Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding the definition of vulnerable residents when identifying priority cohorts for fire and rescue services to evacuate in emergencies.

The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 mandate Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (Residential PEEPs) for all high-rise residential buildings and residential buildings over 11 metres in height that operate a simultaneous evacuation strategy.

Under these new regulations, which come into effect from April 2026, Fire and Rescue Services will be able to obtain information on residents with disabilities or impairments that may impact their ability to evacuate a building in the event of a fire, in case they need additional support, subject to the resident’s’ consent.

Once in force, the policy will be monitored over time which would allow the merits of any change in scope to be assessed.