Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the fire and rescue services funding floor calculation in meeting operational demands and inflationary pressures; and if she will review the impact on Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and other services which rely on the funding floor.

For 2026-27, the Settlement makes available a Core Spending Power of up to £101.36 million for Essex Fire and Rescue Authority, an increase of 3.8% compared to 2025.

The government recognises that the current fire funding formula was designed over a decade ago. As part of the Fair Funding Review 2.0 reforms, the fire and rescue relative needs formula has been updated by using the most up-to-date data available.

The government is providing an additional £15 million to standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities across the multi-year Settlement. In 2026-27, we will ensure they see Core Spending Power increase of at least 3.8% compared to 2025-26.

The government is continuing to work with the fire sector on a comprehensive review of the formula ahead of the next Spending Review, to make sure that fire and rescue services have the resources they need to protect their communities.