Amendments to Approved Document B (fire safety): Circular 01/2025 (England)

THE BUILDING ACT 1984

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MINISTRY OF HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Housing Communities and Local Government Circular

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 2 March 2025

THE BUILDING ACT 1984

THE BUILDING REGULATIONS 2010

APPROVED DOCUMENT B, VOLUME 1 & VOLUME 2

•AMENDS APPROVED DOCUMENT B (FIRE SAFETY) VOLUME 1: DWELLINGS, 2019 EDITION INCORPORATING 2020 AND 2022 AMENDMENTS COLLATED WITH 2025, 2026 AND 2029 AMENDMENTS

•AMENDS APPROVED DOCUMENT B (FIRE SAFETY) VOLUME 2: BUILDINGS OTHER THAN DWELLINGS, 2019 EDITION INCORPORATING 2020 AND 2022 AMENDMENTS COLLATED WITH 2025, 2026 AND 2029 AMENDMENTS

•AMENDS 2025 AMENDMENTS TO APPROVED DOCUMENT B, VOLUME 1 AND VOLUME 2

Circular number

01/2025

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INTRODUCTION

1.I am directed by the Secretary of State to draw your attention to the revision of the following documents to correct minor errors:

a.Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 1: Dwellings, 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments

b.Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings, 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments

c.2025 amendments to Approved Document B, volume 1 and volume 2

2.The revisions will come into force on 2 March 2025. They do not affect the timelines set out in Approved Document B (Fire Safety): new updates to support enhanced fire safety - GOV.UK published on 02 September 2024.

3.The purpose of this Circular is to announce the revision of the following documents to correct minor errors:

a.Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 1: Dwellings, 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments

b.Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings, 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments

c.2025 amendments to Approved Document B, volume 1 and volume 2

APPLICATION OF THE APPROVED DOCUMENTS

4.The changes made to the Approved Documents only apply to buildings and building work in England.

TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS

5.The revisions to the guidance come into force on 2 March 2025. They do not affect the timelines set out in Approved Document B (Fire Safety): new updates to support enhanced fire safety - GOV.UK published on 02 September 2024.

APPROVED DOCUMENTS

6.Approved Document B (Fire Safety) (2019 edition incorporating the 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments) has been updated with a corrected version.

7.A detailed description of the amendments can be found in the circular letter published here: Building regulations: divisional circular letters - GOV.UK

8.Annex A to this Circular gives the Notice of Approval for the amended Approved Documents.

9.Copies of the amended Approved Documents are available from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/approved-documents, or

RIBA https://www.ribabookshops.com/

ENQUIRES

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10.All enquiries on matters covered by this Circular should be addressed to:

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Fry Building

2Marsham Street

London SW1P 4DF

Tel: 0303 444 0000 E-mail: buildingassurance@communities.gov.uk

Signed:

John Palmer

Building Act 1984

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ANNEX A – Notice of Approval

Building Act 1984

NOTICE OF APPROVAL OF REVISION OF DOCUMENTS GIVING PRACTICAL GUIDANCE WITH RESPECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BUILDING REGULATIONS 2010
The Secretary of State hereby gives notice under section 6 of the Building Act 1984 that, in the exercise of said powers under section 6, he has approved revisions to the documents listed below for the purposes of giving practical guidance with respect to the specified requirements of the Building Regulations 2010. The approval takes effect on 2 March 2025.
Document	Requirements of the Building Regulations 2010 in respect of which the document is approved
Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 1: Dwellings, 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments	Part B, Schedule 1 Regulation 38
Approved Document B (fire safety) volume 2: Buildings other than dwellings, 2019 edition incorporating 2020 and 2022 amendments collated with 2025, 2026 and 2029 amendments	Part B, Schedule 1 Regulation 38
2025 amendments to Approved Document B, volume 1 and volume 2
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State	J. Palmer An Assistant Secretary for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government