Official Statistics

Fire prevention and protection statistics, England, year ending March 2022 Second Edition

Updated 1 November 2022

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fire-prevention-and-protection-statistics-england-april-2021-to-march-2022/fire-prevention-and-protection-statistics-england-year-ending-march-2022

Frequency of release: Annual

Forthcoming releases: Home Office statistics release calendar

Home Office responsible statistician: Helene Clark

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Telephone: 0300 123 3535

Public enquiries: firestatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk

This release contains statistics from administrative sources about prevention and protection activities carried out by fire and rescue services (FRSs) and their partners in England for the financial year 2021 to 2022. Patterns of prevention and protection activity in the financial year 2020 to 2021 were substantially affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and government guidance to limit social contact. In the financial year 2021 to 2022, prevention and protection activity started to recover from 2020 to 2021 levels; however, remained below pre-pandemic level s, given that many restrictions remained in place until July 2021. Given the impact of the pandemic on the figures from the previous year, this release does not present percentage changes relative to the previous year.

At the end of this release, two summary tables are included, which provide the number of prevention visits and number of audits by financial year, for the latest year, the previous year, two-years ago and five years ago. This provides additional context on the trends in prevention and protection activity.

As part of the data collection in 2022 for the prevention and protection activity data covering the financial year 2021 to 2022, a small number of FRSs supplied revised data for previous years. These revisions are included in the accompanying data tables and this statistics release.

Revisions to this bulletin

Following the first publication of this release, an error was found in the data for the Home Fire Safety Check (HFSC) and Safe and Well Visit (SWV) subset category of ‘At least one-person aged 65+ and one-person disabled (can be same person)’. Additional visits had been allocated to this targeted category, rather than allocated to the ‘Neither’ category. This release has therefore been revised, and a summary of revisions can be found in Table A below.

Table A: Revisions made to England-wide totals since first publication

Visit type At least one-person aged 65+ and one person disabled (can be same person) Neither
  Initial figures Corrected figures Difference Initial figures Corrected figures Difference
FRS number of HFSC visits (Face to face) 101,681 100,425 -1,256 154,328 155,584 1,256
FRS number of SWV (Face to face) 67,873 66,795 -1,078 78,256 79,334 1,078
FRS number of HFSC visits (Virtual) 4,494 4,489 -5 13,522 13,527 5
Total (FRS & Partners) number of HFSC visits (Face to face) 103,916 102,660 -1,256 159,026 160,282 1,256
Total (FRS & Partners) number of SWV (Face to face) 69,551 68,473 -1,078 82,712 83,790 1,078
Total (FRS & Partners) number of HFSC visits (Virtual) 4,496 4,491 -5 13,692 13,697 5
Total (FRS & Partners) number of HFSC visits (Face to face + virtual) 108,412 107,151 -1,261 172,718 173,979 1,261
Total (FRS & Partners) number of SWV (Face to face + virtual) 71,700 70,622 -1,078 90,793 91,871 1,078

Notes:

  1. Revisions shown here are for the England-wide totals.

  2. Across England, the total number of HFSCs that were targeted at households with ‘At least one-person aged 65+ and one-person disabled (can be same person)’ reduced by 1,261 visits and were instead placed in the ‘Neither’ category. Prior to the revision, the proportion of HFSCs targeted ‘At least one- person aged 65+ and one-person disabled (can be same person)’ was 24.5% of all HFSCs. Following the revision, the proportion of HFSCs targeted ‘At least one-person aged 65+ and one-person disabled (can be same person)’ was 24.2% of all HFSCs.

  3. Across England, the number of SWVs that were targeted at ‘At least one-person aged 65+ and one-person disabled (can be same person)’ was reduced by 1,078 visits, which were instead placed in the ‘Neither’ category. Prior to the revision, the proportion of SWVs targeted ‘At least one- person aged 65+ and one-person disabled (can be same person)’ was 28.1% of all SWVs. Following the revision, the proportion of SWVs targeted ‘At least one-person aged 65+ and one-person disabled (can be same person)’ was 27.6% of all SWVs.

