The Fire Risk Assessment Prioritisation Tool, known as FRAPT, was a government tool created to help responsible persons prioritise fire risk assessment reviews after the Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified the scope of the Fire Safety Order for multi-occupied residential buildings.
FRAPT should now be treated as a legacy tool. GOV.UK Fire Safety Act guidance was updated on 5 June 2026 to reflect the closure of the Fire Risk Assessment Prioritisation Tool and the removal or amendment of related guidance.
This guide explains what FRAPT was, why it mattered, which parts of the old approach are still useful when prioritising risk, and what responsible persons should do now.
Quick Answer
FRAPT is no longer available as a current government tool. It was used to help prioritise fire risk assessment reviews for relevant residential buildings, but responsible persons should now use a suitable risk-based approach and seek competent fire safety advice where building risk, external walls, flat entrance doors or evacuation strategy require review.
What Was the Fire Risk Assessment Prioritisation Tool (FRAPT)?
FRAPT was a web-based prioritisation tool intended to support responsible persons when deciding which buildings should be reviewed first following the commencement of section 1 of the Fire Safety Act 2021.
The tool considered factors linked to building structure, external walls, flat entrance doors, evacuation strategy and previous fire risk assessment findings. Its purpose was prioritisation only. It did not replace the legal duty to carry out, record and review a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment.
Who Was FRAPT Intended For?
FRAPT was intended for responsible persons managing relevant residential buildings, including landlords, building owners, managing agents and others with control of multi-occupied residential premises.
Now that FRAPT has closed, responsible persons should not rely on it as a live tool. Instead, they should prioritise reviews using current fire safety duties, professional judgement and competent advice where needed.
What Factors Did FRAPT Consider?
Although FRAPT is no longer available, the types of factors it considered remain useful when thinking about risk-based prioritisation. These included:
- Building height and number of storeys
- External wall materials and balcony construction
- Flat entrance door and communal fire door condition
- Fire detection and warning arrangements
- Evacuation strategy
- Compartmentation and previous survey findings
- Sprinklers or other suppression systems
- Previous fires or known defects
- Unusual or complex internal layouts
What Should Responsible Persons Do Now?
Responsible persons should continue to make sure fire risk assessments are suitable, sufficient, recorded and kept under review. Where several buildings are managed, reviews should be prioritised using a risk-based approach.
Priority may need to be given to buildings with external wall concerns, known compartmentation defects, poor fire door condition, complex evacuation strategies, vulnerable occupants, previous enforcement concerns or significant changes since the last assessment.
For current legal context, see our guides to the Fire Safety Act 2021, Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls.
Need Help Prioritising Fire Risk Assessment Reviews?
Fire Risk Assessment Network can help responsible persons and managing agents arrange fire risk assessments and reviews for residential, commercial and mixed-use buildings.
What Is the Fire Safety Act 2021?
On 16 May 2022, the Fire Safety Act 2021 came into effect in England and Wales. This act is designed to improve fire safety in buildings, following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017. This act clarifies the scope of the Fire Safety Order to make clear it applies to the structure, external walls (including cladding and balconies), and individual flat entrance doors between domestic premises and the common parts of a multi-occupied residential building.
Who Developed FRAPT?
FRAPT was developed by government with input from fire safety and housing stakeholders. It is now best treated as part of the history of how Fire Safety Act 2021 implementation was prioritised, rather than as a tool responsible persons can still access and use.
Conclusion
FRAPT was useful as a prioritisation tool when responsible persons were reviewing fire risk assessments following the Fire Safety Act 2021. However, it has now closed and should not be presented as a current route to compliance.
The practical duty remains the same: responsible persons must ensure fire risk assessments are suitable, sufficient, recorded and reviewed. Where buildings are complex or higher risk, competent professional fire safety advice should be sought.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does FRAPT stand for?
FRAPT stands for Fire Risk Assessment Prioritisation Tool.
Is FRAPT still available?
No. GOV.UK Fire Safety Act guidance was updated on 5 June 2026 to reflect the closure of the Fire Risk Assessment Prioritisation Tool.
Did FRAPT replace fire risk assessments?
No. FRAPT was a prioritisation tool. It did not replace the legal duty to carry out and review suitable and sufficient fire risk assessments.
How should buildings be prioritised now?
Responsible persons should use a risk-based approach, considering building height, occupancy, vulnerability, external wall risk, flat entrance doors, known defects, evacuation strategy and previous assessment findings.
Can Fire Risk Assessment Network help with prioritising reviews?
Yes. Fire Risk Assessment Network can help responsible persons and managing agents arrange fire risk assessments and reviews across residential, commercial and mixed-use buildings.
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