(PEEPs) Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans
A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan makes sure that people who cannot get out of a building unaided can still evacuate safely in a fire or emergency. Here's what a PEEP is, who needs one, what UK law requires in 2026, and how the right equipment and training put the plan into action.
Last reviewed: November 2026
In short
A PEEP is a written escape plan for an individual who may need help to evacuate. In workplaces and public buildings, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Equality Act 2010 mean organisations must plan for the safe evacuation of everyone, including disabled people. Since 6 April 2026, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 have also given responsible persons in high-rise and higher-risk blocks of flats new duties to support residents who may struggle to evacuate.
What is a PEEP?
A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is a bespoke document that sets out how a specific person will leave a building, or reach a place of safety, during an emergency. It records the escape route they will use, who will help them, how they will be alerted, and any evacuation equipment needed, such as an evacuation chair.
PEEPs are sometimes called Personal Emergency Egress Plans. Where visitors may need help, many organisations also use a General Emergency Evacuation Plan (GEEP), a standard plan that can be applied to anyone who arrives on site and needs assistance.
Who might need a PEEP?
- Wheelchair users
- People with reduced mobility
- People with visual impairments
- Deaf or hard of hearing people
- People with cognitive or learning disabilities
- People with temporary injuries
- Pregnant women
- People with medical conditions affecting stamina
Why are PEEPs important?
For individuals
- A safe, dignified evacuation in an emergency
- Clear instructions tailored to their needs
- Named people trained to help them
- Confidence and reduced anxiety about emergencies
- Greater independence and inclusion at work or at home
For organisations
- Helps meet fire safety and equality law
- Shows a clear duty of care to staff, students, residents and visitors
- Reduces the risk of injury during an evacuation
- Improves overall emergency preparedness
- Supports an inclusive, accessible environment
PEEPs and UK law in 2026
Different rules apply depending on the type of building. The main laws in England are:
| Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 | The responsible person must carry out a fire risk assessment and make arrangements so that everyone, including disabled people, can evacuate safely. It also requires safety equipment to be maintained and staff to receive adequate fire safety training. In workplaces and public buildings, a PEEP is the accepted way to meet this duty for people who need assistance. |
|---|---|
| Equality Act 2010 | Organisations must make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, and this includes emergency evacuation. Relying on the fire and rescue service to evacuate people who need help is not an acceptable plan. |
| Fire Safety Act 2021 | Confirms that the Fire Safety Order covers the structure, external walls and flat entrance doors of blocks of flats. |
| Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 | Requires responsible persons in blocks of flats to give residents fire safety instructions and, in high-rise buildings, to provide information to the fire and rescue service, including building plans and a secure information box. |
| Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 | In force since 6 April 2026. Introduces Residential PEEPs in blocks of flats that are at least 18 metres or seven storeys high, or over 11 metres high with a simultaneous evacuation strategy. |
Residential PEEPs: what changed in April 2026
In buildings covered by the new regulations, the responsible person must:
- Use reasonable endeavours to identify residents whose ability to evacuate is affected by a physical or cognitive impairment or condition
- Offer each of these residents a person-centred fire risk assessment, and carry it out if they agree
- Discuss reasonable and proportionate measures to reduce the risk, and agree a written emergency evacuation statement with the resident
- With the resident's consent, share key details with the local fire and rescue service
- Prepare a building emergency evacuation plan and review everything at least every 12 months
Taking part is voluntary for residents. The regulations do not require any specific equipment or staffing, but evacuation equipment can be one of the measures agreed for an individual resident.
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry
The Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017 claimed 72 lives, and many disabled residents died. The Inquiry's final report, published in September 2024, made 58 recommendations, which the government accepted in full in February 2025. The Residential PEEPs regulations are one of the key changes to follow.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own fire safety laws with similar duties to plan for the evacuation of disabled people.
The challenges of evacuating people with reduced mobility
Stairs
Most buildings rely on stairs as the main escape route, which is impossible for wheelchair users and very difficult for many others without the right equipment.
Lifts
Standard lifts must not be used in a fire. Only lifts specifically designed and managed for evacuation can be used, and many buildings do not have one.
Refuges
Refuge areas give temporary protection, but they are not a place to wait for the fire service. People still need to be moved to a final place of safety.
Manual handling
Carrying someone down stairs puts both the person and their helpers at serious risk of injury.
Dignity
Evacuation methods should respect the person's dignity and, where possible, their independence.
Training
Equipment is only effective if the people named in the PEEP are trained and confident to use it under pressure.
How to create a PEEP
A good PEEP is agreed with the person it is for, not written about them. These are the key steps:
- Talk to the individual about their needs, how they will be alerted to an alarm, and what help they would like.
- Plan the route from the places they use to a final place of safety, noting stairs, doors, refuges and obstacles.
- Choose the right equipment, such as an evacuation chair or evacuation slider, suited to the person and the building.
- Name and train assistants, with enough cover for absences, shifts and holidays.
- Practise the plan during fire drills so everyone knows what to do.
- Review it regularly, at least once a year, and whenever the person's needs, the building or the staff change.
How Evacusafe supports your PEEPs
We supply, service and train on the specialist evacuation equipment that turns a PEEP into a practical plan:
PEEP FAQs
Is a PEEP a legal requirement?
In workplaces and public buildings, the law does not use the word "PEEP", but the Fire Safety Order and the Equality Act require you to plan for the safe evacuation of everyone. A PEEP is the accepted way to do this for people who need help. In high-rise and higher-risk blocks of flats in England, Residential PEEPs have been a legal duty since 6 April 2026.
Who is responsible for creating a PEEP?
The responsible person for the building, usually the employer, building owner or managing agent, is responsible for making sure suitable PEEPs are in place. They should be created together with the person who needs the plan.
How often should a PEEP be reviewed?
Residential PEEPs must be reviewed at least every 12 months. For workplace PEEPs, we recommend reviewing at least once a year and whenever the person's needs, the building layout or the people named to assist them change.
Can lifts be used to evacuate disabled people?
Only lifts specifically designed and managed for evacuation can be used in a fire. Standard passenger lifts must not be used, so most buildings need suitable evacuation equipment, such as an evacuation chair, to move people down stairs.
What equipment should a PEEP include?
It depends on the person and the building. Evacuation chairs suit most people who can sit upright, while evacuation sliders suit people who cannot sit or who are bed-bound. Everyone named in the PEEP must be trained to use the equipment.
Get the right equipment for your PEEPs
Tell us about your building and the people you need to plan for, and our team will recommend the right evacuation equipment and training.
Speak to our team