Release date: 31 March 2026
New fire safety legislation comes into force from 6 April to help firefighters identify people who need assistance evacuating their home in a fire.
The change in legislation follows recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and calls on the building’s Responsible Person to identify residents who may need assistance when leaving the building during a fire.
These apply to certain multi-occupied residential buildings in England and place new legal duties on Responsible Persons - usually building owners, landlords or managers.
Residents may require assistance due to a physical mobility issue, or other disabilities - such as having a sight or hearing impairment, or a cognitive condition.
The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 – often referred to as Residential PEEPs or RPEEPs – states that responsible persons must follow the below steps to protect vulnerable people in their buildings:
- Identify relevant residents whose ability to evacuate without assistance in the event of fire is compromised because of a condition or impairment.
- Undertake a ‘person-centred fire risk assessment’ with that resident to understand their individual risks, and to identify how their fire safety and evacuation can be enhanced.
- Complete an emergency evacuation statement detailing what the resident should do in the event of fire, and ensure the resident understands the importance of communicating this information to Fire Control if they need to make an emergency call relating to a fire in their building.
- Inform the local fire and rescue service that a resident(s) within the residential building has an RPEEP.
- Establish an ongoing cycle of review to ensure the information remains up-to-date, and that all relevant persons continue to be assessed for their evacuation needs.
Dave Bray, Area Manager for Protection, said: “These changes are an important step towards making sure everyone feels safe in their own home, especially those who might need extra support in an emergency. They give much clearer expectations for building owners and managers, and we welcome that.
“While the responsibility for putting these arrangements in place sits with the Responsible Person, we’re ready to receive the information they share with residents’ consent in their building’s Secure Information Box, and to use it to help us respond as effectively as possible if a fire does occur.
“If any resident think they may benefit from these new arrangements, we’d encourage them to speak to their building owner or managing agent. Our role is to use the limited information we’re given to support our crews on the ground and to continue working with our partners to help keep our communities safe.”
The regulations apply to all high-rise residential buildings at least 18 metres above ground level or with at least seven storeys. It also includes all multi-residential buildings, more than 11 metres in height above ground level, with a simultaneous evacuation strategy in place.
Whilst it is the responsibility of the Responsible Person to identify relevant residents, those residents who believe they may need support to evacuate should also contact their Responsible Person directly. Participation in the RPEEP process is voluntary for residents and they may withdraw consent to information sharing at any time.
