Protecting buildings
that cannot be replaced.
Fire safety for churches & places of worship.
A church fire is not just a property loss — it is the loss of something irreplaceable. Ancient timber roofs, centuries-old stonework, irreplaceable artefacts, and the living heart of a community. We work with churches, chapels, and places of worship across the North West to put proportionate, practical fire safety measures in place — respecting the building, the congregation, and the budget.
Who is the Responsible Person in a church?
The legal duty falls on whoever has control of the building — and in a church, that is rarely straightforward.
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) is the Responsible Person and employs the legal duty under the fire safety order. In practice this is often managed by the churchwarden or an appointed fire safety officer within the PCC.
The parish priest or parish administrator typically holds responsibility, with oversight from the diocese. Where the diocese owns the building, responsibilities may be shared — this should be explicitly documented.
The trustees or circuit are typically the Responsible Person. Many free church buildings are also used by other congregations or community groups — each use must be reflected in the fire risk assessment.
Where the church building is let to external groups — toddler groups, community events, food banks — the Responsible Person must ensure those users are aware of the fire safety arrangements. The assessment must reflect all uses of the building, not just Sunday services.
The situations we
encounter most often
Churches are often managed entirely by volunteers with competing demands on their time. Fire safety is important but rarely urgent — until it is. These are the situations that bring churches to us.
"We know we should have a fire risk assessment but nobody has ever actually arranged one. A new churchwarden has taken over and wants to get things in order."
This is the most common situation we encounter with churches. Fire safety obligations have existed since 2006 under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order — but with volunteer governance and limited resources, many churches have simply never addressed them formally. We carry out assessments that are thorough, proportionate, and priced with community organisations in mind.
"Our insurer has asked for a fire risk assessment as a condition of renewal. We have ecclesiastical insurance but they want documentation we don't have."
Ecclesiastical insurers — including Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, the primary insurer for Church of England properties — routinely require a current fire risk assessment as a condition of cover. An insurer's renewal request is one of the most common triggers for church enquiries. We produce documentation that meets insurer requirements and gives you a clear record going forward.
"We are planning building work — a new kitchen extension, a meeting room, or a heritage restoration project — and we need the fire safety to be assessed as part of the planning."
Any material change to a church building — new extensions, altered escape routes, changed uses of existing spaces — requires the fire risk assessment to be reviewed. Where the building is listed, the assessment also needs to be sensitive to heritage constraints that limit what interventions are possible. We understand both the fire safety and the heritage dimensions, and produce recommendations that are realistic for the building.
What makes churches
different to assess
A church is not an office or a warehouse. The building fabric, the ignition sources, and the occupant profile are all different — and the consequences of a fire are categorically different too.
Ancient timber & hidden voids
Medieval and Victorian church roofs are typically constructed of dry, aged timber — some of it centuries old. Roof voids are often large, unsprinklered, and inaccessible to firefighters. A fire that reaches the roof space of a historic church is almost impossible to control. The assessment must specifically address the risk of fire spread into roof voids and the adequacy of early detection.
Candles & open flames
Candles are a central part of many church services and are one of the most common ignition sources in places of worship. Candle management — including the use of candle holders, proximity to fabric and wooden surfaces, supervision during and after services, and procedures for leaving the building — must be specifically addressed in the assessment.
Ageing & piecemeal wiring
Many church electrical systems have been added to and modified over decades, often without a comprehensive rewire. Old wiring in roof voids, poorly installed lighting for events or concerts, and the use of temporary extension leads for community activities all contribute to electrical fire risk. This is one of the leading causes of serious church fires in the UK.
Listed building limitations
Most historic church buildings are listed, which limits the interventions available — you cannot simply install a standard suppression system or cut through historic stonework to run new cabling. The fire risk assessment must produce recommendations that are achievable within heritage constraints. We understand how to work within those limitations to achieve meaningful risk reduction.
Deliberate fire-setting
Over 150 UK churches suffered arson attacks in recent years. Churches are often unlocked for prayer during the day, have limited natural surveillance, and contain combustible materials throughout. Arson risk assessment — covering access control, perimeter lighting, CCTV, and combustible material management — is a specific and important element of the assessment for any church.
Elderly & vulnerable attendees
Many church congregations include a high proportion of elderly attendees, people with limited mobility, and visitors unfamiliar with the building layout. The evacuation plan must be realistic for the actual congregation — not just able-bodied adults. Where regular attendees have specific mobility needs, individual evacuation plans should be in place.
A note on proportionality
Fire safety in a listed church building is not about imposing modern commercial standards on an ancient building — it is about identifying the real risks, taking proportionate action to reduce them, and documenting that process clearly. Many of the most effective fire safety measures in a church are procedural rather than structural: how candles are managed, how the building is checked before locking up, how volunteers are briefed. A good fire risk assessment for a church tells you what actually matters — and what does not. That is what we aim to produce.
