PEEPs Deadline April 2026: 5 Steps to Get Ready Now

TL;DR: Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) become a legal requirement for higher-risk buildings on 6 April 2026. If your building is in scope, you must identify residents who need evacuation assistance, create individualised plans, and have them in place before the deadline.

Read the full PEEPs implementation guide →

#What's Changing on 6 April 2026

The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 come into force on 6 April 2026. From that date, the Responsible Person for in-scope buildings must:

• Carry out person-centred fire risk assessments (PCFRAs) for residents who may need help evacuating
• Create Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for each identified resident
• Share those plans with the local Fire and Rescue Service
• Keep plans updated as residents' circumstances change

This isn't guidance. It's law — enforceable by Fire and Rescue Authorities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

#Does This Affect Your Building?

The regulations apply if your building has two or more domestic premises and meets either of these criteria:

1. 18 metres or 7 storeys in height (the standard higher-risk building threshold)
2. 11 metres or more with a simultaneous evacuation strategy

If your building uses a stay put strategy and is under 18 metres, you're not currently in scope — but PEEPs remain best practice, and the government has signalled it may extend the scope in future.

Not sure if your building qualifies? Check with our building height tool →

#Step 1: Identify residents who may need assistance

Write to every resident asking whether they or anyone in their household may need help evacuating in an emergency. This includes residents with:

• Mobility impairments (wheelchair users, walking aid users)
• Sensory impairments (visual or hearing loss)
• Cognitive conditions affecting response to alarms
• Temporary conditions (pregnancy, recovery from surgery)

Be specific in your letter. "Do you need help evacuating?" is too vague. Ask about specific scenarios: "Can you independently descend the stairs to ground level if the lift is unavailable?"

#Step 2: Conduct person-centred fire risk assessments

For every resident who responds yes, arrange a PCFRA. This is a face-to-face assessment that considers:

• The resident's specific needs and capabilities
• Their flat's location relative to escape routes
• Available equipment (evacuation chairs, refuge points)
• The building's evacuation strategy

Document everything. Record the date, who conducted the assessment, what was discussed, and what the resident's specific needs are.

#Step 3: Create individualised PEEPs

Each PEEP must be tailored to the individual resident and their flat. A generic template with a name swapped in is not compliant. Each plan should include:

• The resident's specific evacuation method — assisted descent, horizontal evacuation to a refuge, or evacuation lift use
• Equipment required — evacuation chair, carry sheet, or other aids
• Who will assist — named individuals or a clear process for summoning help
• Communication method — how the resident will be alerted (vibrating alarm, visual beacon, door knock)
• Practice frequency — how often the plan will be tested

See our full PEEPs implementation guide for templates and examples →

#Step 4: Share plans with the Fire and Rescue Service

You must make PEEPs available to your local Fire and Rescue Service. The regulations require this so firefighters know which residents need assistance before they arrive at an incident.

Check with your local FRS how they want to receive the information. Some have online submission portals; others accept email.

#Step 5: Set up a review and update process

PEEPs are not a one-off exercise. You must review them:

• When a resident's circumstances change (they report a new condition, or an existing condition improves)
• When new residents move in (include a PEEPs question in your onboarding process)
• After any fire-related incident in the building
• At least annually, alongside your fire risk assessment review

Build this into your compliance calendar now. A PEEP that was accurate in April but outdated by September is a compliance gap.

See the full compliance calendar →

#What Happens If You Don't Act

Fire and Rescue Authorities enforce PEEPs requirements under the Fire Safety Order. Non-compliance can result in:

• Enforcement notices requiring you to take specific actions within a set timeframe
• Prohibition notices restricting the use of the building if there's an imminent risk
• Prosecution — ignoring an enforcement notice is a criminal offence under Articles 30 and 32 of the Fire Safety Order, punishable by fines and, in serious cases, imprisonment

This isn't theoretical. The BSR and Fire and Rescue Authorities have both indicated that PEEPs compliance will be an early enforcement priority following the April deadline. Buildings that have done nothing will be the most exposed.

The good news: if you can show you've made reasonable efforts — letters sent, assessments conducted, plans created — you demonstrate active management even if not every resident has responded. The regulations acknowledge that resident participation is voluntary.

#Common Questions

#What happens if I miss the PEEPs deadline?

Fire and Rescue Authorities enforce PEEPs under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Non-compliance can result in enforcement notices, and ignoring an enforcement notice is a criminal offence under Articles 30 and 32 of the Fire Safety Order.

#Can residents refuse to participate in a PEEP?

Yes. Participation in a person-centred fire risk assessment is voluntary. You cannot compel a resident to take part. If they decline, record the offer, the date, and their refusal. You still have a duty to consider general evacuation provisions for that resident.

#Do PEEPs apply to buildings under 18 metres?

The regulations apply to buildings with two or more domestic premises that are either 18 metres or 7 storeys tall, or 11 metres or more with a simultaneous evacuation strategy. Buildings below these thresholds are not currently in scope, though PEEPs remain good practice.

#How often must PEEPs be reviewed?

Review PEEPs whenever a resident's circumstances change, after a fire-related incident, or at least annually as part of your fire risk assessment review cycle. Keep dated records of every review.

#Who is responsible for creating PEEPs — the building manager or the fire risk assessor?

The Responsible Person — typically the building manager or managing agent — is legally responsible. You may involve your fire risk assessor in the process, but the duty sits with you. You cannot delegate the legal responsibility.

#Further Reading

• Residential PEEPs: Complete Implementation Guide — step-by-step implementation with templates
• BSA Compliance Checklist — full checklist of Building Safety Act obligations
• Fire Risk Assessment Tracking Guide — how fire risk assessment actions connect to PEEPs
• Golden Thread Building Safety: The Complete Guide — your digital record-keeping duties
• Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) Regulations 2025 — the primary legislation

This guide is for informational purposes. For building-specific advice, consult a qualified fire safety professional.

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