UK Government invests £100m in wildfire resilience measures ahead of summer

by ActiveBreaking NewsFirefighting Equipment

The UK Government has announced a £97 million investment in national resilience assets as part of measures to strengthen wildfire response capability ahead of the summer months.

The funding will support what the Government describes as the largest upgrade of national resilience fire assets in almost 20 years, including new specialist equipment and vehicles for Fire and Rescue Services.

Dedicated off-road appliances will also be introduced to improve access and operational effectiveness in challenging terrain, supporting crews responding to wildfires and other complex incidents.

The new wildfire response teams will be hosted by Fire and Rescue Services in Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Northumberland, London and South Wales.

The teams will be able to deploy to incidents across England from the end of June, providing additional specialist capability during the peak wildfire season.

According to the Government, crews have undergone intensive training in wildfire response techniques, including tactical burning, with firefighters also learning from international colleagues experienced in large-scale wildfire incidents.

Building Safety Minister Samantha Dixon said: “This country benefits from a dedicated Fire and Rescue Service operation and, as incidents continue to evolve in complexity, it’s critical that we back those on the front line with the latest equipment.”

Dixon added: “Last year witnessed some of the most devastating wildfires in our recent history and, as we head into peak season, we’re delivering the resource, training and assets needed to minimise the escalating risk.”

The Fire National Resilience Programme was established following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 to provide specialist capabilities, personnel and resources for Fire and Rescue Services responding to major national emergencies.

The latest investment will support the modernisation of existing resilience assets and improve the national response to incidents including wildfires, flooding and structural collapse.

National resilience capabilities were deployed more than 1,000 times during 2025, highlighting the increasing demand placed on Fire and Rescue Services and the need to maintain specialist response resources.

Fire safety guidance strengthened for new high-rise homes in England

by ConstructionFeatured NewsIndustry Sectors

New improvements to fire safety guidance and building regulations to ensure tall buildings are made safer in England have been introduced as part of a wider package of reforms, meeting recommendations from Phase One of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and will strengthen the information available to fire and rescue services.

All new residential buildings over 11 metres will now have to include a Secure Information Box that will give fire and rescue services access to important details about a building in the event of a fire. New residential developments over 18 metres will also have to incorporate an Evacuation Alert System to help fire and rescue services inform residents of a change in evacuation strategy, during an incident.

It forms part of a wider update to tighten building regulations and provide clearer fire safety rules for the design or construction of residential developments.

Building and Fire Safety Minister Lord Greenhalgh said: “We have introduced the biggest improvements to building safety in a generation, under the Building Safety Act. These changes will support our tough new regulatory regime – ensuring fire safety measures are incorporated into new high-rise homes and all new residential buildings meet the same safety standards. It does not end here and I urge the industry act quickly to update their practises in line with these new rules.”

The National Fire Chief’s Council (NFCC) Protection and Business Safety Committee Chair, Gavin Tomlinson, said: “NFCC especially welcomes the introduction of emergency evacuation alert systems in new buildings over 18 metres. We also support the inclusion of Secure Information Boxes in buildings over 11 metres, which will give fire and rescue services access to important details about a building and its residents in the event of a fire.

On the changes to building regulations, we are encouraged that unsafe MCM PE cladding panels are banned on all buildings and that the government has promised stronger safety standards for the use of combustible materials on external walls.

UK Government introduces ‘majority’ of Grenfell inquiry recommendations

by Breaking NewsConstructionIndustry Sectors

The UK government has announced that The Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 will implement the majority of the recommendations made by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry in its Phase 1 report, which required a change in the law.

The regulations seek to improve the fire safety of blocks of flats in ways which are practical, cost effective for individual leaseholders and proportionate to the risk of fire and will come into force on 23 January 2023 following the publication of supporting guidance which is due later in 2022.

The regulations will make it a legal requirement for responsible persons – that is a building owner, or in residential properties, any other person in control of the premises – of high-rise blocks of flats to provide information to Fire and Rescue Services to assist them to plan and, if needed, provide an effective operational response. These regulations will apply to existing buildings. Requirements for new buildings may be different.

