National Firefighter Ability tests explained
The National Firefighter Ability (NFA) tests are the written stage of the National Firefighter Selection (NFS) process — the standardised recruitment framework used by the majority of fire and rescue services in England and Wales. They are online, timed, multiple-choice assessments designed to measure whether an applicant has the core cognitive and behavioural skills needed to train as a wholetime firefighter.
There are three ability tests: Working with Numbers, Understanding Information, and Situational Awareness & Problem Solving. Most services pair these with the National Firefighter Questionnaire (NFQ) — a personality and values questionnaire — and a growing number now also use the newer Firefighter Talent Screener earlier in the process. Together these form the assessment stage that candidates must clear before being invited to the Job-related Fitness Test and a competency interview.
No prior firefighting knowledge is required — the tests use fictional but realistic fire-service scenarios and figures. What they assess is your ability to work accurately with data, comprehend written information, and make sound, values-based judgements under time pressure.
Fire service assessment tests: the full battery
Whether you have seen them called the fire service assessment tests, the national firefighter tests, or the national firefighter selection tests, these are the assessments you will sit. Here is exactly what each one involves.
Working with Numbers
45 minutes · 32 questions · no calculator
A numerical reasoning test using fire-service data — tables, charts, floor plans and operational figures. You extract the right numbers and apply straightforward arithmetic (percentages, ratios, areas, averages) accurately and at pace, without a calculator. Read our Working with Numbers guide for question types and strategy.
Understanding Information
35 minutes · 25 questions
A verbal reasoning test. You read a written passage — modelled on an operational notice, safety briefing or incident report — then decide whether statements are True, False, or Cannot Say based solely on the text. The key skill is strict, source-based reading. See our Understanding Information guide for the Cannot Say trap and reading strategy.
Situational Awareness & Problem Solving
35 minutes · 30 questions
A situational judgement test (SJT). You are placed in a firefighter scenario and choose the most and least appropriate response. Answers are scored against the Personal Qualities and Attributes (PQAs) — teamwork, safety, integrity and communication. Our Situational Awareness guide explains the PQAs and common traps.
National Firefighter Questionnaire (NFQ)
77 statements · untimed
A personality and values questionnaire measuring the seven Personal Qualities and Attributes (PQAs) used to assess how well your behaviour aligns with the firefighter role. It is not pass/fail in the same way as the ability tests, but it feeds into your overall profile.
Firefighter Talent Screener
Newer online screening questionnaire
A newer situational and behavioural screening questionnaire that a growing number of services now use, often early in the process before the main ability tests. It explores how you would respond to realistic role-related situations. Always check your service's current process to see whether it is included.
How the National firefighter selection tests are scored
Each ability test is marked against a standardised key. The two reasoning tests (Working with Numbers and Understanding Information) have objectively correct answers. The Situational Awareness test is scored against a key developed by occupational psychologists and experienced firefighters, reflecting the most and least appropriate professional responses — so even the SJT has better and worse answers, even where the difference is subtle.
Services rarely publish an exact pass mark in advance, and the threshold can vary between campaigns depending on the number of vacancies and the strength of the applicant pool. Your scores typically contribute to an overall ranking alongside your fitness and interview performance, so a strong score — not just a bare pass — improves your position in a competitive field. There is no penalty for guessing, so you should always give an answer to every question.
Over 75% of applicants fail to progress past this written stage. The most common reason is not lack of ability — it is running out of time or being caught off guard by the format, which is exactly what focused practice fixes.
Practise before you commit
Try the fire service assessment tests free
8 Working with Numbers questions — no account needed. Then unlock all three ability tests plus the NFQ for £10.
How to prepare for and pass the tests
The single most effective thing you can do is practise all three ability tests under timed, exam-style conditions. Reading about the format helps, but only timed practice builds the pace and composure the real tests demand. Two to four weeks of structured preparation is enough for most candidates.
- ✓Practise all three ability tests — not just the one you find hardest. Every test contributes to your score.
- ✓Switch to timed conditions from your second session so time pressure stops being a surprise.
- ✓Review every question, right and wrong — patterns in your errors are more valuable than raw scores.
- ✓Working with Numbers: rehearse mental and written arithmetic without a calculator; use the working paper.
- ✓Understanding Information: answer strictly from the passage — mark Cannot Say when the text does not confirm it.
- ✓Situational Awareness: read the PQAs and choose the safest, most professional, most team-focused response.
For a full preparation plan, read our NFA test tips and preparation guide, or see what to expect on firefighter selection day.
Free test guides
How to Pass the NFA Working with Numbers Test
Test Guide · 7 min read
How to Pass the NFA Understanding Information Test
Test Guide · 6 min read
NFA Test Tips: How to Prepare for the National Firefighter Ability Tests
Test Preparation · 6 min read
How to Pass the NFA Situational Awareness & Problem Solving Test
Test Guide · 7 min read
Frequently asked questions
How hard are the firefighter ability tests?
The National Firefighter Ability tests are not academically hard — the numeracy is GCSE-level arithmetic and the reading is straightforward comprehension. The difficulty is speed and unfamiliarity: roughly 84 seconds per question, no calculator on the numbers test, and a strict source-based reading discipline on the information test. Over 75% of applicants fail to progress past this stage, almost always because they went in unprepared for the format and time pressure rather than because they lacked the ability.
Can you practise the fire service assessment tests?
Yes. While the exact live questions are confidential, you can practise realistic, timed simulations that match the format, timing and scenario style of the real National Firefighter Ability tests — Working with Numbers, Understanding Information, and Situational Awareness & Problem Solving. Our platform provides full timed practice for all three ability tests plus the National Firefighter Questionnaire for £10 one-time, with unlimited attempts.
What tests are in firefighter selection?
UK firefighter selection typically includes the National Firefighter Ability (NFA) written tests — Working with Numbers (45 minutes, 32 questions), Understanding Information (35 minutes, 25 questions), and Situational Awareness & Problem Solving (35 minutes, 30 questions) — plus the National Firefighter Questionnaire (NFQ) and, increasingly, the newer Firefighter Talent Screener. Candidates who pass the written stage progress to the Job-related Fitness Test (JRFT) and a competency-based PQA interview.
How do I pass the National Firefighter Ability tests?
Practise all three ability tests under timed exam conditions, review every question you get wrong to understand the reason for the error, and build your pace over two to four weeks. For Working with Numbers, practise mental and written arithmetic without a calculator. For Understanding Information, answer strictly from the passage — use 'Cannot Say' whenever the text does not explicitly confirm a statement. For Situational Awareness, read the Personal Qualities and Attributes (PQAs) and choose the safest, most professional response.
Are 'fire service assessment tests' the same as the National Firefighter Ability tests?
Broadly, yes. 'Fire service assessment tests', 'national firefighter tests' and 'national firefighter selection tests' generally all refer to the National Firefighter Ability (NFA) tests used within the National Firefighter Selection (NFS) process. Some services, including London Fire Brigade, use their own written variant that assesses the same core competencies, so NFA-format practice remains directly relevant preparation.
Do I need a calculator for the tests?
No — calculators are not permitted in the Working with Numbers test. You are given rough working paper. The numbers are deliberately chosen to be manageable with mental and written arithmetic, so practising without a calculator is an important part of your preparation.