London Fire Brigade mental health absence costs reach £84m since 2021

Mental health absence and costs at the LFB

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has recorded an estimated £84 million cost from sickness absence linked to mental health since 2021.

The London Assembly Fire Committee said in a letter published on 4 March that stress, anxiety and depression among LFB staff are now the leading cause of long-term sickness absence.

The Committee said firefighters routinely face traumatic incidents while carrying out their duties across the capital.

It said the growing mental health toll is affecting the wellbeing of those working within the brigade and contributing to rising absence costs.

What the Fire Committee asked the London Fire Commissioner to change

The letter called on the London Fire Commissioner to strengthen early intervention and improve how support is directed towards those most at risk.

The Committee said LFB has expanded its wellbeing support and taken steps to address stigma around seeking help.

It added that existing support remains largely generalised, despite clear differences in how mental health issues affect different roles within the brigade.

The Committee recommended greater use of internal mental health data so support can be targeted towards higher-risk roles.

It also called for adoption of the IGLOO framework, described as Individual, Group, Leader, Organisation, Outside.

The Committee said peer-to-peer support should also play a larger role in helping staff manage the impact of traumatic incidents.

Zack Polanski AM said: “Firefighters protect London every day.

“It is only right, they feel equally protected when it comes to their own wellbeing.

“While the LFB has made important progress in tackling stigma and expanding support, there is more that can be done to tailor provision, strengthen peer networks and ensure help reaches those who need it most.

“Targeted, preventative support will be critical to building a resilient Fire Brigade fit for the future.

“A mentally healthy Brigade is fundamental to serving London effectively.”

The Committee’s letter sets out its recommendations for how LFB should strengthen early support and use available data to guide future provision.

Executive summary: Wellbeing of London’s firefighters letter

The London Assembly Fire Committee has written to the London Fire Commissioner raising concerns about the growing impact of mental health issues on staff within the London Fire Brigade (LFB), and recommending changes to how support is delivered.

The Committee states that stress, anxiety and depression among firefighters have risen to the point where they are now the most common reason for staff being absent from work for more than two weeks.

While acknowledging that mental health provision has improved across fire services in recent decades and that LFB now has a comprehensive wellbeing strategy and mental health policy, the Committee says further improvements are possible, particularly in how support is targeted and structured.

The letter also links wellbeing directly to operational capability and organisational cost. Since 2021, sickness absence across LFB has been estimated to cost around £84 million.

The Committee therefore sets out two main recommendations: using data more actively to tailor mental health support to higher-risk roles, and strengthening peer-to-peer support within the brigade.

Key quotes

Zack Polanski AM, Chair of the London Assembly Fire Committee, wrote that the increase in mental health absence warranted closer examination: “These are concerning figures which the London Assembly Fire Committee felt warranted investigation.”

Deputy Commissioner Spencer Sutcliff highlighted the economic case for preventative mental health support: “Every pound spent on prevention for mental health [issues] will give you a £4 return.”

Evidence presented to the Committee also pointed to demand for more training among firefighters. Dr Carolina Campodonico, who is leading research commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union, told the Committee: “More than three-quarters of firefighters said that they would be interested in more mental health training.”

The Committee’s letter requests a formal response from the London Fire Commissioner by 15 April 2026.