What is the Fire Authority?

Understanding the Role of the Fire Authority in the UK

The Fire Authority plays a central role in enforcing fire safety across the UK. If you’re a business owner, facilities manager, or landlord, it’s crucial to understand their powers, responsibilities, and how they differ from other regulatory bodies like the HSE or Building Control.

What is the Fire Authority?

The Fire Authority is the governing body responsible for fire and rescue services in a local area. It is typically made up of elected councillors drawn from local councils within the service area. These councillors form a Fire and Rescue Authority (FRA) or Combined Fire Authority (CFA), depending on the local structure.

In some areas, governance may fall under a Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, or a regional mayor (e.g. London, Greater Manchester). The operational work is carried out by the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS), such as the London Fire Brigade.

Key Responsibilities of the Fire Authority

1. Enforcement of Fire Safety Law Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Fire Authority is the principal body responsible for enforcing fire safety standards in non-domestic premises. This includes:
   • Conducting fire safety inspections
   • Investigating complaints or incidents
   • Taking enforcement action, including prosecution
2. Strategic Oversight and Local Risk Management They set local fire safety priorities, approve Integrated Risk Management Plans (IRMPs), and manage funding and staffing levels for fire services in their region.
3. Community Prevention and Education They support fire safety awareness through public campaigns, home visits, and school engagement programmes.

Enforcement Notices: What Do They Mean?

Fire and Rescue Services have legal powers to issue the following formal notices when they find non-compliance:

• Enforcement Notice: Issued when there has been a failure to comply with one or more fire safety requirements. It specifies what the responsible person must do to put things right, and by when. These are commonly used for issues like poor fire risk assessments, blocked fire exits, or faulty alarms.
• Prohibition Notice: Used when there’s a serious risk to life. This notice may prohibit the use of part or all of the premises until corrective action is taken. It is usually immediate and can severely impact a business if not anticipated.
• Alterations Notice: Issued to premises deemed high-risk, requiring the responsible person to inform the authority before making any significant changes (such as structural alterations or changes in building use) that could affect fire safety.

Failure to comply with any of these notices can lead to criminal prosecution, fines, or even imprisonment.

Fire Authority vs HSE vs Building Control vs Local Authority – In Plain English

Fire Authority

• Focus: Ongoing fire safety in occupied premises
• Powers: Inspect, issue notices, and prosecute under the Fire Safety Order
• Structure: Regional — based on county or combined authority areas
• Note: Their enforcement approach and priorities may vary by location, leading to inconsistent enforcement across the country

HSE (Health and Safety Executive)

• Focus: General workplace health and safety, with responsibility for fire enforcement in construction sites, factories, offshore facilities, and nuclear installations
• Powers: National body, with specialist inspectors
• Fee for Intervention: The HSE charges £174 per hour if they identify a material breach of health and safety law under their Fee for Intervention (FFI) scheme

Building Control

• Focus: Fire safety during the design and construction of buildings
• Role: Checks fire exits, compartmentation, alarms, etc., are compliant during builds
• Enforcers: Local Authority Building Control or private Approved Inspectors

Local Authority (Council)

• Focus: Environmental health, public safety, licensing, and planning
• Fire role: Can enforce fire safety in specific contexts, such as holiday parks, caravan sites, or leisure facilities, but usually defer to the Fire Authority for technical matters

Regional Variability and the Primary Authority Scheme

Because Fire Authorities are regionally governed, they can take different approaches to risk and enforcement. For example, a fire safety breach in London might lead to a formal notice, while the same issue in a rural area could be handled informally.

To address this inconsistency, the UK Government introduced the Primary Authority Scheme. This allows a business with premises across different regions to:

• Partner with a single Fire Authority
• Receive assured and consistent advice
• Avoid contradictory enforcement approaches

This is especially beneficial for national retailers, hospitality chains, and facilities managers with widespread sites.

HSE vs Fire Authority – Who Charges What?

The HSE can recover costs from businesses under the Fee for Intervention scheme:

• £174 per hour is charged for the time spent investigating and enforcing after identifying a material breach

In contrast, Fire Authorities do not currently have legal powers to charge for enforcement under FFI. While this may reduce the financial burden of an inspection, it can also result in fewer proactive visits in underfunded areas.

Final Thoughts

Understanding who enforces fire law—and where—can help you stay compliant, avoid costly mistakes, and prepare your business for inspections.

• The Fire Authority is your primary regulator for fire safety in occupied premises
• The HSE steps in for construction sites, factories, and certain high-risk sectors
• Building Control handles fire safety at the construction stage
• Local Authorities occasionally enforce fire law in leisure and holiday sectors

To ensure consistency across multiple premises, consider applying for a Primary Authority partnership.

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FAQs

Can the Fire Authority inspect my premises without warning?

Yes. They can enter non-domestic premises at any reasonable time to conduct a fire safety inspection.

What happens if I ignore an enforcement notice?

Ignoring notices can lead to prosecution, unlimited fines, and in serious cases, imprisonment.

What’s the benefit of a Primary Authority agreement?

You’ll receive consistent, legally recognised advice across all your UK sites—even if they’re in different Fire Authority regions.

Do Fire Authorities charge like the HSE?

No. Unlike the HSE, Fire Authorities do not charge businesses under a Fee for Intervention scheme.