Residential Personal Emergency
Evacuation Plan (RPEEP)

In an emergency, especially when it comes to a fire breaking out in a building, a safe evacuation of all residents/occupants is a priority.

The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025

The Regulations introduce a statutory process to support residents in specified buildings whose ability to self‑evacuate in a fire may be compromised.

The Regulations apply in England from 6 April 2026 and cover any building containing two or more domestic premises that is either 18 m or 7 storeys or more, or over 11 m where a simultaneous evacuation strategy operates. It therefore applies to Norbury House.

Person Centred Fire Risk Assessments

The Regulations place legal duties on building dutyholders principally the Responsible Person (RP) under the Fire Safety Order to identify relevant residents, carry out Person Centred Fire Risk Assessments (PCFRA) where requested, develop agreed emergency evacuation statements, and maintain a building level emergency evacuation plan.

Dutyholders Under These Regulations

The Responsible Person (RP) defined under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is typically the building owner, landlord, freeholder, or managing agent.

It is the dutyholders who have responsibility for:

Undertaking a PCFRA.
Developing RPEEPS.
Preparing Resident's (Evacuation) Statements.
Informing the Fire and Rescue Service and keeping up-to date information held in the Secure Information Box at the entrance to the building.

Intent

The intent of the Regulations is to ensure that residents with physical, sensory, or cognitive impairments have meaningful arrangements that support their safety during evacuation, while respecting autonomy and consent at every stage.

What does RPEEP stand for?

RPEEP stands for residential personal emergency evacuation plan. It is a bespoke escape plan which is created to assist individuals who may require additional support during a general emergency evacuation of a building.

What is the purpose of a RPEEP?

The purpose of a RPEEP is to support people who may have limitations evacuate the building safely reflecting their level of mobility or other impairments.

Common examples of disabilities or impairments that may require a RPEEP include:

Mobility impairments e.g. unable to use stairs, slow or difficulty walking, distance limited, and may impede the escape of others.
Sight impairments e.g. identification of exit routes or obstructions, reading signage, particularly emergency action notices.
Dexterity or strength e.g. opening doors, particularly self-closers, operating door handles, snibs, panic bars, lift controls etc.
Hearing impairments e.g. awareness of alarm sounds, ability to hear verbal instructions/warnings.
Cognitive impairments e.g. awareness of alarm systems – bells, sirens, voice alarms, ability to act as directed, ability to interpret signs/instructions/warnings, unable to read, neurodiverse or mental health conditions.

Process

The Residential PEEPs process consists of:

Identifying relevant residents and using reasonable endeavours offering and, where requested, undertaking a person centred fire risk assessment (PCFRA).
Working to agree a written emergency evacuation statement.
Discussing reasonable and proportionate mitigating measures.
Sharing prescribed limited information with the Fire and Rescue Authority, but only with explicit resident consent.
Reviewing the PCFRA, mitigating measures, and evacuation statement at required intervals.

Dutholders Responsibilities

A PCFRA can only be undertaken with the resident’s consent.

Dutyholders responsibilities extend to:

Identifying relevant residents. Those for whom the specified building is their only or principal residence, and whose ability to evacuate without assistance in the event of a fire is compromised as a result of their impairment or condition.
Undertaking a person centred fire risk assessment typically a formal conversation between the RP and the resident to understand their particular risks and identify how their fire safety and evacuation can be enhanced. The output from the assessment conversation should be recorded.
Developing an emergency evacuation statement setting out what the resident should do in the event of a fire (if agreed between the RP and the resident).
Providing information to the Fire and Rescue Authority on the location, disabilities and impairments and indicative level of assistance needed by residents to escape the building. This will inform the Fire and Rescue Services’ operational response in an emergency.

This applies only where the resident has explicitly consented to the sharing of that information and also where the Fire and Rescue Authority initiate an evacuation of the building.

Resident Statement

The resident statement is a short, clear statement of what the resident has agreed to do in the event of a fire affecting them.

It will also include, for example, any arrangement the resident makes with a neighbour to provide support, or support provided by the local Fire and Rescue Service in supporting an evacuation.

The RP will provide the resident and the Fire and Rescue Service with a copy of the statement.

Cost of Implementing Evacuation Measures

Measures identified through a Person Centred Fire Risk Assessment (PCFRA), such as the provision of an evacuation chair, will be implemented subject to the resident’s agreement to meet associated costs.

Where implementation costs rest with the resident, evacuation equipment will only be detailed in the evacuation statement once it has been purchased.

The evacuation statement will only be developed where there is mutual agreement between the resident and the Responsible Person on the actions to be taken in the event of a fire.

Consent Requirements

Residential PEEPs are entirely consent‑based. The RP must not force participation.

Resident consent governs:

Participation in the overall Residential PEEPs process.
The creation of the emergency evacuation statement.
The sharing of information with the Fire and Rescue Service.

Consent must be explicit and residents may withdraw their consent to share information or participate in the PCFRA process at any time.

Sharing information with the local Fire and Rescue Authority

The RP must share the following prescribed information on all relevant residents with their local Fire and Rescue Authority, subject to the explicit agreement of each relevant resident to this information being shared:

The resident’s flat number.
The resident’s floor number.
Basic information regarding the degree of assistance that the resident may require to evacuate the building.
Whether the resident has an emergency evacuation statement.

The sharing of this information applies to all relevant residents who engage in the Residential PEEPs process, including those who have identified measures to support their evacuation.

The Fire and Rescue Services often have a short amount of time to mount an operational response on arrival at an incident. A summary of information that is concise enough to be understood and inform the operational response will be held in the premises Secure Information Box at the entrance to the premises.

Review

Residential RPEEPs process (including the PCFRA, mitigating measures and emergency evacuation statement) must be reviewed:

No later than 12 months after the emergency evacuation statement is first recorded, or, where no statement is agreed, the PCFRA is carried out, and before the end of every period of 12 months thereafter.
If there is reason to believe the PCFRA or emergency evacuation statement requires amending or updating; for example, if there are major changes to the building which the RP believes would have an impact.
At the reasonable request of a relevant resident; for example, if their condition had changed.

What should a PEEP consider?

The contents of a RPEEP will depend on the needs of the individual and the building in which they use. The main details to consider when creating a RPEEP include:

The individual, including things such as what their impairment is, whether they need a permanent or temporary plan, and how they can be helped.
How they will get to a place of safety, such as the building assembly point, and whether they understand where their escape routes (evacuation routes) are. Have all escape routes been cleared of potential hazards for when an impaired person leaves the building?
Will any devices/equipment/procedures be needed in order to help them in an emergency situation e.g. an evac chair being made available on the stairwell?
Does the person in question have the ability to evacuate by themselves, or will assistance be needed in an emergency situation where they cannot leave the building unaided?
Does the person agree with the plan, and have they been involved in the creation of the written emergency evacuation statement?
Has the plan been properly communicated to all involved with the plan, including those who will be assisting in the evacuation procedures?

Ref:

Who is responsible for completing a RPEEP?

It is the duty of the Responsible Person to support the assessment process, develop a plan with the resident, prepare an evacuation statement and communicate this to the Fire and Rescue Service.

First Step in undertaking a PEEP

Complete this form by following the link below:

PEEP Risk Assessment

QRCode for Norbury House Initial PEEP Fire Safety Evacuation Self-Assessment _.png

Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (RPEEP)