All of the confirmed revisions to Approved Documents for Part B: Fire Safety (ADB) have been brought together in printed versions that are now available via RIBA.
RIBA has been working with the HSE to produce the printed updates for 'Volume 1: Dwellings' and 'Volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings' to help architects (and industry) navigate the changes and the staggered timetable for their coming into force, with each new introductory deadline having its own transitional arrangements. The documents are presented with colour-coded sections highlighting paragraph-by paragraph when the new and forthcoming changes apply.
Officially subtitled ‘2019 edition incorporating 2020, 2022 and 2025 amendments and forthcoming 2026 and 2029 changes – for use in England’, the ADBs cover the revisions published in 2024, which saw key changes such as fire safety information and the removal of national classes for reaction to fire and roofs come into force on 2 March 2025. The new publications also capture future confirmed changes.
What are the transitional arrangements for Approved Document B?
It is important for architects and designers to be aware of the various transitional arrangements so that emerging requirements can be anticipated and discussed.
The 2019 edition incorporating the 2020 and 2022 amendments will continue to apply where a building notice or an initial notice has been given to, or a building control approval application with full plans made to, the relevant authority before 2 March 2025 and either the building work to which it relates has started and is sufficiently progressed:
- before that day; or,
- within the period of six months beginning on that day.
What changes came into force in March 2025?
New guidance on sprinklers in care homes now requires the provision of sprinklers for all new care homes irrespective of height. These changes also remove all previous allowances where sprinklers are provided, which previously allowed increased number of beds per compartment and the removal of self-closing devices for doors.
All references to standard BS 476 in relation to reaction to fire and roofs are removed, ending the dual system for classification in favour of the European Standard (BS EN 13501 series) alone.
Speaking to RIBA when the changes were first published (in September 2024's 'What are the latest changes to Approved Document B and when do they take effect?'), Charles-Elie Romeyer, from the Health and Safety Executive, explained that removal of BS 476 will end the situation where there are two alternative ways of demonstrating compliance, and remove confusion surrounding potential “equivalence”, thereby simplifying the system for specifying architects.
This move to a clearer and more transparent testing regime implemented a recommendation of the Hackitt Report that was supported by then Minister for Building Safety, Rushanara Ali.
Read all of RIBA’s news and professional features on fire safety.
What changes take effect from 30 September 2026?
There are building design provisions to support the use of evacuation lifts in blocks of flats. The recommendation is that where a building has lifts at least one should be an evacuation lift.
There is a new recommendation for more than one common stair to be provided in blocks of flats with a storey 18m or more in height.
Charles-Elie explained that these amendments will come into force on 30 September 2026 with a further 18 months for these projects to start and sufficiently progress on site within that timeframe. This means that designers working on projects that may be affected should advise their clients that building control approvals received before this date must have started and sufficiently progressed within the period of 18 months beginning on that day.
Any approval will otherwise lapse and a new application, in line with current regulations at the time of submission, will be required. This could incur significant redesign and reprogramming in respect of a second stair being accommodated, making this a critical project agenda item.
While there is a transition period for ADB, similar guidance in BS 9991:2024 is in effect already. Read about why an advisory note published by the Construction Leadership Council on the adoption of BS 9991:2024 is critical for those preparing building control approval applications for higher-risk buildings (HRBs).
What changes take effect from 2 September 2029?
Changes focus on fire safety provisions following the removal of national classes for fire resistance. References to BS 476 in relation to broader fire resistance testing of products and materials will be removed following a transition period that ends on this date.
Purchase and download the printed versions of Approved Document B, Volumes 1 and 2.
Text by Neal Morris. This is a professional feature edited by the RIBA Practice team. Send us your feedback and ideas.
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