FOI Request 2221

Subject: Enforcement of Means of Escape for Disabled People

Status: Complete

Date received: September 2025

Question Asked:

1. The number of low, medium, and high-rise residential buildings in your area (or your current/best estimate of them) covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

2. The total number of deficiency and/or enforcement notices served to the owners of these buildings relating to means of escape (Articles 14(2)(b) & 15 (1)(b)), since July 2021 to the date of this FOI

3. The number of deficiency and/or enforcement notices served to the owners of these buildings specifically relating to the identification of vulnerable and disabled residents, and planning for their escape (Articles 14(2)(b) & 15 (1)(b)), since July 2021 to the date of this FOI

4. Copies of the notices referred to in (3)

5. The fire authority’s current policy covering the evacuation of disabled people from multi-occupancy buildings during a fire

Our Response:

Please see our response below to your Freedom of Information Request.

1. The number of low, medium, and high-rise residential buildings in your area (or your current/best estimate of them) covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

Low-rise residential buildings - 4541 (including 2447 low-rise flats, 310 Sheltered Accommodation, 1065 HMOs, 52 Learning Disability Homes, 70 Hostels, 52 Halls of Residence and 545 Residential Others).*

Mid-rise residential buildings - 259 (as identified through our Risk-Based Inspection Programme)

High-rise residential buildings - 28 (exact amount)

* The total figure for low-rise residential buildings includes all buildings listed. All of these figures are estimates based on how data is recorded within the in-house database management system. System capability did not previously facilitate sorting these premises by building height. However, this is now possible for audits completed from 7th August 2025 onwards.

2. The total number of deficiency and/or enforcement notices served to the owners of these buildings relating to means of escape (Articles 14(2)(b) & 15 (1)(b)), since July 2021 to the date of this FOI

There were no deficiency and/or enforcement notices served to owners of the buildings listed in response to Q1 relating specifically to means of escape (Articles 14 (2)(b) and Article 15 (1)(b) since July 2021 to the date of the FOI.

However, 3 premises were identified as having deficiencies relating to other sub-articles or Article 14 and Article 15 (1)(b).

3. The number of deficiency and/or enforcement notices served to the owners of these buildings specifically relating to the identification of vulnerable and disabled residents, and planning for their escape (Articles 14(2)(b) & 15 (1)(b)), since July 2021 to the date of this FOI

There were no deficiency and/or enforcement notices served to the owners of the buildings listed in response to Q1 relating specifically to the identification of vulnerable and disabled residents, and planning for their escape recorded under Article 14 (2)(b) and Article 15 (1)(b) since July 2021 to the date of the FOI.

However, of all audits completed satisfying the criteria of Q1, where other sub-articles of Article 14 and 15 have been marked as deficient, 8 of these were in relation to the identification of vulnerable and disabled residents, and planning for their escape.

Of these 8 audits:

- 3 were found to be broadly compliant/an educate and inform visit

- 1 was issued with a Notification of Deficiencies

- 2 were issued with an Action Plan

- 1 was issued with an Enforcement Notice

- 1 was audited as part of a follow up Prohibition Notice, in which the prohibition notice remained in force as the risk had not been appropriately mitigated/removed.

4. Copies of the notices referred to in Q3

Copies of Notices will not be provided to members of the public as they contain personal information and are a record of enforcement between the Fire Authority and Responsible Person on how to achieve compliance.

5. The fire authority’s current policy covering the evacuation of disabled people from multi-occupancy buildings during a fire

CFRS Service Delivery do not currently have a specific policy that covers the evacuation of disabled people from buildings during a fire. However, the High Rise standard operating procedure details arrangements such as PEEPs and the use of SIBs to support disabled evacuation at such incidents.

CFRS Protection Department currently has no specific policy document covering the evacuation of disabled persons from a multi-occupancy building during a fire.

Physical, cognitive and mental disabilities are covered within the Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) for various fire safety activities. It is recognised through the Risk Based Inspection Programme EIA that the work undertaken by the F&RS will likely be of benefit to those individuals with a disability, in improving the safety standards of the premises in which they live.

Outcome: Information Provided

FOI responded to within timescales: YES

Further action: NO