The biggest update to England's fire safety guidance in years lands on 30 September 2026, when a new edition of Approved Document B comes into force. If you own, manage or are developing a building, the changes are worth understanding now, because they shape how new and refurbished buildings must be designed and protected.
What is Approved Document B?
Approved Document B is the government's official guidance on meeting the fire safety requirements of the Building Regulations in England. It covers means of escape, fire spread, structural protection and access for the fire service. Architects, developers and building control teams use it as the benchmark for compliant design, so when it is updated, the standard for new building work moves with it.
The headline change: second staircases over 18m
From 30 September 2026, all new residential buildings over 18 metres in England must be designed with a second staircase. The 18 metre threshold lines up with the definition of a higher-risk building under the Building Safety Act, so the rules now speak to each other rather than using different heights.
A single staircase has long been accepted in tall residential buildings on the basis that residents stay put during a fire. A second staircase provides a separate, protected route for escape and for firefighters to work in, and reflects a wider shift towards giving people more than one way out. For developers it changes floor plans, lettable area and cost, so early design decisions matter.
There are transitional provisions. The previous guidance can still apply where building control has been notified before 30 September 2026 and the work has started and is sufficiently progressed, either before that date or within 18 months of it. If you have a scheme in the pipeline, check where it sits against that deadline.
Stricter standards on materials and compartmentation
Alongside the staircase rule, the update tightens expectations around the materials used on and within buildings, and around compartmentation, the fire-resisting walls and floors that hold a fire in one place long enough for people to escape. The direction of travel since Grenfell has been consistent: fewer combustible materials, better-tested products and clearer evidence that what is specified is what actually gets built.
Sprinklers and suppression
Automatic sprinklers continue to play a central role in the guidance. In England, new blocks of flats over 11 metres have required sprinklers since 2020, and suppression remains one of the most effective ways to control a fire before it spreads. If you are designing a residential or mixed-use or high-rise development, sprinkler provision should be planned in from the start rather than added later, both for compliance and for the protection it gives residents.
Who is affected?
The changes apply to new building work and to many refurbishment and change-of-use projects. In practice that means developers, housing providers, architects and anyone responsible for a building undergoing significant work. Existing buildings are not automatically required to retrofit a second staircase, but owners of higher-risk buildings still carry duties under the Building Safety Act and the Fire Safety Order, and suppression is increasingly expected as part of a sensible safety case.
What you should do now
- If you have a residential scheme over 18m in design, confirm whether it falls under the new rules or the transitional provisions.
- Review sprinkler and suppression provision early, especially for buildings over 11 metres.
- Make sure specified materials and compartmentation details are properly evidenced.
- Bring in a fire protection specialist at design stage, not after, so suppression is integrated cleanly.
How Eversafe can help
We design, install and maintain fire sprinkler and suppression systems for residential, commercial and high-rise buildings across the UK, and we work alongside developers and design teams to get suppression right from the outset. If you have a project affected by the 2026 changes, contact us for a free site survey and a clear, no-obligation assessment.
Frequently asked questions
When do the Approved Document B 2026 changes come into force?
The new edition takes effect on 30 September 2026, with transitional provisions for projects already notified to building control.
Do all tall buildings now need two staircases?
The requirement applies to new residential buildings over 18 metres in England. Existing buildings are not automatically required to add a second staircase.
Are sprinklers required in residential buildings?
New blocks of flats over 11 metres in England have required sprinklers since 2020, and suppression is strongly encouraged more widely.