New legislation for residents living in high rises
On the Monday 6 April 2026 The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 will go live.
Their aim is to improve the fire safety and evacuation of residents in some high-rise residential buildings in England, specifically for those who would have difficulties evacuating by themselves in the event of a fire. This may be due to a physical mobility issue, some other disability such as having a sight or hearing impairment, or a cognitive condition. This applies to:
- All buildings over 18metres in height
All buildings over 11metres with a simultaneous evacuation strategy. There are several requirements of the landlords, managing agents (known as Responsible Persons or RP’s in Fire Safety Law) of these buildings to engage with and support ‘relevant residents.’ Those requirements are detailed in the link on this page to the government website.
Is this relevant to me?
This is relevant to you if you live in one of the above-mentioned buildings and would have difficulty escaping in an emergency. Some examples are:
- A physical or mental illness which would prevent or delay your evacuation. Examples include, but are not limited to, sight or hearing impairments, cognitive conditions, a wheelchair and so on.
- A temporary physical illness such as a broken leg.
What this means for you
If you or someone you know may be considered a ‘relevant resident’, please ensure that they speak to their building’s RP. To support this, the relevant resident can have someone act on their behalf.
You may need to complete and Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessment (PCFRA) with your RP, to support you and any decision made to assist your evacuation. The costs of any support (if applicable) must be agreed between the relevant resident and the RP.
Some of this information will be shared with your local Fire and Rescue Service to support operational planning, should an incident occur in the building that you live in.
For more information, visit the
What are we encouraging you to do?
ßÙßÇÂþ» Fire and Rescue Service is reaching out to RPs in ßÙßÇÂþ» to ensure this is undertaken. However, you can also reach out to your RP proactively – as mentioned above, this is likely to be your landlord, managing agent and so on.
Prior to doing so, consider what you/your loved one may require in order to support their evacuate in an emergency.