What Is A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP)?

Fire safety is about ensuring everyone can reach safety in an emergency — including people who may find it difficult to evacuate a building without assistance.

A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is a written, person-centred evacuation plan designed to support individuals who may require assistance to leave a building safely during a fire or other emergency.

In England, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 place legal duties on Responsible Persons in certain residential buildings to identify residents who may struggle to evacuate and to develop agreed evacuation plans tailored to their needs.

If you manage high-rise residential buildings, workplaces, HMOs or mixed-use premises, understanding how PEEPs work — and how to develop, record and review them — is essential for compliance and life safety.

Quick Answer: What Is A PEEP?

A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is a written, individualised evacuation strategy designed to support people who may struggle to reach a safe place unaided during an emergency evacuation. A PEEP sets out the assistance, equipment and evacuation route arrangements needed to help that individual evacuate safely.

Why PEEPs Matter

Standard emergency evacuation procedures assume occupants can respond to alarms and evacuate quickly using stairs or walkways. But not everyone can:

• People with reduced mobility
• Those with visual or hearing impairments
• Individuals with cognitive conditions or neurodiversity
• Temporary conditions (e.g., fracture, recovery from surgery)
• Other circumstances that affect a person’s evacuation ability

Without a personalised plan, vulnerable individuals may be delayed or unable to escape in an emergency, increasing the risk of injury or worse.

In many high-rise residential buildings operating a stay-put strategy, residents are expected to remain in their flats unless directly affected by fire. However, if evacuation becomes necessary, those who cannot self-evacuate must still have an agreed and proportionate plan in place.

In workplaces and public buildings, PEEPs also support duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled persons in emergency situations.

Who Needs A PEEP?

A PEEP is appropriate for anyone who:

• Cannot evacuate safely and promptly unaided
• Requires physical assistance (and/or equipment) to evacuate
• Needs customised guidance due to sensory, cognitive or mobility needs
• Has temporary impairments that may change over time

This can include building occupants, visitors, staff, residents in shared accommodation, students, patients and others.

How A PEEP Is Developed

A PEEP should be person-centred and agreed with the individual concerned — not imposed. The typical process includes:

1. Person-centred fire risk assessment: A conversation between the Responsible Person and the individual to identify risks, evacuation challenges and needs.
2. Determine reasonable and proportionate measures: Discuss additional support options, including assistance from staff, agreed helpers or equipment.
3. Agree an emergency evacuation statement: With the individual’s consent, record in writing their agreed evacuation plan and what assistance they require.
4. Review and update regularly: PEEPs must be reviewed at least every 12 months, or sooner if the individual’s condition or building changes.

What Must A PEEP Include?

While there is no fixed template, a robust PEEP generally covers:

• Personal details and condition affecting evacuation
• Evacuation routes and safest exits
• The assistance or equipment required
• Communication needs (visual, auditory, tactile)
• Contacts of helpers or staff
• Agreed emergency procedures and assembly points
• Review schedule

Legal and Regulatory Context (UK)

Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025

Under the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025, Responsible Persons in specified high-rise residential buildings are legally required to take a number of steps to support residents who may struggle to evacuate safely in an emergency.

These duties apply to residential buildings in England that meet the definition of a higher-risk building under the Building Safety Act 2022 — typically those that are 18 metres or more in height or at least seven storeys.

Responsible Persons must:

• Take reasonable steps to identify residents who may be unable to evacuate safely without assistance
• Offer a person-centred fire risk assessment upon request
• Agree a written Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) or Emergency Evacuation Statement
• Review the plan at least every 12 months, or sooner if circumstances change
• With explicit consent, share relevant information with the local Fire and Rescue Authority to support operational response planning

Information must be handled in accordance with data protection legislation, and residents retain control over what personal information is shared.

In residential settings, the term “Emergency Evacuation Statement” is used where the resident does not require complex arrangements but still needs their evacuation preferences and needs formally recorded.

These duties form part of wider building safety reforms and strengthen inclusive evacuation planning in higher-risk residential buildings.

Workplace and Non-Residential Premises

Outside residential settings, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires Responsible Persons to ensure that evacuation arrangements are suitable for all relevant persons.

In practice, this means that workplaces, schools, healthcare settings and public buildings should develop PEEPs where individuals may require assistance to evacuate safely.

Differences Between Residential and Workplace PEEPs

• Residential PEEPs are linked to the 2025 Regulations and focus on people living in high-rise residential or higher-risk buildings.
• Workplace PEEPs (e.g., offices, schools) are usually developed as part of fire safety management and staff/visitor safety plans.

