2020/21 FRS assessment

In 2018/19, we completed our first round of inspections of the 45 fire and rescue services in England. In 2020 we paused our regular inspection programme because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On 4 August 2020, the Home Secretary commissioned us to examine how fire and rescue services responded to the pandemic.

Virtually, we inspected England’s 45 fire and rescue services from September to November 2020, focusing on their response during the initial outbreak of the pandemic.

We published our findings in January 2021: Responding to the pandemic: The fire and rescue service’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

We resumed our regular inspection programme in 2021/22.