Fire Safety Order 2005 & 2023
Latest
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In April 2026, long-awaited regulations to improve the fire safety of disabled and vulnerable people in England’s high-rise housing will come into force.
It means those responsible for fire safety in these buildings, known as responsible persons (RPs) in law, face a raft of new duties. The Responsible Person (RP) for a block would usually be its owner or manager.
The rules will apply to two types of flats: blocks that are 18 metres or seven storeys or higher, and smaller buildings over 11 metres or five storeys that have simultaneous evacuation strategies in place.
On 2nd December 2025, MHCLG released more detailed guidance explaining the responsibilities of responsible persons, advising them how to meet these responsibilities and the role of other groups including residents and fire authorities.
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The new Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 have been laid before Parliament, bring forth new legislation, which will come into force in April 2026.
The new regualtions seek to support the fire safety of “relevant residents” of specified
residential buildings. These are residents whose only or principal residence is the
domestic premises in which they reside, and whose ability to evacuate the building
without assistance in the event of a fire is compromised as a result of a cognitive or
physical impairment or condition. The regualtions apply to high-rise residential
buildings (these are residential buildings that are at least 18 metres above ground level
or have at least seven storeys) and residential buildings over 11 metres in height that
have simultaneous evacuation strategies in place.To access the regualtion as laid CLICK HERE
- Fire Safety
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Latest issue of the Home Office’s fire safety reform programme bulletin (published 22nd February 2024), which is for anyone
who is interested in keeping updated on any changes to fire safety legislation and
guidance.- Fire Safety
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The Home Office has published some updated guidance to help dutyholders, issued by the Secretary of State under Article 50 of the FSO, to assist responsible persons in meeting their duties under the FSO.
Find out whether you are a Responsible Person or Duty Holder under the Fire Safety Order and Fire Safety (England) Regulations and what responsibilities you have for fire safety here.
- Building Safety Act
- Dutyholders
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DLUHC has published guidance to explain what responsible persons need to do as a result of changes made to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (‘the Fire Safety Order’) through the Building Safety Act 2022. You are advised to check whether you are a responsible person.
The guidance is for people who have responsibilities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 which has been amended by Section 156 of the Building Safety Act.
Use this guide to understand what new responsibilities you have for fire safety when they come into force on 1 October 2023.
The guide has been published by the Secretary of State under Article 50 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO) to assist responsible persons in meeting their duties under the FSO.
- Building Safety Act
- Section 156 - Fire Safety Regulations