Government Guidance

The Guidance from the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) on Means of Escape for Disabled People is also very clear on evacuation plans:

Of particular interest is section 1.1 - Legal overview which states:

"...Under current fire safety legislation it is the responsibility of the person(s) having responsibility for the building to provide a fire safety risk assessment that includes an emergency evacuation plan that includes an emergency evacuation plan for all people likely to be in the premises, including disabled people, and how that plan will be implemented.  Such an evacuation plan should not rely upon the intervention of the Fire and Rescue Service to make it work......" 

This is further backed up by the DCLG Guidance on Fire Safety Risk Assessment - Sleeping Accommodation section 3.4.3:

"Once a fire has started, been detected and a warning given, everyone in your premises should be able to escape to a place of total safety unaided and without the help of the fire and rescue service"

Whilst the Equality Act 2010 underpins the current fire safety legislation, it should be noted that public bodies have an additional duty, called the Disability Equality Duty (DED) that requires them to proactively promote the equality of disabled people.  This duty therefore requires such public bodies to ensure that disabled people do not face discrimination by: - not being provided with a safe evacuation plan from a building.