National surveys aim to build a picture of wellbeing and workplace culture across the UK Fire and Rescue Service
Fire and rescue personnel across the UK are being urged to take part in two national surveys designed to improve understanding of wellbeing and workplace culture across the sector.
By Helen Breese | Published on 7 October 2026
Categories: Research; School of Social Sciences;
The research, led by Nottingham Trent University and supported by the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), forms part of a three-year study investigating how wellbeing, organisational culture and career experiences interact and change over time across the sector.
The two surveys look at different but connected parts of working life. The Annual Wellbeing Survey focuses on the person behind the role, while the Cultural Climate Survey explores how staff experience leadership and the wider workplace environment. Together, they provide a fuller picture of experiences across the sector.
The surveys are open to all current Fire and Rescue Service personnel in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, across all roles, duty systems and career stages, including wholetime and on-call firefighters, control room staff, corporate and support employees, specialist teams and senior leaders.
Abbi Exon, PhD researcher at Nottingham Trent University, said: "Fire and Rescue Service personnel work in demanding and often challenging environments, but important gaps remain in the evidence.
“Much of what we know provides a snapshot at a single point in time, which cannot tell us how wellbeing and workplace experiences change as people move through their careers or as the service itself changes. This research is designed to add that longer-term picture.
"This research aims to build a stronger evidence base that can help the sector better understand the experiences of its workforce. Whatever someone’s experience of working in the Fire and Rescue Service, whether positive, difficult or somewhere in between, it is important that it is reflected in the evidence.
"The more people who take part, the clearer the picture we can build of working life across the UK's Fire and Rescue Services."
The research builds on the previous national wellbeing mapping work led by NTU which identified important wellbeing pressures within the sector and highlighted gaps in understanding around career progression, organisational culture and long-term wellbeing.
The surveys are open until 15 November 2026:
Click to complete the Annual Wellbeing Survey
Click to complete the Cultural Climate Survey
Responses are anonymous and individual data will not be shared with employers, the NFCC or any external organisations.
Find out more about the research on the NTU project website.