What new fire safety legislation will come into effect in 2026?

The main new fire safety law in England in 2026 is the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025, in force since 6 April 2026. They put new duties on the responsible person, usually the building owner, landlord or managing agent, for blocks of flats at least 18 metres or seven storeys high, or over 11 metres with a simultaneous evacuation strategy. Owners must use reasonable endeavours to identify residents who cannot evacuate unaided, offer each of them a person-centred fire risk assessment, and prepare a building emergency evacuation plan. That plan goes to the local fire and rescue service and is reviewed at least every 12 months. Residents can opt out, and their details reach the fire service only with explicit consent.

All of it assumes compartmentation holds, so owners need to know the actual condition of their fire-resisting walls, floors and fire stopping. Our fire compartmentation surveys in Sheffield check those barriers and record every gap, so you know whether the plan has sound compartmentation behind it.