Review of Approved Document B: Fire Safety

Closes 17 Jun 2026

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8. Sheltered Housing: Replacing ‘sheltered’ housing terminology and introducing new provisions for these housing types

Approved Document B proposed updates

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8. Sheltered Housing: Replacing ‘sheltered’ housing terminology and introducing new provisions for these housing types
  1. Since the introduction of ‘sheltered housing’ as a description of residential housing types within Approved Document B, the building types captured under this terminology have evolved. We no longer believe that ‘sheltered housing’ is the most appropriate term for these types of buildings, noting the range of resident profiles covered by a single definition.  
  1. We are seeking to introduce a new set of definitions. The update aims to replace the term ‘sheltered housing’ with ‘specialised housing’ to better reflect the broad range of housing types where resident needs may warrant further fire safety measures. 
  1. The term ‘specialised housing’ is defined as:  

Specialised housing:

Includes two or more dwellings in the same building, purpose built as (or converted into) residential accommodation for people who receive, or will receive, a support and/or care service. Specialised housing is differentiated between those with or without personal care, see below.
  1. The new term intends to capture residential building types such as extra care, age exclusive, enhanced sheltered, sheltered, and close care. This is not an exhaustive list, but illustrative of the types of buildings that we consider within scope of the new definition.  
  1. The definition is broken down further to differentiate between the expected differences between resident needs across the building types.  

Specialised housing with care

Includes two or more dwellings, purpose built as (or converted into) residential accommodation for people who receive, or will receive, the regulated activity of personal care. This regulated personal care service may be provided through the housing provider or separately via external care agencies. This could include residential accommodation for older people or disabled people or people vulnerable to fire.   

Specialised housing without care

Includes two or more dwellings in the same building, purpose built as (or converted into) residential accommodation for people who receive, or will receive, a support and/or care service (not personal care). This could include residential accommodation for older people, disabled people, or people vulnerable to fire.
  1. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) defines and regulates ‘personal care’. Recognising this regulated provision of care allows a differentiation between the level of fire safety provisions based on the inherent differences in risk profiles across the housing types captured under ‘specialised housing’. This differentiation will enable provisions to be targeted and proportionate. All existing provisions dedicated to buildings currently defined as sheltered housing will apply to all forms of specialised housing.
Question 23: Do you agree that Approved Document B should introduce the new terminology for ‘specialised housing’?
Question 24: Do you agree that the definition of ‘specialised housing’ should differentiate between housing types that provide the regulated activity of personal care and those that do not?
8. Sheltered Housing: Replacing ‘sheltered’ housing terminology and introducing new provisions for these housing types - continued
  1. Alongside introducing the new definition, we are exploring how to further improve the fire safety provisions within these housing types. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 provides a duty on coroners to make reports to a person, organisation, local authority or government department or agency where the coroner believes that action should be taken to prevent future deaths.   Those reports are made under Regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013. A report sent to Ministers in 2023 recommended that sprinklers should be considered with ‘extra care’ housing types.  
  1. Research was commissioned to aid understanding of fire safety risks in specialised housing and care homes.  
  1. The research did not provide conclusive evidence on the benefit of introducing specific fire safety provisions within these housing types. Recognising the importance of considering coroners’ recommendations in detail, BSR is considering two potential approaches to deliver a gradual evolution of safety standards within buildings in line with their recommendation.  
  1. The preferred approach would extend fire alarm coverage within specialised housing with care to improve detection and provide residents earlier warning of a fire in their home. The guidance will increase the provision to alarm systems with a category LD1 and grade D1 system inside the accommodation in line with BS 5836-6:2019.  
  1. This change is intended to reduce the risk of death or injury to residents in the flat or room of fire origin and support the wider benefits of earlier detection and notification.  
  1. Government commissioned research in 2006 to consider the life safety benefits of sprinklers in residential care homes. The results of this research found that many fires involved residents’ bedding and clothing, e.g. through being ignited through smoking. The research showed that sprinklers were unlikely to operate quickly enough to prevent death or serious injury of the person directly affected.
Question 25: Do you agree that Approved Document B should introduce increased alarm provisions in specialised housing with care?
Question 26: Do you have views on which provision may be more suitable to implement? [Alarms / Sprinklers / Both / Other provision]
Question 27: Please provide any evidence you have to support your preferred provision
Question 28: Do you have any comments on the draft guidance text?
Consultation Stage Impact Assessment
  1. The overall impact of the preferred policy is expected to be £10.5 million over a 10-year period, with an estimated net annual cost to business (ENACB) of £1.2 million per year. If alarm provisions were to be extended to all specialised housing, the cost would be £36 million over 10 years.  
  1. In line with the coroner’s recommendation, we assessed the cost of introducing sprinklers into these housing types. To introduce provisions for sprinklers within specialised housing with care would come at a cost of £19.2 million over a 10-year period, with an ENACB of £2.2 million per year. To extend sprinklers to all specialised housing would cost £79 million over a 10-year period.  
  1. Recognising the low incidence of fires within these building types, the benefits of introducing alarms or sprinklers is directly comparable. Noting the additional maintenance costs associated with sprinklers, and the focus on protecting lives within the flat or room of fire origin, increased alarm provisions deliver the best value for money improvement to life safety in these building types.
Question 29: Do you have views on what impact this text may have on industry?