  4. The relevant sections of Chapter 1 Fire Prevention have been updated to reflect this revision, as has the accompanying table: FIRE1201: Home fire risk checks carried out by fire and rescue authorities and partners, by fire and rescue authority.

Key results

The number of home fire safety checks (HFSCs) has been in decline over the last decade. In the financial year 2021 to 2022, data shows a continuation of this general trend (albeit, with a year-on-year increase when compared to the covid-impacted data from the financial year 2020 to 2021). FRSs and their partners completed 443,153 HFSCs, up from 260,998 in the financial year 2020 to 2021, but down from the 588,666 HFSCs in the financial year 2019 to 2020. The number of HFSCs undertaken in financial year 2020 to 2021 was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. At times during the financial year 2021 to 2022 some restrictions remained in place, but they were generally less severe than in the previous financial year. This likely contributed to the increases in prevention and protection activity seen this financial year. Levels of activity have however remained below pre-pandemic levels, likely as a result of some COVID-19 restrictions remaining in place until July 2021 and ongoing guidance around social contact [footnote 1].

The total number of Fire Safety Audits has been declining since financial year 2010 to 2011. In financial year 2021 to 2022, FRSs carried out 48,018 Fire Safety Audits, up from 34,888 in the financial year 2020 to 2021, but down from 48,414 in the financial year 2019 to 2020. The increase is likely to have been affected by easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

1. Fire prevention

Fire and rescue services (FRSs) undertake prevention activities, which provide information and advice and aim to encourage fire safety behaviours. These educate people on the steps to be taken to prevent the occurrence of a fire and increase the survivability when involved in a fire. This section focuses on Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSCs, also known as Home Fire Risk Checks), Safe and Well visits (SWVs) and smoke alarm ownership.

Key results

In financial year 2021 to 2022:

  • FRSs and their partners completed 443,153 HFSCs, covering 1.8% of homes in England. The majority (94%) were face to face. In comparison, in financial year 2020 to 2021, FRSs and partners conducted 260,998 HFSCs (65% completed face to face), covering 1.1% of homes, while in the financial year 2019 to 2020 the number of HFSCs completed was 588,666, covering 2.5% of homes (Source: FIRE1201)
  • FRSs and their partners completed 255,495 SWVs, of which 95% were face to face. In comparison, in financial year 2020 to 2021, 157,514 SWVs were conducted (63% completed face to face), and in the financial year 2019 to 2020 344,815 SWVs were conducted. (Source: FIRE1201)
  • FRSs and their partners completed 235,194 HFSCs targeted at people aged 65 and over (96% face to face), accounting for 53% of HFSCs. In comparison, in financial year 2020 to 2021, 126,092 HFSCs were targeted at people aged 65 and over (77% face to face), accounting for 48% of HFSCs, while in 2019 to 2020 327,314 HFSCs were targeted at people aged 65 and over, equivalent to 56% of HFSCs. (Source: FIRE1201)
  • FRSs and their partners completed 141,131 HFSCs targeted at disabled people (96% face to face), accounting for 32% of HFSCs. In comparison, in financial year 2020 to 2021, 92,125 HFSCs were targeted at disabled people (75% face to face), accounting for 35% of HFSCs, while in the financial year 2019 to 2020 173,413 HFSCs were targeted at disabled people, equivalent to 29% of HFSCs (Source: FIRE1201)
  • As of most recent data in financial year 2020 to 2021, 94 per cent of households owned a working smoke alarm, an increase of three percentage points since financial year 2019 to 2020, a five percentage point increase since financial year 2015 to 2016 (89%) and an increase of 18 percentage points since 2001 (76%, the earliest date for which these data are available) (Source: FIRE0701)

FRSs have been conducting fire prevention work for several years and in a number of different areas. This work became a statutory duty for FRSs in 2004 with the introduction of the Fire and Rescue Services Act. Typical prevention activities include: Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSCs), Safe and Well visits (SWVs), arson prevention, promotional work with young people and other vulnerable groups as well as other campaigns and initiatives. However, because of difficulties in defining some of this work (due to prevention activity taking on a wide range of forms and recording being inconsistent) and in order to minimise burdens on FRSs, we have, from financial year 2018 to 2019, only collected information on HFSCs and SWVs - we no longer collect information on campaigns and initiatives. The information collected in previous years on campaigns and initiatives can be found in Table FIRE1203.

Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSCs) and Safe and Well Visits (SWVs) [footnote 2]

HFSCs are often targeted towards the more vulnerable members of the community, including older people and those with disabilities, and aim to offer bespoke fire safety advice based on their household and lifestyle which can mitigate the risk of fire. These visits can result in the installation of smoke alarms and safety recommendations such as moving or removing furniture which may be hazardous. Many FRSs now conduct HFSCs as part of a wider SWV, which can cover additional factors such as fall risk assessment, smoking cessation, cold homes and fuel poverty and a range of other health and community issues depending on local arrangements.

During the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the financial year 2020 to 2021, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) published a series of position statements on Prevention strategic intentions, which took into account the COVID-19 management measures in place. The most recent statement can be found here. These statements resulted in a halt to face to face (or over the threshold) HFSCs in the first lockdown and a transition to virtual HFSCs and limited face to face visits throughout the remainder of the year. The Home Office collected the number of virtual (online or telephone) HFSCs, which are presented separately in this release. Due to the changes made as a result of COVID-19, it is not appropriate or meaningful to make direct comparisons between this year and last year’s data.

At a national level, the number of HFSCs that FRSs complete has been on a general downward trend since the data were first collected in financial year 2010 to 2011 (see figure 2.1). In contrast, the number of HFSCs completed on the two sub-groups the Home Office collect data on (those vulnerable - people aged 65 and over, disabled people) both increased over the same time period. However, both decreased significantly in the financial year 2020 to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions, and in the financial year 2021 to 2022 both increased back towards pre-pandemic levels.

Number of HFSCs

In financial year 2021 to 2022, FRSs and their partners completed 443,153 HFSCs.

Of these:

  • 418,290 HFSCs were completed face-to-face (94%), with the remaining 6% (24,863 HFSCs) completed virtually
  • 61 per cent of HFSCs were targeted at households containing people aged 65 and over or with a disability
  • the vast majority (98%) of HFSCs were completed by FRSs directly with the remaining two per cent (9,678) completed by partners
  • there were 255,495 SWVs undertaken, accounting for 58 per cent of HFSCs

In the financial year 2021 to 2022, FRS and their partners completed 443,153 HFSCs, significantly more than in the financial year 2020 to 2021 (260,998), this increase (182,155 HFSCs) was likely because of the easing of government restrictions. Meanwhile in the financial year 2019 to 2020, FRSs and their partners completed 588,666 HFSCs, so the number of HFSCs completed in the financial year 2021 to 2022 was 145,513 lower. Generally, since the financial year 2010 to 2011 there has been a decline in the number of HFSCs. This financial year, due to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and guidance, the numbers of HFSCs have increased year-on-year, but not to the same level as before the pandemic.

FRS partners

-includes organisations such as: Home Improvement Services, Education, Social Services, Voluntary Sector, Housing, Primary Care Trusts.

Figure 2.1: Total numbers of HFSCs and targeted HFSCs completed by FRSs, England, financial year 2010 to 2011 to financial year 2021 to 2022

Staff carrying out HFSCs and SWVs

Data on the number and role of staff carrying out face to face HFSCs and SWVs were first collected in financial year 2018 to 2019, and this is the third year that the data are of sufficient quality for publication.

In financial year 2021 to 2022, an average of 1.5 staff carried out each HFSC. 80% of staff carrying out HFSCs were firefighters. The remaining HFSCs were carried out by a mixture of fire control partners, community safety advocates, FRS volunteers and non-operational staff. Non-operational staff having the second highest contribution (13%). For SWVs, an average of 1.4 staff carried out each SWV, with 72 per cent of staff conducting SWVs being firefighters. (Table FIRE1201a)

Smoke alarm ownership

Data on the proportion of households with a smoke alarm have been collected since the 1980s from a variety of sources, and data on ownership of a working smoke alarm have been collected from 2001. Since financial year 2008 to 2009 the English Housing Survey (EHS) has been the primary source of information on smoke alarm ownership. The exact questions asked change each year but have previously included ownership of a smoke alarm, ownership of a working smoke alarm, smoke alarm testing habits and carbon monoxide alarm ownership.

