Surrey Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has published full details of the services it may charge for, making clear that while it will always respond free of charge to emergencies involving an immediate risk to life, injury or fire, certain non-emergency and preventable incidents will result in a bill.
The updated charging structure, effective from 1 April 2025, highlights the true cost of avoidable call-outs and sends a clear message to businesses, landlords and property managers about the importance of good fire safety management and prevention.
When Surrey Fire and Rescue will always attend free of charge
SFRS has confirmed that it does not charge for incidents that fall within its core statutory duties, including:
- Road traffic collisions or incidents involving trapped people
- Actual injury to people
- A genuine risk of fire
- Significant risk or damage to the environment
These incidents remain the fire service’s top priority and will always receive an emergency response.
Chargeable services: what you may be billed for
However, Surrey Fire and Rescue does charge for responding to a range of non-emergency or preventable incidents, including:
- People stuck in lifts
- People locked out of homes or vehicles
- Repeated unwanted automatic fire alarm activations
- Animal rescues
- Incident and fire investigation reports
- Incidents involving hazardous materials, once any public or environmental risk has been removed
- Use of fire service equipment to remove water
These types of incidents can consume large amounts of firefighter time and specialist equipment, diverting resources away from life-risk emergencies.
Charges from April 2025
From 1 April 2025, Surrey Fire and Rescue has confirmed the following charges (including VAT unless stated):
Special service attendance
- First appliance (first hour): £516
- Additional appliances and/or additional hours: £403
- Aerial Ladder Platform (specialist vehicles): £516
- Lift rescue: £516
- Animal rescue: £516
- Repeated unwanted fire alarm activations: £516
Reports and investigations
- Incident Report System (IRS) report: £122 per report
- Detailed fire investigation reports: £500–£2,000, depending on staff time involved
Interviews and staff time
- Firefighter: £80 per hour
- Crew Commander: £91 per hour
- Assistant Group Commander: £116 per hour
- Mileage: 45p per mile or full reimbursement of public transport costs
For organisations experiencing repeat incidents, these costs can escalate rapidly.
Why fire services are charging
Fire and rescue services nationwide are operating under increasing financial pressure. The National Framework for Fire and Rescue Services in England makes it clear that non-statutory services must not compromise the ability to respond to emergencies.
Charging for preventable or non-emergency incidents helps:
- Recover the true cost of attendance
- Discourage repeated false alarms
- Encourage better premises management
- Protect firefighter availability for genuine emergencies
Automatic fire alarms: a major cost driver
One of the most common chargeable call-outs relates to repeated unwanted fire alarm activations, particularly in commercial buildings, care settings and blocks of flats.
False alarms are frequently caused by:
- Poorly maintained detection systems
- Incorrect detector types
- Steam, dust or aerosols
- Lack of staff training
Each avoidable activation now carries a potential £516 charge, alongside disruption to occupants and businesses.
Fire risk assessments: preventing chargeable incidents
Fire safety professionals consistently point out that many chargeable call-outs are foreseeable and preventable when risks are properly identified through a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment (FRA).
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, responsible persons must:
- Identify fire hazards
- Reduce risks so far as reasonably practicable
- Maintain fire safety systems
- Prevent avoidable incidents
A robust FRA should consider:
- Fire alarm design, management and staff response
- Lift emergency procedures
- Maintenance of electrical and ventilation systems
- Arrangements to reduce false alarms
- Clear escalation procedures for calling the fire service
Where FRAs are outdated or ignored, the likelihood of chargeable call-outs increases significantly.
Animal rescue: valued, but non-statutory
Surrey Fire and Rescue operates an Animal Rescue Unit and is committed to preventing animal suffering. However, animal rescue is not a statutory duty, and the service receives no specific funding for it.
Charges are being introduced to:
- Recover operational costs
- Ensure core emergency response is protected
- Encourage preventative working with farmers, landowners and animal owners
SFRS has also stated it wants to work more proactively with partners to reduce avoidable animal rescue incidents, rather than responding reactively.
How business owners can help protect cash-strapped fire services
Fire and rescue services across the UK are under real financial pressure. For business owners, supporting them is not just about avoiding invoices — it is about helping ensure firefighters are available for life-critical emergencies.
Many chargeable call-outs are preventable. By improving fire safety management, businesses can directly reduce unnecessary demand on fire appliances and specialist crews.
Business owners can help by:
- Keeping fire risk assessments up to date and acting on findings
- Reducing false fire alarms through proper system design, maintenance and staff training
- Maintaining lifts, electrical installations and ventilation systems
- Making sure staff understand when to call the fire service — and when not to
- Acting quickly on recurring issues identified by assessors or engineers
Each avoided false alarm or non-emergency call-out frees crews to attend serious fires, rescues and incidents where lives are genuinely at risk.
Prevention costs less than response
From a commercial perspective, prevention is also far cheaper. A single repeated false alarm can cost £516, before accounting for lost productivity, disruption or reputational impact. By contrast, investing in professional fire risk assessments, maintenance and staff awareness helps protect people, premises and public resources.
Good fire safety management is therefore not just compliance — it is a practical way for businesses to support under-pressure fire services while reducing their own risk and costs.
Further information
Full details of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service’s chargeable services are available on the Surrey County Council website:
🔗 https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/community/fire-and-rescue/about/chargeables
Final thought
Fire and rescue services exist to save life, property and the environment. When crews are repeatedly called to avoidable incidents, it places strain on a system designed for emergencies.
For businesses and duty holders across Surrey, understanding chargeable services — and preventing incidents through effective fire risk assessments and maintenance — is now an essential part of responsible fire safety management.
