If you manage or own a care home in the UK, fire risk assessment isn’t just a regulatory requirement, it’s a vital responsibility to protect vulnerable residents. With updated 2025 fire safety regulations, your care home fire risk assessment (FRA) must meet new standards.
Below is an authoritative, easy-to-follow guide outlining legal duties, requirements, and practical steps to achieve compliance.
Why Care Home FRAs Matter More Than Ever
Fire risk assessments are legally mandated under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Recent updates including the Fire Safety Act 2021, Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022, and the BS EN 13501 standards (replacing old BS 476) all take effect from 2 March 2025.
Comprehensive Fire Risk Assessments help you to:
- Safeguard residents with mobility or cognitive limitations
- Comply with Fire & Rescue enforcement guidance
- Maintain valid insurance
- Preserve your reputation with families and oversight bodies
5-Step Fire Risk Assessments Checklist for Care Homes
Adapted from the GOV.UK 5-step checklist, this is tailored for care home environments:
- Identify Hazards
– Electrical and cooking ignition sources
– Flammable materials like linens and furniture - Identify People at Risk
– Residents with mobility issues, dementia, or visual/hearing impairments
– Visitors, contractors, and staff - Evaluate, Act & Maintain
– Check fire alarms, extinguishers, sprinklers, signage and emergency lighting - Record, Plan & Train
– Document assessments and plans, conduct drills, and maintain staff training logs - Review on Time
– At least annually and after any change to layout, occupancy or incidents
New 2025 Rules Specific to Care Homes
Mandatory Sprinklers in New Builds
Effective 2nd March 2025: all new care homes in England must have sprinkler systems, regardless of size or height.
Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs)
Enhanced after the Grenfell Inquiry, these plans must be personalised for each mobility-impaired resident and shared with the local fire service.
BS EN 13501 Fire Classification
From March 2025, BS EN 13501 replaces BS 476 for all fire doors, walls, and high-risk areas.
Cost Expectations & Complexity
Care home FRAs are more comprehensive than standard assessments. For non-domestic premises in 2025, expect fees between £200–£1,300, depending on:
- Property size and floor count
- Layout complexity and occupancy levels
- Age and condition of the building
- Extra requirements like sprinklers or specialised PEEPs
What Happens During an FRA Visit
A typical assessment includes:
- Walk-through of communal and private areas (checking routes and equipment)
- Inspection of sprinklers, alarms, extinguishers, signage, and lighting
- Evaluating evacuation procedures for mobility-impaired residents
- Reviewing staff training records
- Delivering a timestamped written report with clear recommendations and timescales
- Ongoing updates via a digital or paper FRA log
Consequences of Non‑Compliance
Failure to comply could result in:
- Enforcement notices from Fire & Rescue authorities
- Unlimited fines or imprisonment
- Invalidated insurance policies
- Increased risk to resident safety
Staying Compliant in 2025
To maintain full compliance:
- Conduct annual reviews, and after any structural or procedural changes
- Ensure sprinklers are installed in all new care homes
- Use only BS EN 13501–compliant fire doors and walls
- Create and update PEEPs for vulnerable residents
- Hire qualified assessors—check credentials via the Fire Risk Assessment Competency Council
- Keep documentation, training records, and drill logs current and accessible
Final Thoughts: Safety, Compliance & Confidence
2025 brings stricter fire safety duties for care homes, but these steps offer not just legal coverage, they provide peace of mind, protection for your residents, and assurance for families and regulators.
Get a Quote: Fast, Compliant, Transparent
At Property Checks, our Level 4+ qualified assessors provide:
- Clear, upfront pricing
- Easy digital reporting
- Tailored compliance checks (sprinklers, PEEPs, fire doors)
- Nationwide UK coverage
Need help now?
Contact us today for your free, no-obligation FRA quote, we’ll have you compliant in 24 hours.
