What You Need to Know About the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025

By Tom Stallard MIFSM, CFPA Dip, Head of Technical Services and Fire 

Why this matters now 

The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 introduce new legal duties that will come into effect on 1st April 2026. These regulations are a significant step forward in protecting residents who may need assistance during an emergency. 

If you’re a building owner, freeholder, or managing agent, it’s the right time to start preparing. These changes are not just another compliance update; they are designed to ensure that every resident, especially the most vulnerable, has a clear and actionable evacuation plan in the event of a fire. 

Taking early action will help you avoid potential legal or financial challenges and ensure residents are well-protected. 

What’s changing? 

The regulations have been introduced under Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 and apply to residential buildings in England that meet one of the following criteria: 

• The building is 18 metres or more in height (or seven or more storeys), and contains at least two residential units, or 
• The building is 11 metres or more in height, contains at least two residential units, and adopts a ‘Simultaneous’ Evacuation policy. 

This includes: 

• High-rise apartment blocks 

• Mixed-use developments where residential units are located on upper floors 

• Purpose-built flats and converted buildings meeting the above thresholds. 

What’s not included? 

• Single domestic dwellings (such as detached, semi-detached, or terraced homes). 

Who is responsible? 

The Responsible Person (RP) — typically the freeholder, building owner, or managing agent — must ensure full compliance with these regulations. 

Your duties now include:

• Contacting all residents at least annually and whenever new occupants move in. 

• Inviting residents to declare if they need help evacuating. 

• Proactively identifying residents who may require support in an emergency, known as Relevant Residents. Relevant Residents can include disabled and vulnerable people in high-rise and higher-risk residential buildings. 

• Preparing Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) based on a Person Centred Fire Risk Assessment (PCFRA) for those who require support. 

• Providing residents with an Emergency Evacuation Statement — a clear and brief summary to aid their ability to recall and follow instructions in an emergency. 

• Sharing prescribed information (flat number, floor, degree of assistance required, and confirmation of an emergency evacuation statement) with the local Fire and Rescue Authority, with the explicit consent of each Relevant Resident. 

• Reviewing and updating each PEEP every 12 months. 

• Storing PEEPs securely and ensuring the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) can access them, often through a Premises Information Box (PIB). 

• Creating a Building Emergency Evacuation Plan. This includes instructions to residents (as required under regulation 9(2)(b)(i) of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022), confirmation of relevant residents, and details of any building-specific arrangements such as Evacuation Alert Systems. 

Timeline and next steps 

To be ready for 1st April 2026, Responsible Persons need to start planning now. 

Between now and December 2025: 

• Review your current fire safety procedures. 

• Appoint a dedicated lead or team to manage implementation. 

• Install a PIB if one isn’t already in place. 

• Prepare PEEP and Emergency Evacuation Statement templates and start drafting your Building Emergency Evacuation Plan. 

• Engage with residents in a sensitive and GDPR-compliant way to identify those needing support. 

By January - March 2026: 

• Finalise all PEEPs and ensure they are accessible to emergency services. 

• Test and refine your communication and record-keeping systems. 

What happens if you don’t comply? 

Non-compliance is a breach of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The Fire and Rescue Authority can inspect your building, issue legal notices, or impose penalties. 

Building a clear plan now will support compliance, enhance resident safety and provide peace of mind. 

How Ligtas can support you 

Meeting these requirements might feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. At Ligtas, we help Responsible Persons achieve compliance with confidence. 

Our services include: 

• Developing tailored PEEP, Emergency Evacuation Statement, and Building Emergency Evacuation Plan templates. 

• Delivering training for building and property managers. 

• Auditing your current fire safety systems and resident engagement processes. 

Ligtas has BAFE (British Approvals for Fire Equipment) Fire Safety Accreditation and has been a member of the FPA (Fire Protection Association) since 2021.  

Our expertise means you can focus on protecting your residents while we ensure the technical and regulatory details are covered. 

Take action now 

Preparing for the April 2026 regulations doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Ligtas will guide you every step of the way, helping you create evacuation plans that deliver safety beyond compliance and peace of mind for everyone involved.