Practical Elements of a PEEP

A PEEP may include:

• Agreed evacuation timings and methods
• How assistance will be provided (staff, carers, nominated helpers)
• Use of evacuation equipment or designated refuges if present
• Methods for alerting the individual (special alarms, visual cues)
• Safe exit routes and, if needed, assembly points

The presence of a refuge area does not remove the need for a realistic evacuation plan, as refuges are intended as temporary safe waiting areas rather than final places of safety.

These elements should be clearly communicated to everyone involved in the plan.

Review and Testing

Effective PEEPs should be:

• Reviewed annually or when personal circumstances change
• Practised or rehearsed where practical (e.g., with staff in workplaces)
• Updated to reflect changes to building configuration or individual needs

Why PEEPs Matter for Responsible Persons

Responsible Persons tasked with fire safety must ensure that fire evacuation arrangements are inclusive and consider all occupants, including those with physical or sensory impairments.

PEEPs demonstrate that a building’s evacuation strategy accommodates people who may not be able to evacuate unaided, reducing risk, improving safety and supporting compliance.

PEEPs should form part of a wider fire risk assessment and evacuation strategy review. Professional fire safety consultants can assist Responsible Persons in carrying out person-centred fire risk assessments, preparing compliant documentation and integrating PEEPs into overall fire safety management systems.

How We Can Help With PEEP Compliance

Developing and maintaining Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans requires careful, person-centred assessment and a clear understanding of current fire safety legislation.

At Fire Risk Assessment Network, we support Responsible Persons, landlords, managing agents and housing providers by:

• Carrying out person-centred fire risk assessments
• Advising on compliance with the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025
• Preparing clear, proportionate PEEP documentation
• Reviewing existing evacuation strategies and stay-put policies
• Integrating PEEPs into wider fire risk assessments and safety management systems

Our approach is practical, proportionate and focused on defensible compliance — ensuring evacuation arrangements are realistic, lawful and aligned with your building’s fire strategy.

If you are unsure whether your building requires PEEPs or how to implement them correctly, professional guidance can provide clarity and assurance.

Conclusion

A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is a structured, person-centred evacuation plan that ensures individuals with additional needs can reach safety during an emergency. In the UK, residential PEEPs are now a legal requirement for certain high-rise and higher-risk buildings in England under the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 and workplace PEEPs are a key part of fire safety management.

PEEPs are not just documents — they are practical tools developed with individuals to ensure their safety. If you’re responsible for fire safety planning, including PEEPs in your risk assessments is essential for inclusion, compliance and life safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP)?

A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) is a written, person-centred evacuation plan designed to support individuals who may need assistance to leave a building safely during a fire or emergency. It sets out the agreed assistance, evacuation routes and any equipment required to help that person reach safety.

Who needs a PEEP?

A PEEP may be required for anyone who cannot evacuate safely and promptly without assistance. This can include people with reduced mobility, visual or hearing impairments, cognitive conditions, neurodiversity, temporary injuries, or other circumstances that affect their ability to respond to an alarm and use escape routes.

Are PEEPs a legal requirement in England?

Yes, in certain residential buildings. Under the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025, Responsible Persons in specified high-rise residential buildings must identify residents who may struggle to evacuate and agree a written evacuation plan where appropriate.

In workplaces and other premises, PEEPs are required where necessary to ensure evacuation arrangements are suitable under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

What is included in a PEEP?

A PEEP typically includes:

• The individual’s evacuation needs
• Agreed escape routes
• Assistance arrangements
• Communication methods
• Any equipment required
• Review arrangements

There is no fixed national template, but the plan must be proportionate and person-centred.

How often should a PEEP be reviewed?

PEEPs should be reviewed at least every 12 months and whenever there is a significant change in the individual’s condition, the building layout, or evacuation procedures.

What is the difference between a PEEP and a General Emergency Evacuation Plan (GEEP)?

A PEEP is specific to an individual and developed in agreement with them.
A GEEP (General Emergency Evacuation Plan) is a broader strategy for assisting visitors or unknown occupants who may need help evacuating.

Do landlords have to provide a PEEP?

Landlords or Responsible Persons managing higher-risk residential buildings in England must take reasonable steps to identify residents who may struggle to evacuate and agree an appropriate evacuation plan where required under the 2025 Regulations. In other residential settings, evacuation arrangements must still be suitable under general fire safety law.

Can PEEPs include evacuation equipment?

Yes. Where appropriate, a PEEP may include agreed use of evacuation equipment such as evacuation chairs, communication devices or designated refuges. Equipment should only be included where staff are trained and procedures are realistic and proportionate.