Consultation outcome

Sprinklers in care homes, removal of national classes, and staircases in residential buildings

From:: Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Published: 23 December 2022
Last updated: 2 September 2024 — See all updates

Applies to England

Read the full outcome

Final consultation response - Amendments to Approved Document B: Sprinklers in care homes, and the removal of national classes

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Sprinklers in care homes: Impact assessment

PDF, 642 KB, 44 pages

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Sprinklers in care homes: Environmental impact assessment

PDF, 321 KB, 16 pages

Sprinklers in care homes: Equality analysis

PDF, 238 KB, 4 pages

Removal of national classifications: Impact assessment

PDF, 483 KB, 47 pages

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Removal of national classifications: Environmental impact assessment

PDF, 312 KB, 16 pages

Removal of national classifications: Equality analysis

PDF, 215 KB, 4 pages

Consultation response - Amendments to Approved Document B: Second Staircases

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Impact assessment on the introduction of second staircases in residential buildings above 18m

PDF, 818 KB, 58 pages

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Equality analysis for second staircases in residential buildings over 18 metres tall

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Environmental principles assessment guide

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Detail of outcome

Amendments to Approved Document B: Sprinklers in care homes, and removal of national classes

Updates to Approved Document B make provision for sprinklers in all new care homes and withdraw national classes (BS 476 fire tests).

These policy updates flow from the ‘Sprinklers in care homes; removal of national classes; and second staircases in residential buildings’ consultation that ran from December 2022 to March 2023.

Provision is made for sprinklers to be installed in new care homes.

Withdrawal of the outdated national classes fire testing standards is concluded, ending a long period of dual specification. The more robust European standard (BS EN 13501) remains in place.

Transition periods for both policy updates will offer certainty to investors and enable smooth transition without disrupting supply chains.

Amendments to Approved Document B: Second staircases

This is a partial response to the ‘Sprinklers in care homes, removal of national classes, and staircases in residential buildings’.

The government is committed to ensuring that people can be confident that buildings are safe. Since 2018 the government has been undertaking a technical review of the fire safety guidance to the building regulations within Approved Document B. Government will be introducing a second staircase only solution to ensure that second staircases will be provided in all buildings above 18m+ in height. A second staircase will facilitate evacuation if a ‘Stay Put’ recommendation needs to be overridden. A transition period will be put in place to ensure that there is no disruption to projects which have already received planning permission.

Original consultation

Consultation description

This consultation seeks views on options to recommend sprinklers in care homes, remove national classifications from Approved Document B, and recommend a maximum height threshold for the use of one staircase in blocks of flats.

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