WHAT THE GUIDANCE SAYS

Hear it early,
get out fast.

A working alarm buys you time.

UK fire safety guidance comes down to a few habits: an alarm on every level, tested every month, two planned ways out, and a quick check of the kitchen, plugs and candles before bed.

Check a situation Read the short answer

An adult hand reaching up to press the test button on a white smoke alarm on a landing ceiling in soft daylight — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

01 Alarm on every level02 Two ways out03 Close doors at nightSmall habits, safer homes

THE SHORT ANSWER

Warning first,
then a way out.

Most fire safety is about time.
An alarm gives you warning, a plan gets you out.

SMOKE ALARMS

One on every level

Fire Kills guidance says you are around 8 times more likely to die in a fire without a working smoke alarm. Fit one on every level and test it monthly.

How to do it

THE KITCHEN

Where most fires start

Around half of home fires are caused by cooking accidents. Take extra care if you leave the kitchen, and never throw water on a pan fire.

See the numbers

ESCAPE

Plan two ways out

Plan two escape routes and practise them. Close inside doors at night and keep keys where everyone can find them.

Check a situation

A QUICK SAFETY CHECK

What is happening
at home?

Pick an everyday situation to see what the guidance says to do. The bar shows how urgent it is.

Based on the GOV.UK Fire Kills leaflet Fire safety in the home. In a fire, always get out, stay out and call 999.

Safety check

Choose a situationGoing to bedSeveral plugs, one socketCandles lit for the eveningHot oil starts smokingA door feels warm in a fire

Going to bedBedtime check

Close inside doors, check the cooker is off, unplug appliances not meant to stay on, and do not run the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher overnight.

Several plugs, one socketOne plug per socket

Try to keep to one plug per socket. Extension leads have a limit on amps, so be careful not to overload them.

Candles lit for the eveningNever unattended

Two fires a day start from candles. Put them out when you leave the room and make sure they are completely out at night.

Hot oil starts smokingHeat off

Turn off the heat and leave it to cool. Never throw water on a pan fire and do not tackle a fire yourself.

A door feels warm in a fireUse another way

A warm door means the fire is on the other side, so use your other route. If smoke is about, keep low where the air is clearer.

Source: GOV.UK, Fire safety in the home (Fire Kills leaflet, accessible version, updated May 2022).

TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING

Alarms and kitchens,
by the numbers.

Home Office figures for England,
year ending March 2026.

SMOKE ALARMS · HOME OFFICE

Dwelling fires with no smoke alarm present

23<small>%</small>

England had 26,180 dwelling fires in the year ending March 2026. No smoke alarm was present in 23% of them, and in a further 19% an alarm failed to operate.

COOKING · HOME OFFICE

Accidental dwelling fires started by cooking appliances

42<small>%</small>

Cooking appliances were the largest specified ignition source, at 42% of accidental dwelling fires. Misuse of equipment or appliances caused 27%.

The same Home Office release, published 19 August 2026, counted 184 fire-related deaths in dwellings, 72% of all fire-related deaths that year.

A quiet hallway at night with the inside doors closed and a set of house keys hanging on a hook by the front door — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

FOUR HABITS TO TRY

Ten minutes now,
minutes saved later.

None of these needs much more than a step stool and a conversation with the people you live with.

Press the test button monthlyTest every alarm at least once a month. Change one-year batteries every year, and replace a ten-year alarm every ten years.
Fit an alarm on every levelOn the ceiling, in the middle of a room or on the hallway and landing. Not in or near kitchens or bathrooms, where a heat alarm can work instead.
Plan two ways outAgree two escape routes, practise them, and keep exits clear and keys easy to find.
Do a bedtime checkClose inside doors, check the cooker is off, turn off heaters and unplug what does not need to stay on.

IF YOU RENT

Landlords have
a duty too.

Since 1 October 2022, landlords in England must make sure there is at least one smoke alarm on each storey used as living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that has a fixed combustion appliance (gas cookers excepted). They must repair or replace faulty alarms once told.

Fire and rescue services also offer free home visits. Shropshire Fire and Rescue's free Safe and Well visit, for example, includes testing smoke alarms, talking through the main causes of fire and planning an escape route.

A frying pan on a hob with a tea towel hung well away on a rail and a hand turning the cooker dial to off — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK

Frequently asked

How often should I test my smoke alarm?

At least once a month. If an alarm has a one-year battery, change it every year; a ten-year alarm should be replaced as a whole every ten years. Vacuum alarms every six months to clear dust.

Where should smoke alarms go?

Fit at least one on every level of your home, on the ceiling, in the middle of a room or on the hallway and landing. Keep them out of kitchens and bathrooms, where a heat alarm can be used instead.

What should I do if there is a fire?

Get out, stay out and call 999. Check doors before opening them; if a door is warm, the fire is on the other side. Keep low if there is smoke, and call 999 once you are clear. Calls are free.

What if my way out is blocked?

Gather everyone in one room, ideally with a window and a phone. Put bedding along the bottom of the door, call 999, open the window and shout "HELP FIRE". Do not jump.

What causes most home fires?

Cooking. Fire Kills says around half of home fires are caused by cooking accidents, and faulty electrics cause around 4,000 home fires a year. Heaters start about three fires a day and candles two.

SOURCES

Where the facts come from

Each figure on this page comes from the sources below. Check them for the full detail and context.

Hear it early,get out fast.

Warning first,then a way out.