In 2025, the United Kingdom is implementing significant updates to fire safety regulations to strengthen protection for building occupants and align more closely with modern European standards. These changes, detailed in the amended Approved Document B and related updates, affect construction materials, building design, and residential fire safety management.
Key Updates Effective from 2 March 2025
Removal of BS 476 References (Reaction to Fire & Roof Testing):
The outdated BS 476 classification system for assessing reaction to fire and roof performance will be withdrawn. Moving forward, all materials must be tested under the European standard BS EN 13501, simplifying compliance and improving clarity in product performance.
Sprinkler Systems in Care Homes:
From this date, all new care homes, regardless of height or size, must include an automatic fire suppression system, such as sprinklers. This also applies to care homes undergoing major refurbishment. The update is part of a broader push to improve fire protection for vulnerable residents.
Amendments to Regulation 38:
Regulation 38 has been updated to align with the Building Safety Act. It ensures that fire safety information is collected, shared, and maintained throughout a building's lifecycle, making fire safety responsibilities clearer for building owners and managers.
BS 9991:2024 – Residential Fire Safety Design Standard:
A new version of BS 9991 introduces updated guidance for fire precautions in residential buildings, including flats, student accommodation, and care homes. It includes detailed advice on evacuation lifts, smoke ventilation, single-stair buildings, and the needs of vulnerable occupants.
Implications for Fire Doors
While the 2025 changes don’t introduce new specifications for fire doors themselves, they highlight their critical role in passive fire protection. Under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, responsible persons must:
Regularly inspect flat entrance doors and communal fire doors.
Ensure all self-closing devices are in working order.
Maintain doors in good repair to prevent the spread of smoke and fire.
These responsibilities remain essential to overall fire safety strategy.
Looking Ahead: Future Regulatory Milestones
4 July 2025:
Ban on PFAS-containing AFFF fire extinguishers, requiring their replacement with environmentally safe alternatives.
September 2026:
Mandatory second staircases for new residential buildings over 18 metres in height to support safer evacuation.
September 2029:
Final removal of BS 476 fire resistance classifications, completing the UK’s transition to European standards (BS EN 13501) for all fire performance testing.
Conclusion
The 2025 fire safety regulation updates reflect the UK’s commitment to improving safety and modernising building standards. From enhanced sprinkler requirements to the full adoption of European testing classifications, these changes aim to reduce fire risk, improve building resilience, and protect lives.
To support this transition, the Fire Safety Stage at London Build 2025 (19th–20th November, Olympia London) provides a key opportunity to explore the real-world implications of these changes. The programme features expert-led panels that address both regulation and implementation.
Featured panels and speakers include:
“Fire-Resistant Facade Design for a Safer Future” (11am, 19th November) — examining how the switch to BS EN 13501 impacts façade specification, and what’s required to prevent external fire spread in both new and existing buildings.
“Protecting London’s Skyline: Managing Risks in the Capital’s Tallest Buildings” (12pm, 19th November) — with Greg McClelland (Onetrace), focusing on fire safety strategies in high-rise residential blocks, including the introduction of second staircases and evacuation lifts.
“Keeping Your Tenant Safe: Essential Fire Safety in the UK's Social Housing” (4pm, 20th November) — led by Dan Hollas (Director of Building Safety - Clarion Housing Group), this panel looks at how routine checks and maintenance under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 can be improved through education and consistent inspection protocols.
“Connecting Designers and Contractors for Effective Fire Safety” (3pm, 19th November) — featuring Mukesh Tomar (Jacobs), David Keeble (Coopers Fire), and Amritha Achuthan (Laing O’Rourke), exploring how early collaboration can prevent design flaws, manage compliance risks, and deliver safer outcomes from the outset.
These panels form part of a wider agenda supported by industry bodies including the FIA, ASFP, BAFE, and Women Talking Fire. With additional sessions covering sustainability, retrofit challenges, digital compliance, and social housing fire safety, the Fire Safety Stage offers something for everyone involved in shaping safer buildings.
For those preparing to meet the demands of the 2025 reforms, London Build offers not just regulatory updates—but the insight, strategy, and peer learning required to implement them effectively.
Register here to be at the forefront of the fire safety discussion at London Build 2025
Become a Fire Safety in Construction Ambassador here
Sources: London Build, UK Red, BSC
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