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Flats: Fire Prevention

Asked by Mr Joshua ReynoldsLiberal DemocratMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 27 March 2026UIN 122356

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to communicate to mortgage lenders the Government's guidance that buildings under 11 metres in height do not require an EWS1 form.

Answered by Samantha Dixon

Officials in my department have regular engagement with financial sector stakeholders. Lenders have been encouraged to move away from the use of EWS1 forms for buildings of all heights, and instead to rely on a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW). An EWS1 form is not a government, legal or regulatory requirement. Not all lenders ask for an EWS1, but whether they do, remains a commercial decision.

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