Three services.
Priced for community organisations.
We understand that churches operate on restricted budgets and are managed largely by volunteers. Our pricing reflects that — and our assessments are practical rather than prescriptive.
Fire risk assessments
From £295 per assessmentA heritage-aware assessment that identifies the real risks in your building and produces proportionate, achievable recommendations — not a list of expensive interventions that aren't possible in a listed building.
- Full building assessment including roof voids where accessible
- Candle management and open flame risk
- Electrical system risk assessment
- Arson risk — access, perimeter, combustible materials
- Evacuation planning for elderly and vulnerable attendees
- Community use and lettings considered
Fire door inspections
From £14 per doorFire doors in churches are often poorly maintained or incorrectly specified — particularly where they have been added retrospectively to a historic building. We assess every component and advise on realistic remedial action within heritage constraints.
- Frame, leaf, intumescent seals, hinges & hardware
- Self-closing devices and smoke seals
- Photographic evidence per door
- Recommendations sensitive to listed building status
Fire safety training
From £395 per sessionPractical training for church wardens, stewards, and regular volunteers. We cover the specific challenges of evacuating a church — large open spaces, elderly attendees, unfamiliar visitors, and candle management.
- Fire marshal training for wardens and stewards
- Hands-on extinguisher use on a live fire
- Evacuation procedures for Sunday services and events
- Candle safety and end-of-service procedures
- Certificates issued to all attendees
What the law
requires of churches
The fire safety order applies to churches in the same way it applies to any other non-domestic premises. Being a charity or a volunteer organisation does not create an exemption.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies to all non-domestic premises to which members of the public have access — which includes every church, chapel, and place of worship that holds services or events. The Responsible Person must carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and implement all measures identified by it.
The obligation has existed since 2006 and there are no exemptions for small congregations, volunteer governance, or listed building status. The fire authority can inspect any church and issue improvement or prohibition notices where compliance cannot be demonstrated. In practice, enforcement action against churches tends to follow incidents or complaints rather than routine inspection — but the legal exposure is the same.
From an insurance perspective, Ecclesiastical Insurance Group — which insures approximately two-thirds of Church of England churches — has increasingly made fire risk assessment documentation a condition of cover. Other ecclesiastical insurers have followed. A current, properly documented assessment is both a legal requirement and an insurance necessity.
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
Always appliesApplies to all non-domestic premises including churches. Requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. No exemption for charities, volunteers, or listed buildings.
Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
From January 2023Requires Responsible Persons to provide fire safety information to relevant persons and maintain records of all fire safety measures and checks. Applies to churches.
Listed building consent
Where applicableStructural fire safety interventions in listed buildings require listed building consent from the local authority. The fire risk assessment must produce recommendations that acknowledge this — not simply specify standard commercial solutions.
Ecclesiastical insurer requirements
Check your policyMost ecclesiastical insurers now require a current fire risk assessment as a condition of cover. Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, the largest insurer of Church of England buildings, routinely requests documentation at renewal.
Experience you can
put in a report.
Tim founded Fletcher Risk Management in Chester — a city with an exceptional concentration of historic church buildings, including Chester Cathedral, St John the Baptist, and numerous listed parish churches. He has assessed churches and community buildings across the North West and understands the specific challenges of producing fire safety recommendations that are both legally compliant and practically achievable in a historic building managed by volunteers.
- ABBE Level 4 Diploma in Fire Risk Assessment
- NEBOSH National General Certificate
- FPA Fire Safety Management Certificate
- Member — Institute of Fire Safety Managers
- Member — Fire Protection Association
Sam oversees operations and brings both fire safety qualifications and a legal background to the practice. For churches navigating the intersection of fire safety law, listed building consent, and insurer requirements, Sam's legal training gives him a thorough understanding of where those frameworks interact — and how to produce documentation that satisfies all three.
- ABBE Level 4 Certificate in Fire Risk Assessment
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- 10+ years fire safety experience
"Without doubt one of the best and most professional businesses I have used for our Fire Risk Assessment. Tim Fletcher is a highly regarded professional in his field. The advice he gives is worth every penny." — Chris H. · Google Review ★★★★★
"Without doubt one of the best and most professional businesses I have used for our Fire Risk Assessment. Tim Fletcher is a highly regarded professional in his field. Don't take a chance — protect your building and your community."
"Thorough, professional, and excellent value. The report was clear and the action points prioritised in a way that made it easy to know exactly what to tackle first. Would recommend without hesitation."
"Tim was incredibly knowledgeable and gave us honest advice rather than just telling us what we wanted to hear. He understood the constraints of our building and his recommendations were actually achievable."
Protecting your church
starts with a conversation.
We work with churches of all sizes and denominations across the North West and North Wales. Call us for an honest, no-obligation conversation about what your building needs.