New report warns fire safety rules risk trapping disabled residents

A new report from the University of Stirling, Trapped by Safety? Fire Doors, Accessibility and Policy Tensions in Housing, reveals how well-intentioned fire safety measures can leave older and disabled residents effectively trapped in their homes.

Drawing on interviews with housing, health and design professionals, the study highlights how heavy, self-closing fire doors often create “disabling by design” environments. It calls for national guidance, better cross-sector collaboration, and policies that balance fire safety with accessibility.

Without action, the report warns, safety rules may continue to exclude and endanger those they are meant to protect.