The financial year 2021 to 2022 EHS data was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated a change in the established survey mode. The face-to-face interviews were replaced by telephone interviews, with internal inspections replaced by external ones and analysis of administrative data. Testing of the changes to the survey were not possible, so it is not clear in the EHS whether changes observed in 2020-21 were ‘real’ changes or a reflection of the change in method. Further, the composition of the EHS sample significantly altered in 2020/21 compared with 2019/20, for example more outright owners and fewer renters, more households with older people and fewer households with children. Further detail on the changes to the EHS and the impact of COVID-19, can be found in the headline report [footnote 3].

In financial year 2020 to 2021, 94 per cent of households owned a working smoke alarm, a three percentage point increase since financial year 2019 to 2020, a five percentage point increase since financial year 2015 to 2016 (89%) and an increase of 18 percentage points since 2001 (76%, the earliest date for which these data are available). (Source: FIRE0701)

Although 94 per cent of households reported owning a working smoke alarm, only 16 per cent say they take the time to test it at least monthly.

Figure 2.2: Percentage of households owning a smoke alarm or working smoke alarm, England & Wales or England, 1988 to financial year 2020 to 2021

2. Fire protection

Fire protection refers to FRSs’ statutory role in ensuring public safety in the wider built environment and involves auditing and, where necessary, enforcing regulatory compliance, primarily but not exclusively in respect of the provisions of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (FSO). This section of the release specifically focuses on Fire Safety Audits, short audits and building regulation consultations.

Key results

In financial year 2021 to 2022:

  • FRSs carried out 48,018 Fire Safety Audits, up from 34,888 in the financial year 2020 to 2021, which was likely to have been affected by the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and just below the 48,414 audits in the financial year 2019 to 2020 (Source: FIRE1202)
  • 31,350 (65%) of audits were deemed satisfactory up from 26,262 in the financial year 2020 to 2021 and just below 31,978 in the financial year 2019 to 2020. The proportion of satisfactory audits in financial year 2021 to 2022 was similar to 2019 to 2020 (66%), though the proportion of satisfactory audits was higher in financial year 2020 to 2021 (75%). (Source: FIRE1202)
  • the 48,018 audits carried out were in two per cent of premises known to FRSs. (Source: FIRE1202)
  • the most common type of premises to be audited was “Shops” with 9,070 audits (19 per cent of all Fire Safety Audits) (Source: FIRE1204)
  • there were 2,254 formal notices issued, (compared with 1,331 in financial year 2020 to 2021) comprising 1,518 enforcement notices, 610 prohibition notices, 92 alteration notices and 34 prosecutions (Source: FIRE1202)
  • there were 8,025 short audits completed (17% of all audits recorded), these audits were conducted by 31 of the 44 FRSs that carry out this format of audit

Number of Fire Safety Audits

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions in financial year 2020 to 2021, the National Fire Chiefs Council published Guidance on carrying out desktop appraisals. Where a remote desktop appraisal of fire safety measures has been carried out and recorded in accordance with Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) Short Audit guidance, and there are no outstanding fire safety issues, this activity has been recorded in FRS returns. In the financial year 2020 to 2021 as a result of the pandemic, desktop appraisals were included in the total number of short audits in the release and accompanying tables.

In financial year 2021 to 2022, FRSs carried out 48,018 Fire Safety Audits, of which 8,025 (17%) were short audits or desktop appraisals (31 out of the 44 FRSs carried out short audits). In comparison in the financial year 2020 to 2021, 34,888 audits were completed, of which 13,500 (39%) were short audits or desktop appraisals. This higher number and proportion of short audits, likely reflects the impact of COVID-19 restrictions. The number of audits in the financial year 2021 to 2022 was more similar to 2019 to 2020, when 48,414 audits were completed, of which 7,929 (16%) were short audits or desktop appraisals . Since financial year 2010 to 2011, there has been a general decline in the number of Fire Safety Audits that FRSs complete, however, the decrease in financial year 2020 to 2021 was likely due to COVID-19 restrictions and this year has increased to just below the numbers in the financial year 2019 to 2020.

