Fire and Rescue Authority financial information

Council tax financial information 2025/26.

A small rise has been approved for the council tax precept for fire, at a meeting of the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority (WYFRA).

The slight increase will see Band D taxpayers pay an extra £5 a year.

The WYFRA made the changes due to the financial challenges that remain, with a lack of capital funding and the cost-of-living pressures, including things like fuel and energy remaining high. However, despite the rise, the precept remains the fourth lowest precepting authority in the country.

Chair Cllr Darren O’Donovan said “The cuts to local services by the previous Conservative governments have left us with a shortfall to manage for 14 years. We only ask the public for more money as a last resort, after carefully managing our funding alongside our risk, despite the pressures put onto us. Our funding settlement over the last few years has not been fair given the challenges that we have faced - but despite this we are managing to provide a very good service to the people of West Yorkshire. We are sorry to ask for this small increase but hope that people recognise that we are investing it carefully in their local fire service.”

Chief Fire Officer John Roberts said: “It is difficult for us to ask the public for more money during times when the cost of living feels high for many. However, this rise will allow us to continue to achieve our aim of making West Yorkshire safer, and investing in our people, equipment and infrastructure. Despite the rise, West Yorkshire will continue to be the fourth lowest precepting fire authority in England.”

Effect on council tax bands A to D of a £5 increase

Band Annual Per month Per week Increase from 2024/25
Band A £56.33 £4.69 £1.08 £3.34
Band B £65.71 £5.48 £1.26 £3.89
Band C £75.10 £6.26 £1.44 £4.45
Band D £84.49 £7.04 £1.62 £5.00

What will the Fire and Rescue service cost

  2024/25 2025/26 Per head
Gross expenditure £116.047m £120.085m  
Contribution to/from reserves £0m £0m  
Income £3.143m £2.889m  
Budget requirement £112.904m £117.196m £48.79
Revenue support grant £20.783m £21.137m £8.80
Pension grant £2.916m £2.977m £1.24
Top up grant £18.499m £18.703m £7.79
Business rates £8.035m £8.492m £3.54
Collection fund £0.159m £0.466m £0.19
National insurance grant £0m £0.699m £0.29
Service grant £0.173m £0m £0
Funding guarantee £1.370m £0m £0
Section 31 grants £6.898m £6.883m £2.87
Recruitment reserve £0m £0.188m £0.08
Council tax requirement £54.389m £58.584m £24.39
  2024/25 2025/26
Previous year's budget £104.3m £112.904m
Inflation £3.714m £3.238m
Changes in service provision £4.89m £0.866m
Changes in use of reserves £0m £0.188m
Total budget requirement £112.904m £117.196m

These figures work out at a cost of roughly £24.39 per person per year across West Yorkshire.

Totals may not add exactly due to rounding.