In high-rise residential buildings, responsible persons will be required to

  • Provide building plans to their local Fire and Rescue service with up-to-date electronic building floor plans and to place a hard copy of these plans.
  • Provide to their local Fire and Rescue Service information about the design and materials of a high-rise building’s external wall system and to inform the Fire and Rescue Service of any material changes to these walls.
  • Undertake monthly checks on the operation of lifts intended for use by firefighters, and evacuation lifts in their building and check the functionality of other key pieces of firefighting equipment.
  • Install and maintain a secure information box in their building containing the name and contact details of the Responsible Person and hard copies of the building floor plans.
  • Install signage visible in low light or smoky conditions that identifies flat and floor numbers in the stairwells of relevant buildings.

In residential buildings with storeys over 11 metres in height, responsible persons will be required to undertake annual checks of flat entrance doors and quarterly checks of all fire doors in the common parts.

In all multi-occupied residential buildings with two or more sets of domestic premises, responsible persons will be required to provide relevant fire safety instructions to their residents, which will include instructions on how to report a fire and any other instruction which sets out what a resident must do once a fire has occurred, and provide residents with information relating to the importance of fire doors in fire safety.

On whether these regulations are a proportionate response, the government guidance stated: “These regulations, where they legislate to require responsible persons to provide information to fire and rescue services focus only on high-rise residential buildings. This approach is a proportionate one which implements the majority of the Phase 1 recommendations, which require a change in the law, in a practical way.”

Commenting on the government’s plans, Grenfell United said: “We are enraged at the government, whose sole focus continues to be profit and not public safety. We’ve fought for years to create a legacy for our 72 loved ones, and to prevent another Grenfell. But five years on, the government has reverted back to the same policy in place before Grenfell.

“This policy resulted in 41% of those living with disabilities dying at Grenfell. It left them with no personal evacuation plan and no means of escape. They didn’t stand a chance. This report is a disgrace.

“Disabled people have the right to leave their homes safely. The government must implement the recommendation from the Phase 1 report of the Grenfell Inquiry and ensure personal evacuation plans for disabled residents.”

UK Government sticks with controversial ‘stay put’ policy

by Featured News

The UK government has announced it will not be implementing the recommendation for Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, instead opting to remain with the controversial ‘stay put’ policy.

The Home Office published a consultation document which outlined their reasoning, stating that they believe it is not ‘proportionate’ to follow the recommendations and will continue to place its faith in ‘stay put’ advice in most buildings.

The response government’s response stated that there were “significant issues” with the “practicality, proportionality and safety” of PEEPS, and that “we are currently unable to mandate PEEPs in high-rise residential buildings.” The Home Office also said it intends to replace the proposal to require evacuation plans and PEEPs with “an alternative package of initiatives.”

It is now facing criticism from across the fire safety sector, as well as from campaign groups and bereaved relatives of the Grenfell Tower residents, having previously promised to implement the inquiry’s recommendations in full. 

Th decision against a recommendation from Phase 1 of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry – published in October 2019 – which advises the government to place a legal obligation on building owners to outline Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) for residents in the event of a fire.

Grenfell United, a campaign group for people affected by the fire, said: “We are enraged at the government, whose sole focus continues to be profit and not public safety. We’ve fought for years to create a legacy for our 72 loved ones, and to prevent another Grenfell. But five years on, the government has reverted back to the same policy in place before Grenfell.

“This policy resulted in 41% of those living with disabilities dying at Grenfell. It left them with no personal evacuation plan and no means of escape. They didn’t stand a chance. This report is a disgrace.

“Disabled people have the right to leave their homes safely. The government must implement the recommendation from the Phase 1 report of the Grenfell Inquiry and ensure personal evacuation plans for disabled residents.”

In responding to the government’s PEEPs consultation, the Commissioner of London Fire Brigade, Andy Roe said: “It’s vitally important that people feel safe in their own homes and have certainty about how to leave their building in the event of a fire or other emergency.

“PEEPs were a key recommendation from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and we want to work with government, communities, and other partners to make progress on evacuation plans. We will be responding to this consultation.”

UK Government announces fire reform plans in wake of Grenfell

by Breaking News

The UK government has unveiled ‘ambitious’ new plans for fire reform which it claims will strengthen the country’s fire and rescue services. The new regulations put the majority of the Grenfell Tower inquiry recommendation into law and ‘ensure people are safe in their homes and places of work’.

