Transparency data
Fire and Rescue Authority financial reserves: March 2024
Provides information on the level of financial reserves held by each standalone fire and rescue authority in 2023 to 2024.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) can keep part of their funding in financial reserves to:
- help manage financial risk
- fund major future costs, such as change programmes aimed at improving services to the public
Usable financial reserves are split into:
- resource - these include a general fund to cover unforeseen pressures and earmarked reserves which are held for a specific purpose
- capital - these are ring-fenced for capital investment
As at March 2024, standalone fire and rescue authorities’ resource reserves stood at £482 million. This is equivalent to 28% of their core spending power.
Updates to this page
Published 18 December 2025