Sprinklers will become mandatory in all new care homes in England irrespective of height from 2 March 2025.
The mandate follows a 2022 government consultation to amend Approved Document B of the building regulations to install sprinklers in new care homes, regardless of building height.
The consultation came after CIOB fellow Steven Miles and his wife Claire, whose mother died in a care home fire in 2017, campaigned for sprinklers to become mandatory in all care homes. The CIOB supported this campaign.
Until this amendment to Approved Document B, there was no blanket recommendation for sprinklers in this type of facility.
New care homes will be expected to limit compartment sizes to 10 beds while ensuring self-closing devices are fitted to doors.
Building safety minister Rushanara Ali announced the update on Monday (2 September). “Sprinklers enhance fire protection where residents may be reliant on others for help and assistance, especially if a building evacuation is needed,” she said.
“Many care home providers already include sprinklers in new designs. For those that do not yet provide for sprinklers, again, I recognise that businesses and investors seek certainty. So, care homeowners and developers will benefit from a six-month transition period until the guidance comes into effect and will then have a further six months to enable work on current development projects that are underway, or about to start, to continue.”
The NSW government made automatic fire sprinkler systems mandatory in all residential aged care facilities after the tragic nursing home fire in Quakers Hill, Sydney in 2011. These laws took effect on 1 January 2013.