Northern Ireland has confirmed changes to how firefighters’ pension contributions are worked out from Wednesday 1 May 2026. The Department of Health’s Statutory Rule updates the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 and sets out a fresh tiered structure for member contributions. Department of Finance consent has been recorded and the measure follows consultation under the Public Service Pensions Act (Northern Ireland) 2014.

For crews, the headline is simple: contribution tiers will now be assessed against what you actually earn in pensionable pay. That matters for retained (on‑call) and part‑time regular firefighters in particular, who until 30 April 2026 had their banding judged against a whole‑time or ‘reference’ salary figure set out in guidance for the 2015 scheme. From 1 May, it’s your own annual pensionable pay that sets your band.

The Regulations also build in an annual uprating of the earnings thresholds that define each band. From the 2027/28 scheme year, those thresholds will increase in line with the September Consumer Prices Index (CPI) – or another UK price index should the Department decide – with figures rounded up to the nearest pound. That mechanism is designed to stop firefighters being pushed into higher bands by inflation alone.

There’s a clear cut‑off in how pay is treated. For service between 1 April 2015 and 30 April 2026, the 2015 rules continue to apply for determining where pay sat against the old bands. From 1 May 2026 onward, banding is tied to each member’s actual annual pensionable pay. In practice, members with variable earnings should expect their employer to keep an eye on any permanent changes to pay that might move them between bands.

Why this matters on station floors across the North: it brings Northern Ireland into step with wider UK moves to base firefighter contributions on actual earnings rather than a notional whole‑time comparator. England has already confirmed a revised contribution structure from April 2026, and Scotland and Wales have consulted on similar technical changes. For cross‑border union branches and pension board reps, Northern Ireland’s update is another data point to compare.

Scale of impact is significant. NIFRS reported just under 2,000 employees as at 31 March 2023, the majority in operational roles. While each member’s outcome will depend on their own pay, the shift to actual earnings should make banding more straightforward for on‑call crews with fluctuating hours and allowances.

What to do now. Watch for the May payslip and check which band your employer has applied. If your role or pensionable pay has permanently changed since April, expect your band to reflect that. Members approaching retirement should also factor in that from 2027/28 the earnings thresholds move each year with CPI, reducing the risk of ‘fiscal drag’ into higher contribution tiers.

Unions continue to track pensions administration closely. The Fire Brigades Union has pressed governments on timely delivery of Remediable Service Statements and broader scheme fairness across the UK, and will scrutinise how the new structure beds in for on‑call and part‑time members. Employers and scheme administrators should be ready with clear, written explanations of any banding changes.

Officials say no impact is foreseen for the private or voluntary sectors, so no full impact assessment has been produced. For firefighters and payroll teams, the immediate tasks are practical: confirm the correct band from May, keep records of any permanent pay changes, and refer to the HSC Pension Service guidance for NIFRS members if anything looks out of line. The Assembly’s Committee for Health noted the Regulations in mid‑February, and the statutory rule takes effect as planned on 1 May. We’ll keep readers updated if further detail is issued.