Amendments to Approved Document B (fire safety): letter
Published 2 March 2025
Applies to England
© Crown copyright 2025
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To:
The Chief Executive:
Unitary, Metropolitan, District and London
Borough Councils in England
The Town Clerk, City of London
The Clerk, Council of the Isles of Scilly
The Sub-Treasurer, Inner Temple
The Under Treasurer, Middle Temple
The Head of Building Control:
Unitary Metropolitan, District and London
Borough Councils in England
City of London
Council of the Isles of Scilly
Registered Building Control Approvers
cc: The Chief Executive:
County Councils in England
National Park Authorities in England & Wales
The Chief Executive:
Combined Authorities and County Councils in England
National Park Authorities in England
Chair:
National Fire Chiefs Council
2 March 2025
Dear Sir or Madam,
Amendments to Approved Document B
I am writing to inform you of the revision of Approved Document B (Fire Safety) volume 1: Dwellings, 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments, which contains amendments to paragraphs 10.14 and 17.1. I am also writing to inform you of the revision of Approved Document B (Fire Safety) volume 2: Buildings other than Dwellings, 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments, which contains amendments to paragraphs 12.15 and 19.1. The amendments are made to correct the following minor errors:
Approved Document B volume 1, section 10.14 and Approved Document B volume 2, section 12.15: Amend Note referring to Table B1 to specify it is effective until 1 March 2025.
Approved Document B volume 1, section 17.1 and Approved Document B volume 2, section 19.1: Removal of the words ‘material alteration’, which sits outside of the scope of Regulation 38.
The guidance was published on the 2 March 2025 and comes into effect immediately.
The 2025 Amendments to Approved Document B, volume 1 and volume 2 booklet has also been updated to reflect the changes outlined above.
Scope of this Circular Letter
The guidance in this Circular Letter applies to buildings and building work in England.
Publications
The Approved Document B (Fire Safety) volume 1 and 2: 2019 editions incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments and the 2025 Amendments to Approved Document B, volume 1 and volume 2 booklet have been updated and are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-safety-approved-document-b
Coming into force date
The revisions to the approved document come into force immediately on 2 March 2025.
List of amendments
Approved Document B: Fire Safety Volume 1: Dwellings 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments
Section 10: Resisting fire spread over external walls
Amend the following note from paragraph 10.14 to specify it is effective until 1 March 2025.
Note: Transposition to a national class (Table B1) does not apply to the classification in this paragraph
Section 17: Fire Safety Information 2025 amendment – effective from 2 March 2025
Replace the amended paragraph 17.1 with the following.
For building work involving the erection or extension or a change of use of a relevant building (i.e. a building to which the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 or the Building Safety Act 2022 applies, or will apply), fire safety information should be given to the relevant dutyholder (responsible person or accountable person) at one of the following times, whichever is the earlier.
a. When the project is complete.
b. When the building or extension is first occupied.
Approved Document B: Fire Safety Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments
Section 12: Resisting fire spread over external walls
Amend the following note from paragraph 12.15 to specify it is effective until 1 March 2025.
Note: Transposition to a national class (Table B1) does not apply to the classification in this paragraph
Section 19: Fire Safety Information 2025 amendment – effective from 2 March 2025
Replace the amended paragraph 19.1 with the following.
For building work involving the erection or extension or a change of use of a relevant building (i.e. a building to which the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 or the Building Safety Act 2022 applies, or will apply), fire safety information should be given to the relevant dutyholder (responsible person or accountable person) at one of the following times, whichever is the earlier.
a. When the project is complete.
b. When the building or extension is first occupied.
2025 Amendments to Approved Document B, volume 1 and volume 2 booklet
Approved Document B: Fire safety Volume 1 – Dwellings
Section 17: Fire Safety Information 2025 amendment – effective from 2 March 2025
Replace the amended paragraph 17.1 with the following.
For building work involving the erection or extension or a change of use of a relevant building (i.e. a building to which the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 or the Building Safety Act 2022 applies, or will apply), fire safety information should be given to the relevant dutyholder (responsible person or accountable person) at one of the following times, whichever is the earlier.
a. When the project is complete.
b. When the building or extension is first occupied.
Approved Document B: Fire safety Volume 2 – Buildings other than dwellings
Section 19: Fire Safety Information 2025 amendment – effective from 2 March 2025
Replace the amended paragraph 19.1 with the following.
For building work involving the erection or extension or a change of use of a relevant building (i.e. a building to which the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 or the Building Safety Act 2022 applies, or will apply), fire safety information should be given to the relevant dutyholder (responsible person or accountable person) at one of the following times, whichever is the earlier.
a. When the project is complete.
b. When the building or extension is first occupied.
Enquiries
Enquiries on this Circular Letter should be directed to buildingassurance@communities.gov.uk
Yours faithfully,
John Palmer
Deputy Director, New Build Standards and Performance
Buildings Design and Construction Directorate