65% of Social Housing Fire Doors Failing Safety Standards
A new report has raised concerns about fire door safety in England’s social housing sector, with research suggesting that nearly two-thirds of doors are failing to meet minimum fire resistance standards.
The study by Sentry Fire Safety Group analysed Freedom of Information responses from 88% of England’s local authorities, providing what is described as the first national snapshot of fire door compliance since annual inspections became mandatory in 2023 under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022.
Inspection and compliance gaps
The findings highlight challenges across three areas - inspection, performance and remediation.
Despite the legal requirement for annual checks, only 46% of flat entrance doors and 89% of communal doors have been inspected at least once since January 2023.
The research also found that 63% of entrance doors and 67% of communal doors failed to meet the FD30 standard, the minimum requirement for 30 minutes of fire resistance.
Progress on repairs also appears slow, with 63% of non-compliant doors still awaiting repair or replacement. Meanwhile, 51% of local authorities surveyed do not currently have a formal remediation plan in place.
Regional differences and transparency concerns
The report highlights regional variation across England, with London showing the highest concentration of risk, including the lowest inspection rate for flat entrance doors and the largest number of non-compliant doors.
Researchers note that the findings represent only a partial picture of the sector. Housing associations manage a similar volume of social housing but are not subject to Freedom of Information requests, limiting transparency around compliance rates.
Jon Gatfield, executive chair at Sentry Fire Safety Group, said the research shows implementation of the regulations has not progressed at the pace needed to fully protect residents.
Industry leaders are now calling for a coordinated response across government, regulators and housing providers to address the structural challenges affecting fire door compliance.
Register for the Fire Safety Event 2026 (UK) at the NEC Birmingham, 28-30 April 2026: The Fire Safety Event
Subscribe to Fire Safety Digital for monthly updates.
