Fire evacuation planning has changed for certain residential buildings in England.

On 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 came into force, introducing new legal duties intended to improve arrangements for residents who may have difficulty evacuating independently during a fire.

For building owners, landlords and managing agents whose buildings fall within scope, Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans, commonly known as Residential PEEPs, now form part of their fire safety responsibilities.

Understanding the new duties is important because the regulations involve more than simply preparing another document.

They require Responsible Persons to consider the individual circumstances of residents, the evacuation strategy for the building and the practical measures that may be needed to support people in an emergency.

Which Buildings Are Covered by the Residential PEEPs Regulations?

The regulations apply to specified multi-residential buildings in England.

They cover high-rise residential buildings that are at least 18 metres in height or have at least seven storeys.

They also apply to multi-residential buildings more than 11 metres in height where a simultaneous evacuation strategy is in place.

This means the requirements do not apply universally to every residential building.

Responsible Persons first need to establish whether their premises fall within the scope of the regulations.

Who Is a Relevant Resident?

The regulations are designed to support people whose domestic premises are their only or principal residence and who would have difficulty evacuating without assistance in the event of a fire.

There can be many reasons for this.

A resident may have limited mobility, use a wheelchair, have a visual or hearing impairment or have a cognitive condition that makes responding to an emergency more difficult.

The regulations are intended to make sure these circumstances are properly considered within the building’s fire safety arrangements.

Identifying Residents Who May Need Support

Responsible Persons are required to use reasonable endeavours to identify relevant residents.

This requires an active process rather than simply waiting for someone to raise the issue following an emergency or evacuation.

However, participation by residents is important. Residents cannot simply be forced into the Residential PEEPs process.

Communication therefore matters.

Information should be clear enough for residents to understand why they are being contacted, what the process involves and how it is intended to support their safety.

Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessments

Relevant residents who engage with the process must be offered a person-centred fire risk assessment.

This is different from the wider fire risk assessment for the building.

The purpose is to understand the risks affecting the individual and their ability to respond and evacuate in the event of fire.

The assessment can consider the resident’s circumstances, the building, existing safety measures and any reasonable and proportionate steps that could reduce risk.

This is important because there is rarely a single solution that will be appropriate for every person.

Emergency Evacuation Statements

Where the process requires it, an Emergency Evacuation Statement should set out what the individual resident should do if there is a fire.

This turns the assessment into something practical.

A fire safety arrangement is far more useful when the person it affects understands what is expected and what assistance or measures have been considered.

The statement should therefore be treated as part of an ongoing safety arrangement rather than simply paperwork to be filed.

The Building Also Needs an Evacuation Plan

The new requirements do not stop at individual residents.

Buildings within scope must also have a Building Emergency Evacuation Plan.

The regulations require this plan to be shared with the local Fire and Rescue Authority and, where required, kept within the building’s Secure Information Box.

The plan also needs to be reviewed.

This reflects a wider principle in modern fire safety management: emergency arrangements should remain current as buildings, occupancy and risks change.

Residential PEEPs Should Not Sit Separately From the Fire Strategy

A common danger with additional compliance requirements is treating each one as a separate administrative task.

In reality, evacuation arrangements interact with many other parts of the building’s fire safety provision.

Fire alarms need to provide suitable warning.

Emergency lighting needs to support escape.

Fire doors and compartmentation help control the spread of smoke and fire.

Escape routes need to remain usable.

The overall fire strategy determines how occupants are expected to respond.

A Residential PEEP therefore needs to make sense within the wider arrangements for the building.

Why the Wider Fire Risk Assessment Still Matters

The introduction of individual evacuation planning does not replace the building’s wider fire risk assessment.

Responsible Persons remain responsible for ensuring a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is in place and reviewed where necessary.

In fact, individual evacuation considerations may highlight issues that need to be considered more widely.

If an existing evacuation arrangement relies on assumptions that no longer reflect the occupants or operation of a building, that deserves proper review.

A Practical Approach to the New Duties

For Responsible Persons, the first steps should be practical.

Confirm whether the building is in scope.

Understand the current evacuation strategy.

Establish a process for identifying residents who may require assistance.

Make sure assessments and evacuation statements are completed where required.

Consider how information will be reviewed when people’s needs or circumstances change.

And, importantly, make sure the arrangements work alongside the actual fire protection measures in the building.

New Path group companies work across fire risk assessment, fire alarm systems, emergency lighting, fire doors, passive fire protection and associated fire safety services.

That breadth of expertise can help building owners and managers consider evacuation as part of the wider protection strategy rather than as a standalone exercise.

If you are responsible for a residential building and are unsure how the Residential PEEPs regulations interact with your existing fire safety arrangements, contact your local New Path company.