A 14 year low in compliance emerges from home office fire audit results
Iain Hoey
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Home office fire statistics show compliance at 57% and first visit failures at 43%
Fire safety compliance in England has fallen to 57%, with 43% of buildings failing checks on the first visit over the past year.
Direct365 said it analysed the latest Home Office Fire Statistics in England.
The analysis described national compliance as a 14 year low, down from a 69% satisfactory rate in 2016/17.
Direct365 also stated that, at the current rate of inspection, it would take the Fire Service 48 years to audit every business in the UK.
Regions with the highest audit failure and pass rates
The highest audit failure rates listed were Humberside at 92%, Lancashire at 88%, then Northumberland, Buckinghamshire, and Devon and Somerset at 72%.
Humberside Fire and Rescue Service recorded 942 audits in 2024/25, with 92% resulting in a failure.
Cheshire had the highest pass rate listed at 92%, followed by Staffordshire at 90%, Hertfordshire at 89%, Cambridgeshire at 88% and Leicestershire at 85%.
Direct365 said 70% of regions with the top 10 pass rates were located in the South of England.
Most common breaches recorded in audits
The top reasons for audit failures listed were emergency routes and exits with 10,323 recorded breaches, maintenance with 8,666, and risk assessment with 8,471.
The analysis said Fire and Rescue Services are conducting 4,000 fewer audits than in 2016 and uncovered 4,000 more breaches in 2024/25.
Direct365 said breaches relating to emergency routes and exits included blocked exits, locked fire exit doors, broken emergency lighting and wedged open fire doors.
Karl Bantleman commented: “The data reveals a worrying decline in the safety standards of buildings across the country.
“It is apparent that Fire and Rescue Services are stretched to their limit and at the current rate of inspection, it would take 48 years to audit all current premises.
“Despite this, standards are continuing to slide, with national compliance hitting a 14 year low in the past 12 months.”
“Of course, the safety standard of buildings varies depending on where in the country you are located.
“However, with an average pass rate of just 57%, improvements are needed urgently across the board.
“To help protect premises and ensure fire safety audits are satisfactory, business owners must keep all emergency exits clear, ensure fire doors are never wedged open, and, most importantly, ensure Fire Risk Assessments are reviewed annually.”
The figures set out a national compliance rate of 57% alongside wide regional variation in audit outcomes.