The Home Secretary visited Old Kent Road fire station alongside the Minister of State for Building Safety and Fire to announce the package which will build upon changes following the Grenfell Tower fire and findings from independent inspection reports.

At the centre of the White Paper are plans to deliver:

  • Increased public safety: by improving the professionalism of the fire and rescue service through modern workforce practices and potentially establishing a College of Fire and Rescue.
  • Improved accountability: through the proposals to transfer fire governance to a single elected individual, overseeing delivery by operationally independent Chief Fire Officers.
  • Better engagement with the public: through the 10-week consultation the government will listen to the views of the public and stakeholders, after which it will finalise its reform programme.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said the white paper will be ‘transformative’ in how firefighters are trained and will enable fire and rescue services to build on their strengths and leadership, adding: “The Grenfell tragedy must never happen again and we are continuing to drive forward progress on putting the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations into law.”

Fire Minister Lord Greenhalgh said: he was delighted to be introducing the comprehensive reform plan for fire and rescue services: “The Grenfell Inquiry and independent inspections show reform is needed and we are tackling issues head on with this White Paper. Fire professionals step up to protect and serve their communities and it is only right that they have the right tools to do their jobs effectively.”

The Home Secretary also announced the commencement of the Fire Safety Act, and the launch of the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022. These legislative changes pave the way for meeting many of the remaining Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations and will deliver fire safety improvements in multi-occupied residential buildings such as ensuring that fire and rescue services have the information they need to plan their response to a fire in a high-rise building and imposing a minimum frequency for checks on all fire doors in mid and high-rise blocks of flats.

Fire Brigades Union responds

Central to the white paper is a review on pay and a move to operational independence of Chief Fire Officers. Responding to this, Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary called it ‘an attack on workers’ rights’, undermining collective bargaining and a proposal to remove frontline firefighters’ voices.

He said: “We cannot simply leave these vital matters up to the Westminster government and fire employers: frontline firefighters deserve a say. Collective bargaining is a well fought for mechanism by which frontline firefighters have a say on pay, terms and conditions. It is their basic democratic right.

“The narrative set out in the white paper on the fire service’s response to the pandemic is one firefighters will not recognise. Firefighters, through their union, negotiated a contract which kept them safe and allowed important work to protect the public to take place. Before this agreement, Covid positive firefighters were deployed to doorsteps – not something certain chief fire officers can be proud of.

“We’re proud of how the tripartite agreement was achieved through our long-standing arrangements, and attempts to belittle it are false and insulting.

“The vast bulk of this white paper does not relate directly to Grenfell recommendations. It is unclear why the government is trying to paint this picture. Instead of listening to frontline firefighters, the government appears to have listened only to the anti-union voice of the politically motivated, including outgoing fire inspector Tom Winsor, and fire bosses. We look forward to working with the government to address these proposals and making sure that frontline firefighters are heard.

“The union has never opposed clarifying the role of a firefighter and in some instances, expanding that role, and we have tried to have these discussions with ministers for over a decade. It is ministers who have failed to answer these questions. It is imperative that any changes are properly negotiated and discussed with frontline firefighters – it is their say that should matter most. 

“The proposals on governance suggests that we could see more Police Fire and Crime Commissioners. Throwing fire in with police means fire and rescue services do not receive enough scrutiny. Furthermore police and fire are very different functions and there is a vital need to maintain the neutrality of fire and rescue services in the public perception. If this breaks down it will make the work of fire and rescue services in communities far more difficult.”

FIA and BSIA collaborate on letter to UK government

by Active

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) and the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) have recently collaborated on a letter to the UK Government, regarding the proposed product regulation changes and the new UKCA mark, set to be implemented on 1 January 2021.

CEO at the FIA, Ian Moore and CEO at the BSIA, Mike Reddington wrote the letter jointly, stating that they both had serious concerns about the proposed implementation of the mark and the major impact it will have on both of their industry organisations, fire and security.

The letter continued to state the following:

“The current implementation of the UKCA is estimated to cost our industry sectors in the region of £20 million for product re-certification plus an estimated timeline of over 36 months to realistically carry out the process.

