Since 2 March 2025, all new care homes in England must be fitted with sprinklers, regardless of their height or size. It is an important change for a sector that looks after some of the most vulnerable people in the country. Here is what care home operators and developers need to know.
What has changed?
Previously, the requirement for sprinklers in care settings depended on factors such as building height and size, which left some smaller homes without suppression. The updated guidance removes that gap: every new care home now requires a sprinkler system as standard. The change recognises that the risk in a care home is about the people inside, not the height of the building.
Why care homes are different
Care homes present a particular fire safety challenge. Many residents cannot evacuate quickly, or at all, without help. Staffing levels at night are lower, and a fire that spreads can put many lives at risk in a very short time. Sprinklers address this directly by controlling or extinguishing a fire at the source, often before it spreads beyond the room where it started. That can be the difference between a contained incident and a tragedy, and it buys vital time for staff to move residents to safety.
What it means for new care homes
If you are building a new care home, a sprinkler system designed to the appropriate standard is now part of the baseline specification. As with any building, it is far more efficient to design suppression in from the start than to add it later, so it should be coordinated with the architecture and building services from the outset. Our healthcare fire protection service covers care settings of every size.
What about existing care homes?
The new rule applies to new care homes, so existing homes are not automatically required to retrofit sprinklers. However, retrofitting is increasingly encouraged, and many operators choose to do it as part of a wider commitment to resident safety. Modern installation techniques mean sprinklers can often be fitted to an occupied home with minimal disruption, and the protection they provide is considerable.
Keeping the system reliable
A sprinkler system in a care home must be kept in perfect working order, because the people it protects depend on it completely. Regular servicing and inspection, with full documentation, keeps the system reliable and demonstrates compliance to inspectors and the Care Quality Commission. Sensitive working is essential, since the home remains occupied throughout.
Talk to a specialist
Whether you are building a new care home or considering retrofitting an existing one, we can advise on the right system and install it with the care a live setting demands. Contact Eversafe for a free site survey.
Frequently asked questions
Do all new care homes need sprinklers?
Yes. Since 2 March 2025, all new care homes in England must have sprinklers regardless of height or size.
Do existing care homes have to fit sprinklers?
The rule applies to new care homes. Existing homes are not automatically required to retrofit, though it is increasingly encouraged.
Can sprinklers be fitted to an occupied care home?
Yes. Modern techniques allow sprinklers to be retrofitted with minimal disruption to residents.