Approved Document B fire safety review enters 14 week consultation

Fire safety consultation opens in England

A 14-week public consultation has opened on proposed changes to Approved Document B: Fire safety, with responses invited until 1 July 2026.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government are leading the consultation on revisions to fire safety guidance in England.

The proposals cover clarifications to existing guidance, revised provisions for combustible materials in external walls and specified attachments and a new requirement for evacuation lifts in certain residential buildings.

The consultation opened on 25 March 2026 and forms part of the ongoing review of Approved Document B in response to recommendations arising from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report.

BSR said the review is intended to keep guidance under continuous review and introduce changes at planned intervals so the construction industry can prepare for future updates.

Fire safety proposals for buildings and external walls

The consultation includes technical clarifications and corrections, consolidated guidance for building work on existing buildings and updated provisions for external wall systems, balconies and roofs.

It proposes that Approved Document B should no longer be used on its own above 11 metres where combustible elements of structure are included.

Updated guidance is also proposed for photovoltaic panels on roofs, along with revised terminology replacing sheltered housing with specialised housing and increased alarm provisions for some specialised housing with care.

For residential buildings above 18 metres, the draft approach proposes evacuation lifts, with new buildings above that height expected to include a minimum of two staircases and two evacuation lifts.

Firefighting lifts would be able to serve a dual function where appropriate.

The consultation also addresses the ban on combustible materials in and on external walls above 18 metres, including a potential exemption for certain laminated glass balustrades subject to defined dimensions and material performance limits.

Higher fire resistance ratings are also proposed for multistorey open-sided car parks to address risks linked to larger vehicle fires and changing vehicle types.

Costs timing and how to respond

According to the consultation, the proposed preferred options would have a cumulative cost of £199 million over 10 years and an estimated net annual cost to business of £29 million.

The document states that benefits have not yet been monetised and identifies clearer guidance, improved consistency in fire safety measures, reduced design ambiguity and better alignment between regulatory and industry standards as expected effects.

The proposed target implementation date is 2 September 2029, which the consultation says would align the changes with the existing 2029 amendment booklet for Approved Document B and give industry more time to adapt.

The consultation states that there is no suggestion that existing or upcoming buildings are inherently unsafe, provided they were built to the standards in force at the time, are properly maintained and are effectively managed.

Responses can be submitted through an online survey or by email to [email protected], with written responses required to state which questions are being answered and whether the submission is from an individual or an organisation.