National fire safety consistency questioned following latest CE Safety data
Iain Hoey
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Regional disparities in CE Safety fire inspection data
New research reveals that 19 fire and rescue service areas in the UK experienced a decline in satisfactory fire safety inspection outcomes over the last three financial years.
Fire safety specialists CE Safety analysed the percentage of satisfactory audits conducted by fire and rescue services between 2022/23 and 2024/25.
The data shows that 25 regions recorded an increase in satisfactory ratings during the same period.
Humberside recorded the largest decline in satisfactory audit outcomes.
In the 2022/23 period Humberside reported an 84% satisfactory rate.
This figure fell to 20% in 2023/24 and reached 8% in 2024/25.
Buckinghamshire saw a 43% drop in satisfactory audits between 2023/24 and 2024/25.
The satisfactory rate in Buckinghamshire moved from 75% in 2022/23 to 49% in 2023/24 and 28% in 2024/25.
Surrey experienced a 26.6% decline over the last financial year.
Northumberland recorded a similar decrease of 26.3% in satisfactory audit rates.
Other areas with falling rates included Dorset and Wiltshire at 34% and West Sussex at 34%.
Cumbria recorded a 39% satisfactory rate following an 18.75% decline.
Improving fire safety standards and regional leaders
Hertfordshire recorded the highest increase in satisfactory inspections moving into the 2024/25 financial year.
The satisfactory rate in Hertfordshire rose from 52% in 2023/24 to 89% in 2024/25.
North Yorkshire saw satisfactory audits increase by 32.3% to reach a rate of 82%.
Cleveland reported a 26.1% increase in its satisfactory inspection rate.
Cheshire maintained the highest overall percentage of satisfactory inspections at 92%.
Gary Ellis, managing director of CE Safety, commented on the findings.
Ellis said: “If you own a building or workplace in England or the UK, there are strict measures in place you must abide by, from appointing a fire marshal to having the correct fire doors installed, to keeping updated risk assessments to thorough fire prevention efforts, including working fire alarm systems.
“The importance of ensuring audits take place in buildings across the country cannot be understated – there are still thousands of fires in workplaces and public buildings in the UK every year.
“This is an area I hope to see improve radically in the near future, however building managers and owners should not wait until they are penalised before they act when it comes to fire safety.
“The responsibility is yours and should be treated with the utmost importance.”
The data highlights a lack of consistency in building safety standards across the country.
