Managing personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) and person centred fire risk assessments (PCFRAs)

The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 mark a major advancement in protecting disabled and vulnerable residents in high-rise and higher-risk residential buildings. Coming into force on 6 April 2026, these regulations require building owners and managers to prepare Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) and conduct Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessments (PCFRAs) for residents who may struggle to self-evacuate during a fire.

While the legal obligations are clear, the most effective way to meet them is by training in-house staff—such as housing officers, caretakers, and scheme managers—to carry out these assessments and plans.

Why In-House Staff Are Best Positioned

Training your own team to complete PEEPs and PCFRAs offers several key advantages:

1. Stronger Resident Engagement

In-house staff already have relationships with residents. This familiarity makes it easier to:

• Identify individuals who may need a PEEP
• Gain trust and cooperation during sensitive conversations
• Encourage residents to share relevant health or mobility information

2. Better Access and Awareness

Staff who regularly visit the building:

• Know the layout and evacuation routes
• Can spot changes in residents’ conditions over time
• Are more likely to notice new risks or barriers to evacuation

3. Cost-Effective Compliance

Using trained internal personnel avoids the need for costly external consultants. It also ensures that assessments are done promptly and consistently, rather than waiting for scheduled visits.

4. Ongoing Monitoring and Updates

PEEPs and PCFRAs are not one-off tasks. Residents’ needs may change, and in-house staff are best placed to:

• Coordinate with fire safety teams and emergency service
• Review plans regularly, Update evacuation statements
• Demonstrate your organisations commitment to Resident Engagement

Residential PEEPs vs Workplace-Style PEEPs

PEEPs have long been used in business premises, where the goal is to evacuate everyone before the Fire and Rescue Service arrives. These workplace-style PEEPs rely on:

• On-site staff trained to assist with evacuation
• Designated evacuation lifts (where available)
• A controlled environment with predictable occupancy

However, applying this model to residential buildings proved problematic. The government’s 2021 PEEPs consultation revealed significant concerns around:

• Practicality: Residential buildings lack dedicated staff on-site 24/7
• Proportionality: Not all buildings or residents require the same level of intervention
• Safety: Evacuation lifts and assisted escape routes may not be feasible or safe in all scenarios

In response, the government launched the 2022 EEIS+ consultation, seeking evidence of existing fire safety initiatives in residential settings. The outcome was the Residential PEEPs policy, published in December 2024, which offers a practical, proportionate, and safe framework tailored to the realities of residential life. This new approach focuses on:

• Storing them securely in the building’s information box
• Identifying residents who cannot self-evacuate
• Creating clear, personalised evacuation plans
• Sharing these plans with Fire and Rescue Services

What our training covers

Training will equip staff to:

• Understand the legal duties under the 2025 Regulations
• Identify residents who qualify for a PEEP
• Conduct respectful, person-centred conversations and assessments
• Complete PCFRAs using approved templates
• Recommend reasonable adjustments (e.g. visual alarms, use of lifts and refuge spaces)
• Maintain records and share information securely

Conclusion

PEEPs and PCFRAs are about more than compliance they’re about dignity, safety, and inclusion. By investing in training for your in-house team, you not only meet your legal obligations but also build a safer, more responsive community for your residents. The Residential PEEPs framework is designed to work with the realities of residential buildings, equipping teams with this knowledge is the key to making it succeed.