How often should a fire risk assessment be reviewed?
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The law says regularly, and whenever there is reason to think it is no longer valid or there has been a significant change. No fixed interval is set in law for the main assessment. Guidance for blocks of flats suggests a review every one to two years and a new assessment every three to four years, depending on risk. Since 6 April 2026, high-rise blocks of flats, and blocks over 11 metres that evacuate everyone at once, also have a legal 12 month review of residents' person-centred fire risk assessments and of the building emergency evacuation plan.
What to do, and how often
| Task | How often | Who | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Review the fire risk assessment regularly, and whenever it may no longer be valid or there has been a significant change | No fixed intervalNo fixed legal interval: regularly, and on any significant change to the premises, their use or the fire precautions | Responsible person | Law Article 9(3) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires regular review but sets no interval. SourcesS1S2 |
| Review the fire risk assessment Applies to: Low-risk, modern, low-rise blocks of flats (no more than three storeys, built in the last 20 years) | Every 2 years | Responsible person or competent fire risk assessor | Guidance The government-hosted guide to purpose-built blocks of flats suggests a review every two years might be sufficient for low-risk blocks. SourcesS3 |
| Carry out a new fire risk assessment Applies to: Low-risk, modern, low-rise blocks of flats (no more than three storeys, built in the last 20 years) | Every 4 years | Competent fire risk assessor | Guidance The same guide suggests a new assessment every four years for low-risk blocks. SourcesS3 |
| Review the fire risk assessment Applies to: Higher-risk blocks of flats and blocks over four storeys | Every year | Responsible person or competent fire risk assessor | Guidance The same guide suggests an annual review might be more appropriate for higher-risk blocks and blocks over four storeys. SourcesS4 |
| Carry out a new fire risk assessment Applies to: Higher-risk blocks of flats and blocks over four storeys | Every 3 years | Competent fire risk assessor | Guidance The same guide suggests a new assessment every three years for higher-risk blocks and blocks over four storeys. SourcesS4 |
| Review the fire risk assessment Applies to: Schools | Every yearRange given by the source: every 1 to 3 years | Responsible body or competent fire risk assessor | Guidance Department for Education guidance says schools should consider reviewing the assessment annually, or at least every 3 years. SourcesS5 |
| Review each person-centred fire risk assessment and emergency evacuation statement Applies to: Blocks of flats (2 or more homes) of at least 18 metres or 7 storeys, or over 11 metres with a simultaneous evacuation strategy, where a resident who would need help to evacuate has had a person-centred fire risk assessment | Every yearAt least every 12 months, and sooner on request or if circumstances change | Responsible person | Law Regulation 9 of the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025, in force since 6 April 2026, requires a review within 12 months and every 12 months after that, and sooner if the resident reasonably asks or the assessment needs amending. SourcesS6S7S10S11 |
| Review the building emergency evacuation plan Applies to: Blocks of flats (2 or more homes) of at least 18 metres or 7 storeys, or over 11 metres with a simultaneous evacuation strategy | Every yearAt least every 12 months, and sooner if the plan needs amending | Responsible person | Law Regulation 13 of the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025, in force since 6 April 2026, requires the plan to be reviewed within 12 months of being prepared and every 12 months after that, and whenever there is reason to believe it needs amending. SourcesS8S9S12S10S11 |
Where a row says who or what it applies to, the task is for that case only.
The law
Article 9 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires the responsible person to make a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and to review it regularly so as to keep it up to date, particularly if there is reason to suspect it is no longer valid or there has been a significant change. A written record must be kept. Separately, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025, in force since 6 April 2026, require the responsible person for a specified residential building to review each person-centred fire risk assessment and emergency evacuation statement, and the building emergency evacuation plan, at least every 12 months.
The standard
No British Standard sets the review interval. The interval is a risk-based judgement for the responsible person.
Records to keep
- The current written fire risk assessment
- Dated review records showing what was checked and by whom
- Action plan showing which findings have been closed
- Details of the person who carried out or reviewed the assessment
- In buildings covered by the 2025 residential evacuation plans regulations: dated reviews of person-centred fire risk assessments, emergency evacuation statements and the building emergency evacuation plan
Notes
There is no single correct interval for the main fire risk assessment. The purpose-built flats guide says a less frequent review may be acceptable where the common parts are closely managed and frequently inspected, and that in extreme cases an annual fire risk assessment might be appropriate.
That guide dates from 2011 and is being revised by the Home Office. The 12 month reviews under the 2025 residential evacuation plans regulations are separate from the article 9 review and apply only to the buildings those regulations define.
Who delivers this in the group
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Questions people ask
Fire risk assessment review: which tasks are legal requirements?
