PEEPs process made mandatory for certain residential buildings
The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government has confirmed that from 6 April 2026, Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) will be required in high-rise residential buildings in England under new legislation.
The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 were laid before Parliament on 4 July 2025 and apply to buildings over 18 metres or with at least seven storeys, as well as certain buildings above 11 metres with simultaneous evacuation strategies.
According to the Ministry, the regulations are aimed at supporting residents with cognitive or physical impairments who would struggle to evacuate unaided during a fire.
Responsible Persons (RPs) – usually building owners or managers – will be legally required to identify relevant residents and undertake a person-centred fire risk assessment if requested.
Each step of the process requires resident consent and includes developing a written emergency evacuation statement and, where agreed, sharing basic evacuation needs with the Fire and Rescue Authority.
Government response to Grenfell Inquiry recommendations
The Ministry stated that the new measures implement key recommendations from Phase 1 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
Recommendations 33.22(e) and (f) called for legal duties to prepare PEEPs and store information in premises information boxes, while 33.22(c) recommended that all high-rise buildings have evacuation plans reviewed regularly and shared with local fire services.
The Ministry explained that initial proposals to mandate workplace-style PEEPs in residential buildings were withdrawn due to practicality and safety concerns raised in a 2021 consultation.
In response, an alternative approach was developed through the 2022 EEIS+ consultation. The Ministry described this as a practical and proportionate way to improve evacuation safety for disabled and vulnerable residents.
This new model requires engagement with residents but does not mandate evacuation lifts or onsite assistance staff, as seen in workplace PEEPs.
Legal duties for responsible persons
Under the new regulations, RPs must identify relevant residents using reasonable efforts. These are defined as residents whose ability to evacuate independently is affected by a cognitive or physical condition.
RPs must offer a person-centred fire risk assessment, and where one is requested, it must be completed. This assessment should not duplicate the building’s fire risk assessment and is specific to the individual’s evacuation challenges.
Following the assessment, RPs are expected to discuss appropriate risk mitigation measures with the resident. Implementation is required where measures are deemed reasonable and proportionate, except when residents decline to pay costs where applicable.
The Ministry confirmed that these regulations do not override leaseholder rights and any mitigation affecting shared property, such as parking spaces, must be agreed upon.
Sharing and reviewing evacuation information
The RP is required to agree an emergency evacuation statement with the resident, documenting what the resident should do in the event of fire. This must be written down and provided to the resident.
There is a continuing duty to review the fire risk assessment, mitigation measures and emergency evacuation statement annually or when circumstances change.
Subject to explicit resident consent, RPs must also provide local Fire and Rescue Authorities with limited information about relevant residents, including their flat number, floor number and assistance needs.
The Ministry said this is to enable effective operational response during incidents, with data stored either physically in a secure information box or digitally, depending on fire service requirements.
All information sharing must comply with UK data protection laws, including the Data Protection Act 1998 and UK GDPR.
Requirements for building-wide evacuation plans
In addition to individual PEEPs, the RP must prepare and maintain a building emergency evacuation plan.
This plan must include confirmation of whether any relevant residents live in the building, evacuation instructions, and other relevant arrangements such as evacuation alert systems where applicable.
The plan must be shared with the local Fire and Rescue Authority and stored in the building’s secure information box if one is installed.
Reviews must be conducted at least once every 12 months, or sooner if major changes occur.
The Ministry said future legislation is expected to expand the scope of person-centred fire risk assessments to include in-flat risks and further mitigation requirements.
New PEEPs regulations set legal duties for evacuation plans in England: Summary
The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 were laid on 4 July 2025.
They will come into force on 6 April 2026.
They apply in England only.
The rules require Responsible Persons to identify residents who cannot self-evacuate.
This includes individuals with physical, sensory or cognitive impairments.
Person-centred fire risk assessments must be offered and carried out if requested.
Evacuation plans must be developed with the resident’s consent.
Residents cannot be forced to participate.
A written emergency evacuation statement must be agreed where possible.
Information can be shared with local Fire and Rescue Authorities only with explicit resident consent.
Building-wide evacuation plans are also required.
These must be reviewed annually and stored in information boxes where required.
Data must be handled in line with UK GDPR and other data protection laws.
The measures implement recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Phase 1 Inquiry.
Future primary legislation is planned to expand the scope of person-centred fire assessments.