Fire Safety in Supported Living: How We Keep Our Residents Safe and Prepared
Fire safety is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of any supported living provider. For residents who may have mental health conditions, learning disabilities, or other complex needs, the risks associated with fire are not the same as they are for the general population. The stakes are higher, the challenges are different, and the approach needs to reflect that.
At Diverse Services, fire safety is not a tick box exercise. It is woven into the daily life of our 18 properties across West London , from the conversations we have with residents during induction, to the regular drills we run, to the relationships we build with the London Fire Brigade and local police. This blog explains what that looks like in practice, and why it matters so much.
Important: New fire safety legislation came into force on 6 April 2026. The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 introduce new legal duties for residential buildings. We have summarised what this means for supported living providers at the end of this blog.
Why Fire Safety Is Different in Supported Living
People living in supported accommodation can face a disproportionately higher risk in the event of a fire. This is not a reflection of their character or capability , it is a recognition of the very real ways in which certain conditions and circumstances can affect someone's ability to respond in an emergency.
Factors that can increase fire risk in supported living settings include:
Medication that causes drowsiness or slows reaction time
Cognitive or sensory impairments that affect awareness of risk or ability to respond to alarms
Mental health conditions that may lead to disorientation or panic in an emergency
Smoking, which remains one of the most common causes of accidental fires in residential settings
Unfamiliarity with a new environment, particularly for residents who have recently moved in
Physical mobility limitations that affect the speed or manner of evacuation
These factors make it essential that fire safety planning is person centred , not a one size fits all procedure, but a tailored approach that takes each individual's needs into account. This is something that Diverse Services takes very seriously across all of our properties.
How We Approach Fire Safety at Diverse Services
Our approach to fire safety combines strong physical safety measures with regular education, training, and community engagement. Here is what that looks like in practice:
Fire safety induction for every new resident. When someone moves into one of our properties, fire safety is covered as part of their induction process. This includes a walk through of the building, familiarisation with escape routes, the location of fire doors and fire extinguishers, and what to do if the alarm sounds. We make this accessible and straightforward , not frightening.
Regular fire drills. We conduct fire drills across our properties on a regular basis. For many of our residents, a fire drill may be their first experience of practising what to do in an emergency , and that practice genuinely matters. Knowing what to do before a crisis happens significantly increases the chances of a safe outcome.
Person centred evacuation planning. For residents who may need additional support to evacuate , whether due to physical, sensory, or cognitive needs , we develop individual evacuation plans. These plans are created collaboratively with the resident, taking their specific circumstances into account, and are reviewed and updated regularly.
Fire Brigade visits to our properties. We actively invite the London Fire Brigade to visit our properties. These visits give residents the opportunity to meet firefighters, ask questions, and understand what happens when emergency services respond to a fire. For many residents, this demystifies the process and reduces anxiety around what can feel like a frightening scenario.
Police engagement sessions. We also invite local police officers to speak with our residents about personal safety and community safety more broadly. These sessions build trust, normalise relationships with emergency services, and give residents a clearer sense of who to turn to in different situations.
Ongoing fire safety education. Fire safety is revisited regularly as part of keyworker sessions and group activities , not just at induction. We talk with residents about the causes of common fires, safe smoking practices, electrical safety, and what to do if they discover a fire or smell smoke. Education that is woven into everyday conversations is far more likely to be retained than information shared once and forgotten.
The Fire Safety Event 2026
This week , from 28 to 30 April 2026 , the UK's largest fire safety gathering is taking place at the NEC in Birmingham. The Fire Safety Event brings together professionals from across the fire safety industry, including building owners, housing providers, and care organisations, to explore the latest developments in fire safety practice, legislation, and technology.
For those working in supported living and specialist housing, this is a particularly timely event. With new legislation having just come into force and the sector facing increasing scrutiny around how vulnerable residents are protected, it is an important opportunity to learn from peers, access expert guidance, and ensure that practice is up to date.
You can find out more and register at firesafetyevent.com.
New Legislation: What Supported Living Providers Need to Know
As of 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 are now in force. These regulations represent one of the most significant changes to residential fire safety law since the Building Safety Act 2022, and they have particular relevance for supported living providers.
The new regulations require the designated Responsible Person for multi occupied residential buildings , typically the building owner, landlord, or managing organisation , to take the following steps:
Identify residents who may have difficulty evacuating without assistance, including those with physical, sensory, or cognitive impairments, using reasonable endeavours to do so.
Offer those residents a person centred fire risk assessment , an individual review of the specific risks they face and what support they would need in an emergency.
Work with willing residents to agree and document an emergency evacuation statement, setting out clearly how they would be supported to leave the building safely.
Develop and maintain a building wide emergency evacuation plan, reviewed and updated regularly.
Share relevant resident information , with consent , with the local fire and rescue service, so that crews attending an emergency have the knowledge they need to prioritise vulnerable residents.
These regulations currently apply primarily to buildings of 18 metres or more in height, and to some medium rise buildings with simultaneous evacuation strategies. However, they reflect a wider direction of travel in UK fire safety law , one that places the individual needs of vulnerable residents at the centre of safety planning.
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry found that the absence of personalised evacuation planning contributed to preventable deaths. These regulations are a direct response to that finding, and they signal a clear expectation from the government that vulnerable residents should never again be an afterthought in fire safety.
For supported living providers, the spirit of these regulations is consistent with what good practice already looks like , but providers should ensure their documentation, processes, and staff training reflect the new legal duties explicitly. If you are unsure whether and how the regulations apply to your properties, we recommend seeking specialist advice.
What This Means for Professionals
For social workers, care coordinators, and other professionals who place individuals with Diverse Services, understanding our approach to fire safety may provide useful reassurance , both for you and for the families of the people you support.
When someone moves into one of our properties, you can expect:
A thorough fire safety induction as part of their settling in process
An individual evacuation plan where the resident's needs indicate one is required
Regular fire drills and ongoing fire safety education
Engagement with the London Fire Brigade and other emergency services as part of community safety
Documentation of fire safety measures that is available to reviewing professionals on request
If you have specific concerns about fire safety for a resident you are supporting , for example, if they have previously been involved in fire setting, or if their medication significantly affects their alertness , please raise this with us at the referral stage. The more we know, the better we can plan.
A Note on Fire Safety Week
Each February, Electrical Fire Safety Week , coordinated by Electrical Safety First in partnership with the Home Office , highlights the risks of electrical fires in residential settings. This is directly relevant to supported living, where electrical safety in shared properties is an ongoing consideration. We use this annual campaign as a prompt to review our own electrical safety checks and to reinforce key messages with residents about safe charging, appliance use, and what to do if they notice a potential hazard.
We encourage all professionals working with vulnerable adults to use national fire safety campaigns as opportunities to have these conversations with the people they support. Familiarity and openness around fire safety , far from being alarmist , builds the confidence and knowledge that can save lives.
Get in Touch
If you would like to discuss fire safety arrangements at any of our properties, or to find out more about our approach to keeping residents safe, please contact us at info@diverseservices.co.uk or visit diverseservices.co.uk
Diverse Services | Supporting adults with complex needs across West London