3 tasks on this page rest on legislation: review the fire risk assessment regularly, and whenever it may no longer be valid or there has been a significant change (no fixed legal interval: regularly, and on any significant change to the premises, their use or the fire precautions); review each person-centred fire risk assessment and emergency evacuation statement (every year; blocks of flats (2 or more homes) of at least 18 metres or 7 storeys, or over 11 metres with a simultaneous evacuation strategy, where a resident who would need help to evacuate has had a person-centred fire risk assessment); review the building emergency evacuation plan (every year; blocks of flats (2 or more homes) of at least 18 metres or 7 storeys, or over 11 metres with a simultaneous evacuation strategy). The other 5 tasks are recommended by guidance, and are not legal requirements in themselves.
Fire risk assessment review: who should carry out each task?
Responsible person: review the fire risk assessment regularly, and whenever it may no longer be valid or there has been a significant change; review each person-centred fire risk assessment and emergency evacuation statement; review the building emergency evacuation plan. Responsible person or competent fire risk assessor: review the fire risk assessment. Competent fire risk assessor: carry out a new fire risk assessment. Responsible body or competent fire risk assessor: review the fire risk assessment.
Fire risk assessment review: what records should you keep?
Keep these records: the current written fire risk assessment; dated review records showing what was checked and by whom; action plan showing which findings have been closed; details of the person who carried out or reviewed the assessment; in buildings covered by the 2025 residential evacuation plans regulations: dated reviews of person-centred fire risk assessments, emergency evacuation statements and the building emergency evacuation plan.
Fire risk assessment review: which tasks have no fixed interval?
Review the fire risk assessment regularly, and whenever it may no longer be valid or there has been a significant change: no fixed legal interval: regularly, and on any significant change to the premises, their use or the fire precautions.
Sources
Every task and legal statement is supported by at least one source fetched over HTTPS and read on the date shown. Quotes are verbatim and 25 words or fewer. A second, independent verification pass re-fetched every source and re-read the legislation on 5 October 2026. Intervals taken from British Standards were checked against published summaries of those standards by trade bodies and government guidance, because the standards themselves are paid publications.
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Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 9: Risk assessment ↗
legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · Revised text as shown on 5 October 2026 · read on
“Any such assessment must be reviewed by the responsible person regularly so as to keep it up to date”
Supports: The legal duty to review the fire risk assessment regularly
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Fire safety in the workplace: Fire risk assessments ↗
GOV.UK · Page as shown on 5 October 2026 · read on
“you must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment of the premises”
Supports: GOV.UK summary of the duty, including the written record
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Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats ↗
Local Government Association, hosted by the Home Office (GOV.UK) · Written 2011; GOV.UK page last updated 2 December 2024. The Home Office says it is no longer comprehensive and is being revised · read on
“a review every two years might be sufficient, with a new fire risk assessment completed every four years”
Supports: Suggested intervals for low-risk, modern, low-rise blocks
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Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats ↗
Local Government Association, hosted by the Home Office (GOV.UK) · Written 2011; GOV.UK page last updated 2 December 2024. The Home Office says it is no longer comprehensive and is being revised · read on
“an annual review might be more appropriate, with a new fire risk assessment every three years”
Supports: Suggested intervals for higher-risk blocks and blocks over four storeys
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Good estate management for schools: Health and safety ↗
Department for Education (GOV.UK) · Updated 20 July 2026. Written for schools · read on
“Schools of any height should consider reviewing their assessment annually, or at least every 3 years.”
Supports: Suggested review interval for schools
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legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · In force 6 April 2026 · read on
“no later than 12 months after the date on which the emergency evacuation statement was first recorded”
Supports: First review of a person-centred fire risk assessment and emergency evacuation statement within 12 months
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legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · In force 6 April 2026 · read on
“before the end of every period of 12 months thereafter”
Supports: Further reviews every 12 months
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legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · In force 6 April 2026 · read on
“The responsible person must review the building emergency evacuation plan”
Supports: Legal duty to review the building emergency evacuation plan
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legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · In force 6 April 2026 · read on
“no later than 12 months after the date on which the plan is first prepared”
Supports: First review of the building emergency evacuation plan within 12 months
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legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · In force 6 April 2026 · read on
“is more than 11 metres in height above ground level and has a simultaneous evacuation strategy”
Supports: Which buildings are covered: 18 metres or 7 storeys, or over 11 metres with a simultaneous evacuation strategy
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legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · In force 6 April 2026 · read on
“These Regulations come into force on 6th April 2026.”
Supports: Commencement date
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legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) · In force 6 April 2026 · read on
“before the end of every period of 12 months thereafter”
Supports: Further reviews of the building emergency evacuation plan every 12 months