Fire service officers (watch manager and below) salary in South East
Full-time average annual pay in South East
£39,753
2025 · moderate suppression
Median
£39,753
Mean
£36,539
| Statistic | Annual pay (gross) |
|---|---|
| Median | £39,753 |
| Mean | £36,539 |
Region-level range withheld by ONS — UK-wide, the middle half of fire service officers (watch manager and below) earn £30,655–£49,455. See full methodology →
Skilled Worker visa minimum
£42,100
Understanding Fire service officers (watch manager and below) pay in South East
The typical fire service officers (watch manager and below) in South East earns a median salary of £39,753 in 2025/26 — 2.5% (£1,022) below the UK-wide median of £40,775. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.
Across the UK, South East ranks 5th of 11 regions for fire service officers (watch manager and below) pay. Regional medians run from £33,939 in Scotland up to £49,992 in London, a spread of £16,053 (47%).
The mean (average) salary is lower, at £36,539, which points to a cluster of lower-paid roles dragging the average down — so the median is the better guide to typical pay here.
To see what £39,753 means after income tax and National Insurance, use the take-home pay calculator below — it also factors in student loan repayments.
Take-home pay estimate
Tax year 2025/26| Monthly | Annual | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £3,313 | £39,753 |
| Income tax | £453 | £5,437 |
| National Insurance | £181 | £2,175 |
| Take-home pay | £2,678 | £32,142 |
Estimate only · 2025/26 HMRC rates · Standard tax code · No pension contribution · Not financial or tax advice
How Fire service officers (watch manager and below) pay varies by region
London is the highest-paying region for fire service officers (watch manager and below) at £49,992 — 23% above the UK median. Scotland is lowest at £33,939.
UK median £40,775
| Region | Median payUK median £40,775 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £49,992 | £49,992 | £53,204 | +23% |
| North East | £44,351 | £44,351 | £42,921 | +9% |
| South West | £41,989 | £41,989 | £41,544 | +3% |
| West Midlands | £39,871 | £39,871 | £38,717 | -2% |
| South East (current region) | £39,753 | £39,753 | £36,539 | -3% |
| East of England | £38,697 | £38,697 | £37,503 | -5% |
| Wales | £38,460 | £38,460 | £41,223 | -6% |
| East Midlands | £38,258 | £38,258 | £33,651 | -6% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £37,007 | £37,007 | £39,772 | -9% |
| North West | £34,155 | £34,155 | £37,647 | -16% |
| Scotland | £33,939 | £33,939 | £31,533 | -17% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| London £49,992 | £49,992Mean £53,204 | +23% |
| North East £44,351 | £44,351Mean £42,921 | +9% |
| South West £41,989 | £41,989Mean £41,544 | +3% |
| West Midlands £39,871 | £39,871Mean £38,717 | -2% |
| South East (current region) £39,753 | £39,753Mean £36,539 | -3% |
| East of England £38,697 | £38,697Mean £37,503 | -5% |
| Wales £38,460 | £38,460Mean £41,223 | -6% |
| East Midlands £38,258 | £38,258Mean £33,651 | -6% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £37,007 | £37,007Mean £39,772 | -9% |
| North West £34,155 | £34,155Mean £37,647 | -16% |
| Scotland £33,939 | £33,939Mean £31,533 | -17% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£40,775); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.
How fire service officers (watch manager and below) pay in South East has changed over time
Median annual pay for fire service officers (watch manager and below) in South East by year, shown against the UK-wide median (Source: ONS ASHE). The shaded band is the UK-wide 25th–75th percentile range — ONS does not publish percentile ranges at region level.
South East median
UK median
▪ UK-wide 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
Compare with…
How the figures are sourced
Data sources: Official UK earnings data (2025 provisional)(opens in new tab)
Related roles in Protective Service Occupations
Other published roles in this occupation group. View category overview →