Your council tax helps pay for services in the local area, such as education, caring for people in need, maintaining the road network, and protecting our environment. It also pays for services at the town and parish level and supports emergency services such as the fire service and the police.
The money raised through Council Tax is shared out between the following authorities:
- Your local council/s (including town and parish)
- Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority
- Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner
This page explains the amount of council tax which you will pay towards the services we will provide over the course of the financial year, 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.
For 2025/26 Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority agreed a £5 increase in its council tax, which means that the amount paid by a band D taxpayer will rise from £79.46 a year to £84.46 a year. This £5 increase, which equates to just under 10p a week, will come into effect on 1 April 2025.
We will spend £42.99 million (£51.17 per head of population) on providing services to you. Our services are funded by Government grants and business rates (£16.62 per head of population) and council tax (£33.96 per head of population).
Council tax bills in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes include the following totals per home to pay for Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Fire Authority in 2025-26:
| Band | Per Week (£) | Per Month (£) | Per Year ( £) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1.08 | 4.69 | 56.31 |
| B | 1.26 | 5.47 | 65.69 |
| C | 1.44 | 6.26 | 75.08 |
| D | 1.62 | 7.04 | 84.46 |
| E | 1.98 | 8.60 | 103.23 |
| F | 2.34 | 10.17 | 122.00 |
| G | 2.70 | 11.73 | 140.77 |
| H | 3.24 | 14.08 | 168.92 |
Where the money comes from
The funding settlement for 2025-26 was announced on 03 February 2025. The table below shows the breakdown of where our funding comes from:
| Where the money comes from | 2024-25 £’000 | 2025-26 £’000 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue support grant and business rates | £13,010 | £13,082 |
| Specific grants | £933 | £877 |
| Council Tax | £26,192 | £28,529 |
| Use of reserves / (contribution to reserves) | -£665 | £501 |
| TOTAL | £39,470 | £42,989 |
Where the money goes
This year’s Medium-Term Financial Plan supports our new Community Risk Management Plan 2025-2030. For 2025-26, we will continue to maintain our operational staffing levels despite ongoing financial pressures. We are also setting aside funds to invest in essential upgrades to our facilities and equipment.
We are also looking at ways to improve our staff’s training, ensuring they are well-equipped to handle emergencies. Additionally, we are making long-term investments in modernising our fire stations and facilities to ensure they remain fit for purpose.
Employee costs include essential contributions such as National Insurance and pensions, as well as funding for firefighter training to prepare them for a wide range of emergency situations, including fires, road traffic collisions, flooding, and hazardous substance incidents.
| Where the money goes | 2024-25 £’000 | 2025-26 £’000 |
|---|---|---|
| Employees | £29,824 | £31,863 |
| Premises | £2,324 | £2,368 |
| Transport | £1,256 | £1,337 |
| Supplies and services | £6,033 | £6,410 |
| Capital chargers | £1,699 | £2,661 |
| income | -£1,667 | -£1,650 |
| Net budget requirement | £39,470 | £42,989 |
Included within employee costs are the National Insurance contributions required by employers, and pension contributions set in accordance with relevant pension schemes regulations.
Staffing Levels
[Figures in the table above are based on full-time equivalents (FTEs) as at 1st April 2025]
We have 301 full-time operational staff, which includes firefighters and senior roles. Our budget also covers 96 full-time equivalent (FTE) On-Call roles—this means the total hours worked add up to the same as 96 full-time positions, but the actual number of people may differ. We also have 135 support staff (FTEs) who help keep our service running.
We are committed to providing an excellent, modern, and agile Fire and Rescue Service for our community. Together, we work to protect and safeguard people and places, ensuring we have the right people, at the right time, with the right skills to keep you safe.
Most of our budget goes toward training and paying our staff. We make sure they have the skills to deal with fires, road accidents, floods, rescues, hazardous materials, and fire safety checks. Our teams are ready to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