Figure 3.1: Number of Fire Safety Audits, England, financial year 2010 to 2011 to financial year 2021 to 2022

Fire Safety Audits

A Fire Safety Audit is a planned visit by an FRS to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the level of compliance with the requirements of the FSO in a particular premises. The FSO requires a ‘responsible person’ for a workplace or premises to which the public have access, to carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment to ensure that the general fire precautions are adequate and appropriate, to reduce the risk from fire to employees and other relevant persons to as low as reasonably practicable. The FSO applies to the majority of non-domestic premises and the communal areas in residential buildings.

It is a matter for FRSs to determine how many audits they carry out per year, but they must have a locally determined risk-based inspection programme and management strategy in place for enforcing the FSO.

Short Audits

Since 2016, FRSs have had the option of using the short audit form, designed by the sector to support the principles of better regulation, and allow FRSs to focus their enforcement resources more effectively on higher risk premises.

A short audit may record an ‘unsatisfactory’ outcome where non-compliances are found that require attention but are not judged to reach the formal enforcement threshold. These may be dealt with by means of an informal Fire Safety Matters letter which may or may not require a follow-up inspection. Failure to comply with a Fire Safety Matters letter may be escalated to formal enforcement.

It is expected that the number of audits on different premises types in individual FRSs will vary from year to year depending on the local need, targeting strategies and the complexity of the specific buildings being audited. In addition, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government set out an ambition in Parliament on 5 September 2019 to ‘significantly increase the pace of inspection activity across high rise residential and other high risk buildings’. It has been supported by the allocation of 6 million pounds in additional funding to FRSs alongside the 10 million pounds in the Protection Uplift grant.

Figure 3.2: Total number of Fire Safety Audits by FRSs, by type of building, England, financial year 2019 to 2020 and financial year 2021 to 2022 ordered by financial year 2019 to 2020 figures

There were 6,449 audits of purpose-built blocks of flats of four storeys or more (13% of total audits) in financial year 2021 to 2022, down from the 7,183 (21%) in financial year 2020 to 2021 and 3,493 (7%) in the financial year 2019 to 2020. The number of Fire Safety Audits of other premises increased compared with the previous year.

The property types that saw the greatest increase in audits in financial year 2021 to 2022 relative to 2020 to 21 were shops (an increase of 3,697), licensed premises (an increase of 2,566) and factories or warehouses (an increase of 1,641). The time spent on activities has also increased. In the financial year 2021 to 2022, 4.33 hours were spent per satisfactory audit and 5.66 hours spent per unsatisfactory audit, whilst in financial year 2020 to 2021, 2.95 hours were spent per satisfactory audit and 5.13 hours per unsatisfactory audit. The time spent per satisfactory audit in in financial year 2021 to 2022 increased in comparison to in financial year 2019 to 2020, when 3.57 hours was spent, while for unsatisfactory audits the time spent decreased from 5.96 hours in financial year 2019 to 2022.

Outcome of Fire Safety Audits

When a Fire Safety Audit is completed, the result is categorised as either satisfactory, when no further action is taken, or unsatisfactory, when the responsible person is non-compliant with the FSO.

Figure 3.3: Proportion of Fire Safety Audits deemed satisfactory or unsatisfactory by type of building, England, financial year 2021 to 2022 (ordered by per cent satisfactory)

In financial year 2021 to 2022, 31,350 (65%) of the Fire Safety Audits were deemed satisfactory. In financial year 2020 to 2021, 26,262 (75%) and in the financial year 2019 to 2020, 31,978 (66%) of the Fire Safety Audits were satisfactory. The total number of Fire Safety Audits, and the number deemed satisfactory, both increased in the financial year 2021 to 2022 compared to the financial year 2020 to 2021, which likely reflected an easing COVID-19 restrictions. However, the proportion of audits that were satisfactory decreased, from 75% in the financial year 2020 to 2021 to 65% in this financial year. As Figure 3.3 shows, the premises type with the greatest proportion of satisfactory audits was “hospitals” (75%) while “homes of multiple occupancy” (HMOs) (40%) and “houses converted to flats” (52%) had the lowest proportions.

