe and stressed that public safety remained paramount.
Officials pointed to investment that they say has ensured the service remains ready to respond to emergency incidents, while confirming that full details of the Scottish Budget will be set out on 13 January 2026. However, the coming days are likely to see continued pressure from unions and local representatives for a funding settlement that halts further cuts.