These headline figures do not include the costs associated for companies that have already transferred their certification to an EU Notified Body (at considerable cost), that will need to re-apply for a UKCA mark, in addition to the ongoing maintenance costs associated with duplication of certification in terms of audits, internal projects, product modifications and file maintenance.

The combined fire and security markets account for around £3 billion per annum and play a vital part in the safety and security of UK citizens from residential, commercial, industrial and critical infrastructure and Government institutions.

The products manufactured, installed and maintained across these sectors are subject to insurance requirements and conformance to the Construction Products Regulations (CPR) and other current European Union (EU) legislation requiring certification through Notified Bodies recognised by the EU.

The financial cost and resource time associated with re-certification can only be estimated as it is unclear what level of acceptance from both EU and UK Notified Bodies will be required (i.e. it is widely anticipated the paperwork alone will not be sufficient to register a new mark and that the certification process will indeed require a level of product re-testing in part or in full). Additionally, companies will have to re-label products and product literature resulting in a significant increase in cost.

Dual product certification will cause major disruption to companies that make/sell products across the UK, EU and global markets which, subject to any unknown divergence, will add significant costs to the process. This process does not add any value or quality to the product. It’s just a means of national compliance.

The outbreak of COVID-19 from March this year has had a huge impact on our industry sectors over the last six months and this is likely to remain the case for many months to come. Many staff are still on furlough and companies are either making staff redundant or considering redundancies to allow them to continue to trade through these uncertain times. Again, the UKCA mark requirement adds no value/quality to companies desperately trying to keep their companies in business.

Given the lack of clarity on Government detail behind the UKCA and noting the recent release of updated guidance on the GOV.UK web site as of 1 September, the new timelines do not provide sufficient time or detail on the implementation of the UKCA mark.”

The FIA and BSIA trade associations have ultimately requested the following from the Minister of State for Security:

  • A reciprocal agreement to accept the EU CPR certification alongside the UKCA mark. Should a reciprocal agreement not be acceptable, both trade associations have insisted that the specified 12 months’ timeline be extended to a minimum of 36 months to allow sufficient time for manufacturers to prepare and apply the UKCA mark
  • Agreement that the UKCA Notified Bodies will accept the product test reports from other EU Notified Bodies without the need to re-test or certify
  • Consider that the requirement for the UKCA mark is not relevant for existing fire and security systems and components needed to extend, maintain and service them. Consequently, manufacturers who decide that the UKCA mark is not a viable business decision could leave sites such as hospitals and schools etc with fire and security systems unsupported and unserviceable.

The letter concluded by stating to the Minister: “We would urge you to reconsider the detail and timelines to implement the UKCA mark in order to limit further damage on UK businesses and we would welcome the opportunity to arrange a roundtable meeting between yourself, your officials, the FIA and the BSIA to discuss the matter in further detail and agree a pragmatic solution to this critical issue.”

www.fia.uk.com/

www.bsia.co.uk

Labour bid to amend fire safety bill after “shameful” failure to remove cladding

by Passive

Labour will try to amend the government’s fire safety bill this week, after it emerged that over 80% of private sector accommodation with Grenfell-style flammable cladding has not had the dangerous material removed.

The party will try to amend the legislation due before parliament on Monday and force the government to implement the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s phase one report, published in October 2019.

The move comes after the latest government figures released in August showed that Grenfell-style cladding had not been removed from over 80% of private sector buildings and nearly 50% of social sector buildings.

The report on the first stage of the inquiry into the Grenfell fire said the programme to withdraw the aluminium composite material – ‘ACM’ – cladding from buildings “should be pursued as vigorously as possible”.

Commenting on the government’s inaction since the fire killed 72 people in 2017, Labour frontbencher Sarah Jones said: “Over three years after Grenfell, it is shameful how little progress has been made.

“The government has continuously broken their promises, while tens of thousands of people across the country are stuck living in unsafe flats. The victims and survivors of Grenfell are still waiting for justice. This is completely unacceptable.”

While the government has claimed its fire safety bill would take it a “step further” to delivering on the inquiry’s recommendations, it does not include direct provisions for any of the measures called for in the report.

