Fire safety has traditionally focused on buildings; their structure, systems and compliance.
That focus is changing.
With the introduction of the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) Regulations 2025, there is a clear shift towards something equally important:
The people within those buildings.
Moving Beyond the Building Itself
A building can meet all regulatory requirements on paper.
- Fire detection systems in place
- Compartmentation compliant
- Fire strategy aligned with design
But if the people inside that building cannot evacuate safely in an emergency, the risk remains.
This is where Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) come into focus.
They are intended to ensure that individuals who may require additional support.
Whether due to mobility, sensory or cognitive factors are properly considered within fire safety planning.
Ensuring that critical fire safety information is communicated in a way that is accessible and understood can form an important part of a people focused approach to fire safety.[AH1]
This represents a significant shift.
From:
✔ Is the building compliant?
To:
✔ Can the people inside it respond safely?
A Change in Responsibility
The introduction of these regulations places greater responsibility on those managing residential buildings.
It is no longer enough to rely solely on:
- Passive fire protection
- Detection and alarm systems
- Standard evacuation strategies such as “stay put”
There must now be clear consideration of how individuals will act in a real scenario.
This moves fire safety into a more operational, human focused space where assumptions are no longer sufficient.
What This Means for Fire Risk Assessments
Fire risk assessments are evolving to reflect this shift.
They are increasingly expected to:
- Consider the needs of occupants, not just the building
- Identify where additional planning is required
- Highlight gaps in evacuation arrangements
This requires a different type of assessment.
It’s no longer just about:
✔ Identifying physical risks
It’s about:
✔ Understanding how those risks affect people
And that adds a layer of complexity that cannot always be captured through standard templates.
The Practical Challenges
While the intention behind PEEPs is clear, implementation in residential settings is not straightforward.
Some of the key challenges include:
Identifying who needs support
Not all residents will disclose their needs.
And needs can change over time.
This creates a reliance on:
- Self identification
- Ongoing engagement
- Trust between residents and those managing the building
- Consideration of communication needs, including language barriers, to ensure residents understand the information provided[AH2]
Keeping information up to date
A PEEP is only effective if it reflects current circumstances.
In practice, this means:
- Regular reviews
- Clear processes for updates
- Responsibility for maintaining accurate records
Without this, plans can quickly become outdated.
Balancing privacy with safety
There is a fine balance between:
- Collecting enough information to support evacuation
- Respecting personal privacy and data protection
This is an area where many Responsible Persons are still working out what “reasonable” looks like.
Practicality in real scenarios
In some buildings, particularly high rise residential, there are limitations.
Questions arise such as:
- Who will assist in an evacuation?
- What happens out of hours?
- How do plans work in a developing fire situation?
These are not always easy questions to answer and in some cases, there are no perfect solutions.
A Shift Towards Information Sharing
Alongside the move towards PEEPs, there has also been a shift in approach from some Fire and Rescue Services, including the London Fire Brigade.
Rather than relying solely on fully developed evacuation plans, there is increasing focus on Emergency Evacuation Information Sharing (EEIS).
This approach centres on:
- Identifying residents who may struggle to self evacuate
- Recording key information (such as mobility or location)
- Making that information available to attending fire crews in an emergency
The intention is to provide realistic, usable information that can support decision making during an incident.
This reflects a recognition that, in some residential settings, highly detailed evacuation plans may not always be practical to implement or maintain.
Instead, ensuring that accurate, relevant information is available at the point of need can be more effective.
A More Realistic View of Risk
The introduction of PEEPs and the parallel move towards approaches like EEIS reflects a broader shift in how fire safety is understood.
It recognises that:
- Buildings don’t respond to fire… people do
- Compliance on paper does not always translate to safety in practice
- Risk is not uniform across occupants
This leads to a more realistic but also more complex view of fire safety.
Where Responsibility Becomes Blurred
One of the emerging challenges is clarity around responsibility.
While the duty sits with those managing the building, in practice there are multiple parties involved:
- Responsible Persons
- Managing agents
- Fire risk assessors
- Residents themselves
This can lead to uncertainty around:
- Who initiates a PEEP
- Who maintains it
- Who ensures it remains effective
Without clear ownership, there is a risk that responsibility becomes diluted.
A Shift That Will Continue
The move towards a more people focused approach is unlikely to slow down.
If anything, it reflects the direction of travel across the wider fire safety landscape:
- Greater accountability
- More detailed planning
- Increased focus on real world outcomes
For those involved in fire safety, this means adapting to a model that is:
- More detailed
- More nuanced
- And more reflective of how buildings are used
Final Thoughts
PEEPs are not a simple addition to existing fire safety processes.
They represent a fundamental shift in thinking.
From:
✔ Systems and structures
To:
✔ People and behaviour
That shift brings challenges, but it also brings the industry closer to addressing risk in a meaningful way.
Because ultimately, fire safety is not just about protecting buildings.
It’s about ensuring the people inside them can get out safely.
Where FRAU Stands
At FRAU, we recognise that implementing people focused fire safety is not always straightforward.
Our aim is to:
- Support professionals navigating these changes
- Share practical insight into real world challenges
- Encourage open discussion around what works and what doesn’t
Because improving fire safety means understanding not just the theory, but the reality.
Join FRAU. Connect. Contribute. Strengthen the profession.
FRAU is a professional organisation representing fire risk assessors, companies and landlords across the United Kingdom. Established in 2024, FRAU brings together skilled professionals dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of fire safety in buildings nationwide. Through collaboration, education and advocacy, FRAU works to enhance fire prevention measures, support its members and contribute to the improvement of fire safety standards across the UK.
Web: frau.org.uk
Phone: 0121 630 3442
Email: info@frau.org.uk
Address: Holbeche House, 437 Shirley Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, B27 7NX
