New fire safety duties are now in force for certain blocks of flats. Here is how to identify affected buildings, support residents who may need assistance, and prepare evacuation information that is useful in an emergency.
12 October 2026 | Building Fire Safety
Since 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 have required responsible persons for specified residential buildings to take additional steps for residents whose ability to evacuate without assistance may be affected by a physical or cognitive impairment. These arrangements are commonly referred to as Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans, or Residential PEEPs.
For landlords, residents’ management companies and managing agents, the change is not simply another form to file. It calls for a documented, resident-centred process linked to the building’s fire risk assessment, its evacuation strategy and the information available to attending firefighters.
Which blocks of flats are covered by the Residential PEEPs regulations?
The new duties apply in England to buildings containing two or more sets of domestic premises that meet either of the following criteria:
· The building is at least 18 metres high or has at least seven storeys, regardless of whether it operates a stay-put or simultaneous evacuation strategy.
· The building is more than 11 metres high and operates a simultaneous evacuation strategy.
A building does not automatically fall within these particular regulations simply because it is over 11 metres high. Its evacuation strategy matters unless it already meets the 18-metre or seven-storey threshold. The rules apply in England, not automatically across the rest of the UK.
The duties rest with the “responsible person” under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Depending on the arrangements for the premises, that may be a building owner, landlord, management company or another organisation with relevant control. Where responsibilities are shared, clear coordination is essential.
Who is a “relevant resident”?
A relevant resident is someone whose flat is their only or principal home and who may have difficulty leaving the building without assistance during a fire because of a physical or cognitive impairment or condition. Examples may include people with substantial mobility limitations, sight or hearing impairments, or cognitive conditions that affect their ability to understand or follow evacuation instructions.
The assessment must focus on the person’s actual circumstances, not assumptions based on age, a disability label or a diagnosis. Residents cannot be compelled to participate in the Residential PEEPs process. Responsible persons must nevertheless use reasonable endeavours to identify and engage those who may benefit.
What must the responsible person do?
1. Identify residents who may need evacuation support
Establish a clear, accessible way for residents to disclose that they may need assistance. Government guidance advises making contact when a resident moves in, reminding all residents at least every 12 months, and responding when an individual approaches the responsible person. Record reasonable contact attempts and, where appropriate, a resident’s decision not to engage.
2. Offer a person-centred fire risk assessment (PCFRA)
A PCFRA considers the fire-related risks arising from a particular resident’s ability to evacuate and any other building-related fire risks affecting them in light of their impairment. Where an identified relevant resident accepts the offer, the responsible person must arrange for the assessment to be carried out.
This is different from the building’s general fire risk assessment. The PCFRA should be informed by the building’s escape arrangements and evacuation strategy, but it concentrates on the resident’s individual circumstances. As at October 2026, the new regulations do not themselves require a full assessment of ignition and other fire risks inside the resident’s flat; government guidance recommends considering these with the resident’s agreement while further legislation is contemplated.
3. Consider and implement proportionate measures
The PCFRA should lead to practical consideration of what could improve the resident’s safety. Depending on the building and individual, this might involve clearer communication, changes to an agreed support arrangement, suitable equipment, or measures benefiting several residents. The law requires measures that are reasonable and proportionate, taking account of risk, effectiveness, feasibility and cost, including who would bear the cost.
There is no automatic requirement for every affected building to install an evacuation lift, buy evacuation chairs or employ a permanent evacuation team. Equally, a generic statement that assistance is “not possible” is not a substitute for a reasoned assessment of realistic options.
4. Seek agreement on an emergency evacuation statement
Following the PCFRA, the responsible person must use reasonable endeavours to agree what the resident would do if there were a fire. The agreed arrangement is recorded in a short written emergency evacuation statement, and the resident must receive a copy. The statement should be understandable, practical and consistent with the building’s evacuation strategy. If agreement cannot be reached, record the steps taken and the outcome.
5. Share limited information with the fire and rescue authority, with explicit agreement
Where the relevant resident explicitly agrees, the responsible person must make prescribed information available to the local fire and rescue authority: the flat number, floor number, a basic indication of assistance that may be required, and whether an emergency evacuation statement exists. This is operational information, not a request to supply medical histories or a complete PCFRA.
Information must be handled securely and in accordance with data protection law. Residents may withdraw their agreement to participate or share information. Importantly, providing details to firefighters does not mean that the fire and rescue service has undertaken to provide a guaranteed personal evacuation service.