The shadow policing and fire minister added: “Every measure necessary should be put in place to prevent a fire like Grenfell from ever happening again. We urge the government to honour their promises and back the amendment and get the work done.”

The fire safety bill is intended to give greater clarity over the responsibility for fire safety in buildings containing more than one home. It passed its second reading in April and the remaining stages are scheduled to take place tomorrow.

Labour’s amendment would create a legal mandate for owners to share information on the design and materials of buildings with the local fire service and to undertake regular inspections of flat entrance doors and lifts.

The proposed changes to the government’s bill would also see owners of buildings required to make sure that all residents are informed of the premises’ evacuation and fire safety procedures.

Commenting on the removal of Grenfell-style cladding in the phase one report, chair of the inquiry Sir Martin Moore-Bick wrote that is is “essential that it be done as quickly as possible”.

He added: “Concern has been voiced publicly, most recently by the House of Commons communities and local government select committee, about the apparently slow rate of progress in carrying out the work.”

Proposed fire inspector numbers are “gross underestimate” of building safety crisis after Grenfell blaze

by Passive

The UK government expects to fund just a dozen extra staff to inspect and enforce fire safety in more than two million homes after the Grenfell Tower blaze, new analysis reveals, in what’s being termed a “gross underestimate” of the resources needed to tackle the building safety crisis in England.

The revelations have prompted calls from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) for ministers to establish a permanent statutory advisory body for the Fire and Rescue Service, allowing the voices of front line firefighters and inspectors to influence the “dangerously short-term thinking” of Whitehall and to provide a ‘reality check’ before final votes take place on the Fire Safety Bill.

Currently in its committee stage, the Fire Safety Bill would extend responsibility for Fire and Rescue Services to inspect and enforce fire safety in the common parts of all of England’s multi-occupancy buildings, including building structures, external walls, stairs and doors between residences.

The Government doesn’t know how many flats will be covered by the legislation, but a Home Office impact assessment estimate lies between 1,189,200 and 2,198,600. However, there are currently just 951 Fire Safety Officers in England qualified to carry out fire safety audits.

Numbers “should be doubled”

The Government estimates that just £700,000 extra per year will be required for the inspections, a sum of money that would pay for just 12 full-time fire safety inspectors. The maximum estimated spend is £2.1 million, which would pay for just 35 inspectors. This equates to less than one per Fire Brigade in England.

The FBU says that fire inspector numbers should be doubled to seriously tackle the building safety crisis.

The Home Office assessment “does not include any additional enforcement costs” despite clear testimony from tenants’ organisations and housing campaigners alike that fire inspectors are likely to find breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 when they carry out audits.

The Government did not consult the FBU when drafting the bill.

Matt Wrack, general secretary at the FBU, gave evidence in front of the Fire Safety Bill Committee on Thursday 25 June. He criticised cuts to specialist fire safety teams and has called for investment in Fire and Rescue Services.

For most of the post-war era, there was a statutory fire sector body that would oversee policy and legislation, with representation from fire chiefs, fire safety experts and front line personnel through the FBU. The Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council was scrapped back in 2004, “allowing consecutive Governments to pursue a period of significantly reduced oversight and deregulation of building safety”

National disgrace

Wrack said: “Three years after Grenfell, Britain’s fire safety regime remains a national disgrace and politicians are responsible. This legislation is long overdue, but insufficient. The Fire Safety Bill in its current form is a gross underestimate of the realities of the crisis. Without funding a significant increase in fire inspector numbers, this change in the law will not ramp up enforcement on rogue landlords. Ministers need a serious reality check.”

He continued: “At best, the Government is planning to fund less than one extra fire inspector in each Fire and Rescue Service for a massively expanded workload. We should be talking about immediately doubling inspector numbers to make a dent in this crisis. Oversights like this are symptomatic of a system that excludes those most affected from the policy-making process. Better engagement with tenants and firefighters would mean the chances of another disaster like Grenfell could be significantly reduced.”

Wrack concluded: “The Government must finally bring back a statutory fire sector body that represents the views of front line firefighters, fire safety inspectors and tenants. It’s the only way to end the dangerously short-term thinking that prospers in Whitehall.”