Fire safety law and assisted evacuation in England and Wales

Assisted evacuation means helping people who cannot leave a building safely on their own, including those who cannot use stairs without support. This guide explains the main fire safety duties in England and Wales and how evacuation plans, equipment and trained staff help put them into practice.

The Fire Safety Order and the Responsible Person

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, often called the Fire Safety Order, covers almost all non-domestic premises in England and Wales. These include workplaces, schools, hospitals, shops and hotels, as well as the common parts of blocks of flats.

It places duties on the Responsible Person, usually the employer, owner or person who controls the premises. They must:

• Carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment.
• Put fire safety measures in place based on that assessment.
• Make sure everyone can evacuate as quickly and safely as possible.
• Establish emergency procedures and train staff to follow them.

The evacuation plan cannot rely on the fire and rescue service arriving to carry it out. It needs to provide for people who require assistance, including disabled people, using the premises' own arrangements, trained staff and equipment.

Different legislation in Scotland and Northern Ireland

The principles are the same across the UK, but the laws differ. Scotland has the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006. Northern Ireland has the Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 and the Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010.

The Equality Act 2010 and reasonable adjustments

The Equality Act 2010 requires organisations to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people. Planning for staff, visitors and residents who need evacuation assistance is part of meeting that duty. Adjustments might include evacuation equipment, trained staff or both.

Changes to residential fire safety duties

The Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Building Safety Act 2022 strengthened the Fire Safety Order following the Grenfell Tower tragedy. The changes clarified its coverage of the structure, external walls and flat entrance doors in multi-occupied residential buildings, and added duties to record fire risk assessments and share fire safety information.

If you manage flats, check the latest government guidance, including guidance on evacuation planning for residents of higher-risk residential buildings.

PEEPs and GEEPs: planning for people who need help

Evacuation plans turn duties into practical arrangements:

• A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is tailored to someone who regularly uses the building, such as a staff member, student or resident.
• A General Emergency Evacuation Plan (GEEP) covers visitors and members of the public who may need help.

A good plan explains how the person will be alerted, who will help, which route and equipment will be used, and where they will go once outside. Individual arrangements should be agreed with the person, not simply written about them. See our guide to writing a PEEP.

Equipment, training and maintenance

A plan needs the means to carry it out. This usually includes:

• Suitable evacuation chairs: manual chairs for descent or powered chairs for ascent and descent, positioned where needed. Consider basements and split levels when choosing an evacuation chair.
• Trained operators on every shift: supported by refresher evacuation chair training and regular drills.
• Regular servicing: use the fire risk assessment and manufacturer's guidance to determine evacuation chair servicing intervals, and keep records.

Refuges are protected waiting areas, often in stairwells. They are temporary waiting places while assistance arrives, not the endpoint of an evacuation plan.

Start by reviewing your fire risk assessment, identifying who needs help and agreeing suitable evacuation arrangements. Then check your equipment, staff coverage and practice drills.

How Evacuation 360 can help

Evacuation 360 supplies manual and powered evacuation chairs, services all brands nationwide using original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, and runs Operator and Train the Trainer courses. Contact us for free advice or a site visit.

Key takeaways

• The Responsible Person must assess fire risks, put safety measures in place and establish emergency procedures with trained staff.
• Evacuation arrangements cannot rely on the fire and rescue service carrying out the plan.
• PEEPs address individual needs, while GEEPs cover visitors and members of the public who may need assistance.
• Suitable equipment, trained operators, practice drills and regular servicing support effective assisted evacuation.
• Refuges are temporary waiting areas, not the endpoint of an evacuation plan.