Evacuation Chair Risk Assessment Guide:
UK Compliance, Planning & Safety 2026
Ensuring compliance with disabled evacuation regulations in the UK is a key part of protecting vulnerable building occupants during emergencies. An effective evacuation chair risk assessment helps identify potential risks, ensures compliance with UK regulations and guarantees that individuals with reduced mobility can evacuate safely.
Following the introduction of the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025, which came into force on 6 April 2026, evacuation planning has fundamentally changed. Evacuation chairs are no longer simply a best practice measure, they now sit within a formal, regulated evacuation framework.
What Is an Evacuation Chair Risk Assessment?
An evacuation chair risk assessment is the process of evaluating your building, occupants and emergency procedures to determine how individuals with limited mobility can be safely evacuated.
It focuses on identifying:
- Potential evacuation barriers
- Suitable evacuation routes
- Required equipment, including evacuation chairs
- Staff responsibilities and training needs
New Legal Requirement: Residential PEEPs
From April 2026, residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) are now a legal requirement in England.
This means:
- Residents who may struggle to self evacuate must be identified
- They must be offered a Person Centred Fire Risk Assessment (PCFRA)
- Evacuation planning must be tailored to each individual
Focus Shift: From Equipment to the Individual
Historically, evacuation strategies often focused on installing equipment such as evacuation chairs. The new regulations shift the emphasis towards:
- The individual resident’s ability to evacuate
- The practicality of evacuation methods
- The availability of trained assistance
Written Evacuation Instructions Are Now Mandatory
Where a resident consents to support:
- A written emergency evacuation statement must be created
- This must clearly outline what the resident should do in a fire
- It must be specifically named in the plan
- Its location and method of use must be clearly defined
- It must align with the resident’s assessed needs
Challenging “Stay Put” Strategies
The updated guidance recognises that:
- Some residents cannot safely remain in place
- Some buildings now operate simultaneous evacuation strategies
- The resident can be safely transferred
- Trained staff are realistically available
- The approach has been risk assessed and agreed
A major change under the regulations is that:
- Information about residents who need assistance must be shared with Fire and Rescue Services (with consent)
- Evacuation plans involving chairs are known in advance
- Plans may be reviewed for realism and safety
Information Sharing with Fire & Rescue Services
Increased Scrutiny on Training and Realism
While evacuation chairs are not legally mandated, their use is now subject to greater scrutiny.
Any evacuation measure must be:
- Reasonable and proportionate
- Realistically achievable in an emergency
- Supported by proper training and competence
- Evacuation chairs must not be installed as a tick box exercise
- Responsible Persons must be confident they can be used safely for the specific resident
Step-by-Step Evacuation Chair Risk Assessment Process
A structured evacuation chair risk assessment still follows core principles, but now must incorporate individual planning.
Review floors, stairwells and exits to understand evacuation flow.
Identify all users who may need assistance, including temporary conditions.
Assess whether evacuation is realistic for each resident and what support is required.
Only specify evacuation chairs where they are appropriate for the individual, not as a default.
Ensure trained personnel are available and capable of carrying out the evacuation plan.
Produce written evacuation instructions for each resident where required.
Ensure plans are shared (with consent) and kept up to date.
Choosing the Right Fire Safety Evacuation Equipment
Selecting appropriate equipment remains essential, but must now be driven by individual needs.
Evacuation chairs should:
- Provide controlled and stable descent
- Be suitable for the specific resident
- Be operable by trained staff
- Integrate with the overall evacuation plan
For organisations, particularly those managing residential buildings:
- Evacuation chairs remain valid and appropriate
- But they must now be:
- Linked to specific residents
- Supported by person centred assessments
- Documented in formal evacuation statements
Crucially:
A chair alone is no longer sufficient evidence of compliance.
What This Means in Practice
Final Thoughts: Building a Compliant Evacuation Strategy
An effective evacuation strategy now goes beyond equipment. It requires:
Individual assessment
Clear documentation
Realistic planning
Trained personnel
By aligning evacuation chair provision with these new regulatory requirements, organisations can ensure they remain compliant while genuinely improving safety for those who need it most.