Formal notifications are issued in the most serious of cases where less formal action has failed to resolve issues of non-compliance. These are categorised within the FSO as:

Details of formal and informal notifications

Enforcement notices (Article 30)

-These are served if the enforcing authority is of the opinion that the responsible person has failed to comply with any provision of the FSO or of any regulations made under it.

Prohibition notices (Article 31)

-These are served on the responsible person or any other person, if the enforcing authority is of the opinion that use of premises involves or will involve a risk to relevant persons so serious that use of the premises ought to be prohibited or restricted.

Alteration notices (Article 29)

-These are served on the responsible person if the enforcing authority is of the opinion that the premises constitutes a serious risk to relevant persons (whether due to the features of the premises, their use, any hazard present, or any other circumstances); or may constitute such a risk if a change is made to them or the use to which they are put.

Prosecutions (Article 32)

-These are convictions for failure to comply with an alteration, enforcement or prohibition notice, or any other matter for which it is an offence under Article 32.

Informal notification

-These can be issued instead of a formal notice when an outcome is unsatisfactory and the risk to relevant persons is not significant and the responsible person is willing to comply.

There were 2,254 formal notices issued in financial year 2021 to 2022, compared with 1,331 in financial year 2020 to 2021 and 2,295 in financial year 2019 to 2020. The number of formal notices issued in financial year 2021 to 2022 was higher than the 2,046 in financial year 2016 to 2017, when the data were first collected.

When looking at informal notices 15,656 were issued in financial year 2021 to 2022 compared with 7,018 in financial year 2020 to 2021 and 13,359 in financial year 2019 to 2020. The number of informal notices issued in financial year 2021 to 2022 was higher than the 14,353 issued in financial year 2016 to 2017. The reduced numbers in the financial year 2020 to 2021 are most likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic restricting FRS activity. For more information on formal notices see Figure 3.4.

Figure 3.4: Fire safety notices resulting from unsatisfactory Fire Safety Audits (informal and formal) issued in England, financial year 2021 to 2022

Building regulation consultations and other fire safety activity

FRSs also provide data on the number of consultations received under Building Regulations; and any other fire safety activities they undertake to support business understanding of, and compliance with, the FSO. Building regulation consultations are statutory consultations with FRSs by building control bodies under articles 45 and 46 of the FSO. The information can be found in FS2 of FIRE1204.

In financial year 2021 to 2022, FRSs carried out 46,699 building regulation consultations; an increase from the financial year 2020 to 2021 (41,105) but a decrease from the financial year 2019 to 2020 (50,812). The increase in the latest year is likely due to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the financial year 2021 to 2022. The highest proportion of building regulation consultations in financial year 2021 to 2022 were for shops (17% or 8,025 consultations) - this was a similar proportion to the previous year (16% in 2020/21), though an increase in the number of building regulation consultations for shops from 6,767. In the financial year 2021 to 2022, 1.84 hours were spent per building regulation consultation, a decrease from the financial year 2020 to 2021 (1.99 hours) but an increase from the financial year 2019 to 2020 (1.78 hours).

Other safety activity

-This captures all fire safety activity generated by requests from others, i.e. approaches from other agencies or bodies (e.g. Ofsted), the public, and business representatives as well as any FSO related promotional or awareness raising activities generated within the FRA.

FRSs carried out 102,724 other fire safety activities in financial year 2021 to 2022 compared with 76,622 in financial year 2020 to 2021 and 83,348 in the financial year 2019 to 2020.

Staff employed for fire safety activities

The Home Office has collected information on the number of staff competent to carry out fire safety activities since financial year 2018 to 2019. In financial year 2021 to 2022, out of the 44 FRSs there were 922 full-time equivalent (FTE) members of staff competent to carry out audits , compared to 1,002 FTE members of staff in the financial year 2020 to 2021 and 963 FTE members of staff in the financial year 2019 to 2020. For a more detailed breakdown of other action types see Figure 3.5 and FS10a and FS10b of table FIRE1204. As FRS staff are likely to be competent to carry out more than one of these activities, the categories are not mutually exclusive.

