New Safety Regulations To Protect Vulnerable High-Rise Residents

New national fire safety rules came into force on 6 April 2026, bringing in stronger protections for residents who may need help to leave their building during an emergency.

These changes follow Government commitments made after the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and aim to improve safety for people with mobility, sensory or cognitive impairments.

The regulations introduce Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (RPEEPs) for certain multi‑occupied residential buildings. RPEEPs are designed to help ensure that residents who may find it difficult to self‑evacuate are identified and given clear, practical support should a fire occur.

Under the new rules, the Responsible Person—usually the building owner, landlord or managing agent—must make reasonable efforts to identify residents who might struggle during an evacuation. They must then offer a person‑centred fire risk assessment and, if the resident chooses, work with them to produce a simple emergency evacuation statement.

The regulations apply to residential buildings in England that are 18 metres or seven storeys or higher, or those over 11 metres where a simultaneous evacuation strategy is in place.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service expects Responsible Persons to place essential RPEEP information in a secure information box on their premises for operational crews, but only where residents have explicitly consented to sharing it.

Group Manager Jonathan Holford, who oversees the service’s Fire Protection department, said: “These changes represent an important and positive step forward for those who may need additional support in an emergency. As a service, we welcome any measure that helps ensure residents are identified early and that clear plans are in place to keep them safe.

“We’re encouraging building owners and managers across Nottinghamshire to familiarise themselves with their new responsibilities and to reach out to us sooner rather than later, should they need support.”

The new duties are intended to ensure that vulnerable residents are properly considered long before an emergency happens, helping to strengthen safety in some of the county’s tallest and highest‑risk buildings.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service will continue providing guidance to Responsible Persons during the implementation and rollout of these new regulations, and more information can be found on our dedicated web pages.