6. Prepare a building emergency evacuation plan (BEEP)
Every building within scope needs a building emergency evacuation plan. This must set out the instructions already given to residents about the building’s evacuation strategy, state whether there are relevant residents, and describe any other arrangements for evacuating the building. It must be shared with the local fire and rescue authority and, where the building has a secure information box, a copy must be kept there.
A BEEP is a building-level document; it does not replace the fire risk assessment or automatically change a properly justified stay-put strategy into simultaneous evacuation. Its contents should agree with the fire risk assessment and the actual systems, procedures and capabilities of the premises.
Greater Manchester: follow GMFRS information-sharing arrangements
For buildings in Greater Manchester, local implementation details matter. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) currently asks responsible persons to place the prescribed information about relevant residents in the building’s secure information box. GMFRS states that it is not accepting this resident information electronically.
GMFRS also expects a copy of the building emergency evacuation plan in the secure information box and asks for an electronic copy of the building-level plan without individual residents’ personal information. It provides local guidance and templates for PCFRAs, emergency evacuation statements, information for firefighters and BEEPs. Managers should check the current GMFRS instructions before submitting documents, rather than assuming that arrangements used by another fire and rescue authority are identical.
When must Residential PEEPs and evacuation plans be reviewed?
The PCFRA, associated measures and emergency evacuation statement must be reviewed no later than 12 months after the statement is first recorded, or after the PCFRA where no statement is agreed, and at least every 12 months thereafter. Earlier review is needed where there is reason to believe an update is required, or where a relevant resident reasonably requests one.
The building emergency evacuation plan must also be reviewed at least every 12 months and sooner if changes make an update necessary. Examples include changes to the evacuation strategy, relevant building works, altered escape arrangements or changes affecting the information available to firefighters. Updated plans must be shared and stored as required.
These specific annual review requirements should not be confused with the wider duty under Article 9 of the Fire Safety Order to keep the building’s fire risk assessment under review. The documents are connected, but they are not interchangeable.
A practical example: does your building fall within scope?
Consider a six-storey residential block measuring approximately 14 metres in height. If it operates a simultaneous evacuation strategy, it falls within the new regulations. A seven-storey block operating a stay-put strategy also falls within scope because it meets the storey threshold. By contrast, a four-storey block below 11 metres would ordinarily fall outside these particular Residential PEEPs regulations, although its responsible person would still have duties under the Fire Safety Order and other applicable legislation.
This is why managers should confirm actual building height, storey count and the documented evacuation strategy before deciding whether the new process applies. Where records conflict or the strategy is uncertain, seek competent fire safety advice rather than relying on assumptions.
Common questions from landlords and managing agents
Does every resident need a Residential PEEP?
No. The person-centred process concerns relevant residents whose ability to evacuate without assistance is compromised. The responsible person must use reasonable endeavours to identify and offer the process to those residents, but participation is voluntary.
Must residents disclose their diagnosis or medical records?
No. The focus is on evacuation capability and practical needs. Government guidance states that there is no requirement for a resident to provide medical records or specific medical information as part of the PCFRA.
Can an existing fire risk assessment replace the PCFRA or BEEP?
No. The building fire risk assessment provides essential context, but the regulations establish separate duties for the person-centred process and building emergency evacuation plan. They should be consistent and managed together.
What if a resident declines to take part?
Do not force participation. Explain the purpose and potential benefits, document the reasonable steps taken and the resident’s decision, and maintain an accessible route for them to engage later.
What should responsible persons do now?
Start by checking which buildings in your portfolio meet the height, storey and evacuation-strategy criteria. Confirm who is responsible for the process, review the current building fire risk assessment and resident fire safety information, and establish a consistent approach to resident engagement. Then arrange PCFRAs where accepted, document proportionate measures and agreed evacuation statements, and make sure the BEEP and fire-service information are current and stored or shared correctly.
Keep a simple record of contacts, decisions, reviews, changes and document versions. For managing agents overseeing several buildings, a consistent register with clear ownership and review dates can reduce missed actions and make the process easier to demonstrate during an inspection.
How Grey Knight Solutions can support your building fire safety arrangements
Grey Knight Solutions Ltd supports landlords, managing agents and businesses with professional fire risk assessments and practical fire safety compliance advice. We can help review the building-level fire safety position, identify gaps in existing assessments and management arrangements, and develop a proportionate action plan so the responsible person can coordinate the required evacuation-planning work.
If you manage a residential building in Manchester, Greater Manchester or elsewhere in the UK and are unsure how these duties affect your premises, contact us to discuss the building and the appropriate scope of support. The Residential PEEPs regulations discussed here apply in England.
Discuss your building fire safety requirements with Grey Knight Solutions Ltd. Call 0161 883 7533 or visit www.greyknightsolutions.com.