Fire risk assessments for care homes & specialist settings
Care homes, children's homes, supported living, and similar settings house people who may not be able to self-evacuate without assistance — what the Fire Safety Order defines as persons especially at risk. That changes what a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment needs to consider, beyond a standard residential or commercial premises.
Who this covers
Care homes, children's homes, supported living accommodation, sheltered housing, nurseries, and other settings combining sleeping accommodation with vulnerable occupants and on-site staff. Premises range from small, staffed houses to larger residential settings.
What's different about these settings
- Evacuation capability — occupants may need assistance to evacuate, which shapes the whole evacuation strategy, not just the escape routes themselves.
- Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) — individual plans for residents who can't self-evacuate, kept current as occupancy changes.
- Staffing and waking cover — day and night staffing levels affect how quickly an evacuation can actually be carried out, and this is assessed as part of the management arrangements.
- Sleeping risk — fire behaves differently when people are asleep; detection, compartmentation, and door management are all judged against this.
Standard and methodology
Assessments draw on BS 9792:2025 for the residential elements, alongside the specific regulatory and good-practice expectations that apply to premises with vulnerable occupants and sleeping accommodation. The report sets out findings and a prioritised action plan in plain terms — useful both for your own compliance records and for regulatory inspection (CQC, Ofsted, or local authority, as relevant to the setting).
This page is for general information only and does not constitute a fire risk assessment. Every setting is different — the specifics of your premises, staffing, and occupancy will be confirmed on inspection.
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