Home / Inquiries / Grenfell Tower Inquiry / P1-28
← P1-27 P1-29 →
P1-28

National guidelines for high-rise evacuations

Grenfell Tower Inquiry · Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 1 Report · Issued 30 October 2019 · Addressed to: UK Government

Government responseUK Government: Accepted in part (Jan 2020)

DeliveryHome Office says completed (Feb 2025)

Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry

●Inquiry recommendation, 33.22a

The government develop national guidelines for carrying out partial or total evacuations of high-rise residential buildings, such guidelines to include the means of protecting fire exit routes and procedures for evacuating persons who are unable to use the stairs in an emergency, or who may require assistance (such as disabled people, older people and young children).

Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 1 Report · 30 Oct 2019 Source PDF →

Published evidence summary

AI-generated evidence summary

The Home Office reported in February 2025 that action on this recommendation was complete, stating that evacuation guidelines for the Fire and Rescue Service were published in February 2024 (Home Office, Feb 2025). The department noted in the same February 2025 update that these guidelines drew on four research projects undertaken with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, covering operational research, human behaviour, building design, and a rapid evidence review (Home Office, Feb 2025).

Sources

Home Office, Feb 2025

AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026.

Government response

●UK Government · Accepted in part · 21 Jan 2020

Words of: HM Government (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government), Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report: Government Response, January 2020 (published on GOV.UK 21 January 2020)

The Chairman recommended that Government should develop national guidelines for carrying out evacuations of high-rise residential buildings. To do this, the Home Office and MHCLG have already formed a steering group together with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) which includes technical specialists, academics, fire sector leads and employee group representatives. The steering group met for the first time on 18 December 2019 and have inputted into the scope and commissioning of research into ‘Stay Put’ and evacuation. The work of the steering group will also contribute to MHCLG’s Technical Review of Approved Document B of the Building Regulations on building design matters relating to ‘Stay Put’ and evacuation.

An initial evidence review has already been conducted and the Home Office will commission a more detailed independent evidence assessment shortly. This will include a literature review and analysis of existing policies, including international examples. It is anticipated that this will be followed by technical ‘operational’ research and the development of national guidance to support all Fire and Rescue Services.

Extract from: Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report: Government Response

Site note: This is the government's response to the Phase 1 report (CP 209, 21 January 2020). It is organised by theme, not by recommendation, and states its position once, in its introduction: "the Government accepted in principle all these recommendations", meaning the recommendations "relevant to government". Where the row shows a passage from a themed section, that is the section on this recommendation's subject; where it shows the introduction, the response has no passage on this recommendation's subject. The status on a recommendation addressed to government is the introduction's. Where the recommendation is addressed to building owners, the emergency services or the National Police Air Service, the response describes work without stating acceptance, and the row is marked noted.

Delivery

●Home Office says completed · 26 Feb 2025

Status: complete

The Inquiry recommended in Phase 1 report that Government should develop national guidelines for carrying out partial or total evacuations of high-rise residential buildings. Home Office and the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), on advice from a technical steering group undertook four research projects:

a Home Office summary report of operational research carried out by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) was published on 5 February 2024

a report on human behaviour which has been published by OFR Consultants in May 2023

a report on building design which has been published by OFR Consultants in March 2024

the evacuation from fire in high-rise residential buildings: a rapid evidence review was published by the Home Office in November 2022

Evacuation guidelines to the Fire and Rescue Service have been drawn from the reports and research listed above as well as related work and were published on 5 February 2024.

From: Progress against the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 recommendations, February 2025

Site note: This is the Home Office's thematic update on progress against the Phase 1 recommendations. Its introduction says it includes updates from the relevant government departments and assurances received from the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade and other emergency services on their progress. The status line and the passage are the Home Office's compilation of what those bodies reported to it; where the passage gives a status for fire and rescue services and a separate one for London Fire Brigade, both are shown as printed.

Earlier statements on delivery (0)

●Home Office · 16 Sep 2024

Status: Complete

The Inquiry recommended in Phase 1 report that Government should develop national guidelines for carrying out partial or total evacuations of high-rise residential buildings. In December 2019, a joint Home Office and the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)) technical steering group was set up to support a research project to review means of escape provisions in blocks of flats including the use of the ‘stay put’ strategy and evacuation.

The work, including operational research has been undertaken and completed. The reports stemming from the research on operational, building and human behaviour include:

A Home Office summary report of operational research carried out by the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) was published on 5 February 2024.

A report on human behaviour which has been published by OFR Consultants in May 2023.

A report on building design which has been published by OFR Consultants in March 2024.

The Evacuation from fire in high-rise residential buildings: a rapid evidence review was published by the Home Office in November 2022.

The evacuation guidelines have been drawn from the reports and research listed above as well as related work. The guidelines were passed to NFCC in December 2023 and were published on 5 February 2024.

From: Progress against the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 recommendations, September 2024

Site note: This is the Home Office's thematic update on progress against the Phase 1 recommendations. Its introduction says it includes updates from the relevant government departments and assurances received from the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade and other emergency services on their progress. The status line and the passage are the Home Office's compilation of what those bodies reported to it; where the passage gives a status for fire and rescue services and a separate one for London Fire Brigade, both are shown as printed.

●Home Office · 5 Feb 2024

Status: Complete

The Inquiry recommended that the Government develops national guidelines for carrying out partial or total evacuations of high-rise residential buildings. In December 2019, a joint Home Office and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities technical steering group was set up to support a research project to review means of escape provisions in blocks of flats including the use of the ‘stay put’ strategy and evacuation.

The work, including operational research has been undertaken and completed. The reports stemming from the research on operational, building and human behaviour include:

A Home Office summary report of operational research carried out by the University of Central Lancashire (UClan) was publish on 5 February 2024.

A report on human behaviour which has been published by OFR Consultants in May 2023.

A report on building design will be published by OFR which is anticipated to be Spring 2024.

The Evacuation from fire in high-rise residential buildings: a rapid evidence review was published by the Home Office in November 2022.

The evacuation guidelines have been drawn from the reports and research listed above as well as related work. The guidelines were passed to NFCC in December 2023 and have been published on 5 February 2024.

From: Progress against the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 recommendations, February 2024

Site note: This is the Home Office's thematic update on progress against the Phase 1 recommendations. Its introduction says it includes updates from the relevant government departments and assurances received from the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade and other emergency services on their progress. The status line and the passage are the Home Office's compilation of what those bodies reported to it; where the passage gives a status for fire and rescue services and a separate one for London Fire Brigade, both are shown as printed.

How this page is built

The recommendation and the government responses are verbatim from primary documents. Delivery statements and other bodies' findings are shown in their own words, each with its source. The summary is written by this site and labelled as such. The Index does not paraphrase sources or characterise intent; it records what has been published.