There were 34.7 fire engineers [footnote 4] (FTE) employed by FRSs, up from 36.0 in the previous year and 32.0 in the financial year 2019 to 2020.

Figure 3.5: Number of staff employed by FRSs for fire safety activities, as at 31 March 2020, 31 March 2021 and 31 March 2022

3. Summary of changes over time

In this section, two summary tables are included, which provide the number of prevention visits and number of audits by financial year, for the latest year, the previous year, two-years ago and five years ago. This provides additional context on the trends in prevention and protection activity.

For table 4.1, the number of overall prevention visits in 2016/17 is for both FRSs and partners, while the number of HFSCs for over 65 or disabled people is for those delivered by FRSs only. The percentage change is therefore not included, as it would not be a like for like comparison.

Table 4.1: Number of prevention visits, comparing 2021/22 with one, two and five years previously [footnote 5]

Visit type 2021/22 2020/21 2019/20 Percentage change for 2021/22 relative to 2019/20 2016/17 Percentage change for 2021/22 relative to 2016/17
Home fire safety checks 443,153 260,998 588,666 -25% 615,242 -28%
Safe and well visits 255,495 157,514 344,815 -26% .. ..
HFSCs (65+) 235,194 126,092 325,038 -28% 313,757 N/A
HFSCs (Disabled) 141,131 92,125 173,413 -19% 140,808 N/A

Table 4.2: Number of audits, comparing 2021/22 with one, two and five years previously

Audit type 2021/22 2020/21 2019/20 Percentage change for 2021/22 relative to 2019/20 2016/17 Percentage change for 2021/22 relative to 2016/17
Total Audits (Number) 48,018 34,888 48,414 -1% 55,270 -13%
Total Audits (Hours) 230,003 121,776 212,036 +8% 247,341 -7%
Satisfactory Audits (Number) 31,350 26,262 31,978 -2% 37,950 -17%
Satisfactory Audits (Hours) 135,622 77,542 114,045 +19% 150,068 -10%
Unsatisfactory Audits (Number) 16,668 8,626 16,436 +1% 17,320 -4%
Unsatisfactory Audits (Hours) 94,381 44,234 97,991 -4% 97,272 -3%

Further information

This release contains administrative statistics about prevention and protection activities carried out by fire and rescue services (FRSs) in England. This publication also draws from other sources such as the English Housing Survey.

Fire and Rescue Incident Statistics and other Home Office statistical releases are available from the Statistics at Home Office pages on the GOV.UK website.

Data tables linked to this release and all other fire statistics releases can be found on the Home Office’s ‘Fire statistics data tables’ page. The sections above state the most relevant tables for each section. The tables can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/fire-statistics-data-tables

Guidance for using these statistics and other fire statistics outputs is available on the fire statistics collection page, found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fire-statistics-guidance

The information published in this release is kept under review, taking into account the needs of users and burdens on suppliers and producers, in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics. If you have any comments, suggestions or enquiries, please contact the team via email using firestatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk or via the user feedback form on the fire statistics collection page.

Revisions

The figures in this release refer to activity that occurred in the financial year 2021 to 2022, the year up to and including 31 March 2022. A small number of FRSs supplied revised data for previous years. These revisions are included in the accompanying data tables and this statistics release. The statistics published may not match those held locally by FRSs and revisions may occur in the future.

Home Office publish five other statistical releases covering fire and rescue services.

These include:

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities publish one statistical release on fire:

Fire statistics are published by the other UK nations:

Statistics for Scotland and Wales are published. Northern Ireland fire statistics are published by the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of our documents. If you find any problems, or have any feedback, relating to accessibility please email us at firestatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk

  1. Timeline of UK government coronavirus lockdowns and restrictions, The Institute for Government ↩

  2. For more detailed information on Safe and Well visits see the NFCC website ↩

  3. English Housing Survey: headline report ↩

  4. Fire engineer figures include those who have a level 5 diploma. Fire safety engineers require a minimum level 6 fire safety engineering qualification, so this figure is higher than the actual number of fire safety engineers. ↩

  5. For 2016/17 the numbers for targeted Home fire safety check figures ‘HFSCs (65+) and HFSCs (Disabled)’ do not include HFSCs carried out by partners. ↩

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