Fire Risk Assessment Template
Looking for a fire risk assessment template? Discover why UK businesses choose our guided online assessment over free templates, with guided questions to document your fire safety duties under UK law.
Only £25 + VAT • Guided questions • Instant PDF report
What is a Fire Risk Assessment Template?
A fire risk assessment template is a document that helps you systematically identify fire hazards, evaluate risks, and document the fire safety measures in your premises. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, every non-domestic premises in England and Wales must have a documented fire risk assessment.
Legal Requirement
Failing to have a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment is a criminal offence. Penalties include unlimited fines, enforcement notices, and potential imprisonment for serious breaches. The responsible person (usually the employer, landlord, or building owner) is legally accountable.
Free Fire Risk Assessment Templates
While free templates are available, it's important to understand their limitations before relying on them for your legal compliance.
Pros of Free Templates
- No upfront cost
- Can be customised to your needs
- Good starting point for learning
- Downloadable PDF or Word format
Cons of Free Templates
- No guidance on how to complete correctly
- Easy to miss critical hazards
- No automatic risk scoring
- Not tailored to your specific premises
- Easy to leave out the written action plan
- No prompts to record who is especially at risk
- Time-consuming to research and complete properly
- Gaps are easy to miss if filled in incorrectly
Complete Your Fire Risk Assessment with Guidance
Skip the guesswork with our guided online assessment. Answer simple questions about your premises and receive an instant PDF report: a written record of your findings and a prioritised action plan.
Guidance at Every Step
Written for non-specialists. If your premises are complex or you're unsure, use a competent assessor
Built Around the Fire Safety Order
Guided questions based on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and GOV.UK guidance (England & Wales)
Professional PDF Report
A clear written record and action plan you can show an inspector, insurer or letting agent if asked
Instant Risk Score
Automatic calculation with prioritised action plan
GOV.UK Five-Step Approach
Hazards, people at risk, actions, recording and review
Tailored to Your Premises
Questions adapt based on your property type and use
DIY Fire Risk Assessment
One-time payment • No subscription
- Guided questionnaire with help text
- Instant professional PDF report
- Automatic risk score calculation
- Prioritised action plan with timescales
- Records people especially at risk and next review date
- Dashboard access to manage assessments
- Written record you can show an inspector if asked
14-day cooling-off before you start • Secure payment via Stripe
Free Template vs Our Assessment
See why our guided assessment is the smarter choice than a blank template.
| Feature | Free Template | Our Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Written for non-specialists | Varies | Yes |
| Automatic risk scoring | No | Yes |
| Prioritised action plan | Manual | Automatic |
| Professional PDF report | Basic | Comprehensive |
| Guidance at each step | No | Yes |
| Tailored to your premises | No | Yes |
| Dated record of findings and actions | Manual | Yes |
| Cost | Free | £25 + VAT |
How it works
Built around the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
- 1
Tell us about your premises
Enter the responsible person and property details.
- 2
Pay a fixed price securely
One-off payment by card, processed by Stripe.
- 3
Answer the guided questions
Work through fire hazards, detection, escape routes, equipment and management.
- 4
Get your PDF report
Your report is generated when you complete the assessment, ready to download.
What's included in your report
- Executive summary with an overall risk score and risk level
- Responsible person and property details
- Findings based on your answers
- Recommendations grouped by high, medium and low priority, each with an action
- Guidance on the responsible person's duties (Article 3 of the Fire Safety Order)
- When to review your assessment
Clear, fixed prices
- Online DIY assessment£25 + VAT (£30 inc. VAT)
- Flat assessment£45 + VAT (£54 inc. VAT)
- HMO assessment£80 + VAT (£96 inc. VAT)
- On-site assessor visit£250 + VAT (£300 inc. VAT)
Each price is a one-off payment for that assessment.
Legal basis: Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Fire Safety Act 2021 and Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022; Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 in Scotland.
Secure payment: card payments are processed by Stripe.
14-day cooling-off: full refund within 14 days if the assessment hasn't been started and the report hasn't been opened. See terms.
Common questions
Is an online fire risk assessment legally acceptable?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires a suitable and sufficient assessment by the responsible person, not a particular format. The online tool helps you record it. For complex, larger or higher-risk premises, book an assessor visit instead.
Is this a certificate of compliance?
No. The report is based on the information you provide and is not a certificate of compliance. If you are unsure, an on-site assessor visit (£250 + VAT) may suit you better.
Are there any hidden costs?
No. Each price is a one-off fixed payment for that assessment, shown with and without VAT before you pay.
Can I get a refund?
For online and HMO assessments you can request a full refund within 14 days if the assessment hasn't been started and the report hasn't been opened. Assessor visits can be cancelled for a full refund up to 48 hours before the appointment. See our terms for details.
What about Scotland and Northern Ireland?
The Fire Safety Order applies in England and Wales. Scotland has its own legislation, the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, and our Scottish pages explain the differences.
Understanding Fire Risk Assessment Templates
A fire risk assessment template serves as a structured document to help the 'responsible person' (as defined by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005) identify fire hazards, evaluate risks to people, and determine appropriate fire safety measures for their premises.
Who Needs a Fire Risk Assessment?
Under UK fire safety law, a fire risk assessment is mandatory for virtually all non-domestic premises, including:
- Offices and commercial buildings
- Shops and retail premises
- Restaurants, pubs, and cafés
- Hotels, B&Bs, and guest houses
- HMOs and rental properties
- Warehouses and industrial units
- Schools and educational buildings
- Care homes and healthcare facilities
- Common areas in blocks of flats
The Five Steps of Fire Risk Assessment
Whether using a free template or our guided assessment, a proper fire risk assessment follows five key steps as outlined in government guidance:
- Identify fire hazards - Sources of ignition, fuel, and oxygen
- Identify people at risk - Employees, visitors, vulnerable persons
- Evaluate, remove, or reduce risks - Implement protective measures
- Record findings and plan actions - Document everything
- Review and update regularly - Keep the assessment current
Why Choose Our Guided Assessment Over a Free Template?
While free fire risk assessment templates are available from various sources, they require significant fire safety knowledge to complete correctly. Our guided online assessment walks you through each question, automatically calculates your risk score, and generates a written report with a prioritised action plan, without having to work out the structure of a blank template yourself.
At just £25 + VAT, our assessment costs a fraction of hiring a fire safety consultant while giving you a clear written record and action plan you can show a fire safety inspector, insurer or letting agent if asked. It is a self-assessment based on your answers, so for complex premises use a competent assessor.