65% of social housing fire doors “failing safety standards”

Based on Freedom of Information (FoI) data emanating from 88% of England’s local authorities, the research provides the first national ‘snapshot’ of fire door compliance since mandated annual inspections were introduced back in January 2023.

Three-pillar failure: inspection, performance and remediation

The findings identify a critical gap between legislative intent and ‘on the ground’ delivery across three key areas: inspection, performance and remediation.

Despite a legal requirement for annual checks, the majority of social housing fire doors remain uninspected. Only 46% of flat entrance doors and 89% of communal doors have been inspected even once since January 2023.

Two-thirds of fire doors (63% of entrance doors and 67% of communal doors) failed to meet the FD30 legal minimum (a 30-minute fire-resistance standard that has been a Building Regulations requirement for over 30 years).

Accountability is stalling. 63% of non-compliant doors are still awaiting repair or replacement, while 51% of local authorities currently have no formal plan in place for remediation work.

Regionally, the underlying data shows even greater variation, both in terms of  performance standards and levels of inspection activity. Further, the research presents only a partial picture. Housing associations manage similar numbers of properties, but are exempt from FoI requests so there’s limited transparency on their inspection and compliance rates. Sentry Fire Safety Group estimates similar levels of underperformance and non-compliance.

Systemic constraints

There are well-recognised and systemic constraints behind these outcomes, which are identified in the report. Although Sentry Fire Safety Group initiated this research, the organisation believes that a cross-industry and multi-agency approach is essential to counter these constraints and ensure meaningful change.

Sentry Fire Safety Group engaged with policymakers, regulators and industry leaders ahead of the report’s publication and the findings were peer reviewed and validated at an industry and policy meeting, at which point recommendations for structural solutions were gathered.

Jon Gatfield, executive chair at the Sentry Fire Safety Group, explained: “It has been three years since the Fire Safety (England) Regulations came into force and our research shows that implementation has not progressed at the pace required to protect residents. Without intervention, non-compliance will persist.”

Gatfield added: “We are not here to apportion blame. Our goal in publishing this research is simple: to support measurable risk reduction, drive stronger accountability and strengthen protection for residents. We believe there’s a need for a co-ordinated and cross-sector response to ensure safety obligations are delivered in practice, not just in principle.”

Bob Blackman MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fire Safety and Rescue, observed: “Fire safety failures are preventable. We must address the structural weaknesses, from funding to greater transparency, before further risk accumulates so that we can ensure every resident is protected by standards that are actually enforced. Addressing these issues is critical to safeguarding vulnerable tenants and ensuring that homes are genuinely safe from fire. With collective action, we have a chance to turn regulation into reality.”

*Access copies of the White Paper online at https://sentrydoors.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Fire-Safety-In-Social-Housing.pdf

Research impetus and methodology

As a supplier to the sector, Sentry Fire Safety Group had long suspected that the mandated inspection and remediation programme for fire doors wasn’t progressing at the rate required. In the absence of any data, the national evidence-based research project was initiated to quantify the extent of the issue.

FoI requests were submitted to 296 local authorities across England to obtain direct and verifiable data. As stated, 88% of local authorities (ie 261) responded to the request, with 176 (67%) authorities providing usable data. 75 local authorities (ie 29%) reported that their social housing is managed by housing associations and therefore resides outside the scope of FoI requests. Only ten (ie 3%) formally declined to provide data.

Headline data for each region can be found in the report and underscores the “uneven progress” in fire door compliance across England. Reflecting its concentration of high-rise housing stock, London presents the highest risk concentration with the lowest front door inspection rate (33%) and FD30 certification (19%) and the highest number of non-compliant doors (44,129), representing 66% of all non-compliant doors in England.

The North East shows particularly low certification levels (20% front doors, 10% communal) despite strong communal inspection coverage (99%). The South West demonstrates the strongest communal inspection performance (98%) and high communal FD30 compliance (97%).

Fire Door Safety in Social Housing Industry Round Table

The Fire Door Safety in Social Housing Industry Round Table took place on 26 February and included representatives from Fire Door Maintenance, UAP, STARK UK, George Boyd, CLC, the Fire Door Association and the Fire Safety Unit at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The Fire Door Safety in Social Housing Policymakers’ Round Table took place on 2 March and included representatives from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fire Safety and Rescue, the Building Safety Regulator, the Fire Safety Unit at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Association of British Insurers and the London Fire Brigade.

The Sentry Fire Safety Group is a specialist manufacturer of timber fire and security door sets for the social housing, public sector, commercial and residential markets. Operating nationally from two manufacturing facilities in Doncaster and Birmingham, Sentry Fire Safety Group has established a strong reputation for manufacturing products that meet the most rigorous quality and fire certification standards. Its commitment to regulatory compliance and high manufacturing standards has resulted in independent third party accreditations from Certifire and BM Trada Q-Mark.

*Further information is available online at www.sentryfiresafetygroup.co.uk and www.sentrydoors.co.uk