Stairs and guarding: England reviews Part K after more than 20 years

England's Building Safety Regulator (BSR) opened a call for evidence on 19 October 2026 on Part K of the building regulations — the part covering protection from falling, collision and impact in and around buildings. Neither Part K nor its statutory guidance, Approved Document K, has had a substantial review in more than 20 years. It runs for 10 weeks and closes on 28 December 2026.

What exactly is being reviewed?

Part K of schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010 and the statutory guidance in Approved Document K. Between them they cover stairs, ladders and ramps, handrails, guarding and protection from falls, windows, doors and gates, glazing, and vehicle barriers. The current edition of Approved Document K was published on 3 January 2013, absorbing the old Approved Document N on glazing and some overlapping guidance from Approved Document M.

BSR is explicit that it is not proposing policy changes. The current requirements stay in place while the review runs, and any future proposals to change the regulations or guidance would go to a separate consultation.

Why does this matter if you just live in a house?

Because Part K is the rulebook behind the staircase in your home, the handrail on your landing and the guarding on your balcony. BSR's duty to keep the safety and standards of buildings in England under review comes from the Building Safety Act 2022; since April 2023 it advises government on updating the Approved Documents. The invitation is not limited to professionals: alongside building control bodies, architects and designers, engineers, contractors and developers, manufacturers, building owners and managers, trade associations and standards bodies, the list ends with "anyone with relevant knowledge, expertise or experience". BSR adds that it wants to hear from people who live in, work in and visit buildings.

What are the current stair dimensions?

Worth knowing before you start building work: table 1.1 of the current Approved Document K sets out three categories. A private stair — one serving a single dwelling — has a rise of 150mm to 220mm, a going of 220mm to 300mm and a maximum pitch of 42 degrees. A utility stair has a rise of 150mm to 190mm and a going of 250mm to 400mm. A general access stair has a rise of 150mm to 170mm and a going of 250mm to 400mm. For external tapered steps that form part of a dwelling, the going of each step should be at least 280mm. The normal relationship between the dimensions is twice the rise plus the going.

What did the new stairs research find?

Alongside the call for evidence, BSR published an independent report, "Approved Document K: general access and utility stairs", on 14 October 2026. It was produced for the regulator by Rise and Going Consultancy and runs to 43 pages. It examines stairs in buildings other than dwellings and compares the guidance with British Standard BS 5395-1:2010.

The headline finding: raising the minimum going from 250mm to 300mm would have a dramatic effect on the risk of a large overstep in descent — a known leading cause of falls on stairs — and has the potential to reduce the risk of all falls on stairs by up to 80%. Widening the range of acceptable rises from 150mm–170mm to 130mm–180mm, the authors say, has little effect on overall risk, although further research is needed on whether it would raise the risk for people with ambulant disabilities. For utility stairs, moving the rise from 190mm to 200mm has a negligible effect, while a minimum going of 275mm with the rise kept at no more than 190mm holds the overstep risk down while the stair is used fewer than 12 times a day on average. Where a utility stair is likely to see more than 50 descents a day, the report suggests using general access dimensions instead.

ONLYWAY NEWSLIVEJobs & Business · 19.10Neonatal care leave in the UK: 12 weeks and £187.18 a weekMoney · 19.10UK mobile plans compared: where £8 buys what £25 doesHousing · 19.10Stairs and guarding: England reviews Part K after more than 20 yearsMoney · 19.10Refunds in the UK: 14 days online, less in a shopHousing · 19.10Rent repayment orders: how tenants claim back up to two years' rentTravel · 19.10Missing abroad: who to call first from the UKHousing · 19.10Drought: minister lets the Agency take more water to avoid rota cutsLife · 19.10Moving house in the UK: who needs your new addressTravel · 19.10Airport assistance for disabled passengers in the UK: what changesMoney · 19.10Carer's Credit: 20 hours of care a week that protect your State Pension recordONLYWAY NEWS · appInstall the ONLYWAY NEWS appFresh UK news, classifieds, key dates and exchange rates on your home screen, one tap away. Free.NewsClassifiedsCalendarRates

What guarding and handrails does a home need now?

In the current guidance, for a single family dwelling the guarding on stairs, landings, ramps and the edges of internal floors is 900mm, while external balconies, including Juliette balconies, need 1100mm. Guarding must be built so that a child cannot be held fast: a 100mm sphere should not be able to pass through it. The top of a handrail sits 900mm to 1000mm above the pitch line of the stair or the floor.

How do you respond, and by when?

The main route is the online survey on the BSR consultation site. The regulator estimates 10 to 45 minutes, depending on how many questions you answer; you can skip ones that are not relevant to you. The call opened on 19 October 2026 and closes on 28 December 2026.

If the online form does not work for you, responses are accepted by email at PartKCfE@buildingsafety.gov.uk and by post to Review of Part K: Call for Evidence – Technical Policy Team, Building Safety Regulator, 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 4PU. A written response must say which questions it answers and whether you reply as an individual or for an organisation, and must include your name, your position and organisation if applicable, an address including postcode, an email address and a telephone number. BSR asks for evidence, examples or case studies where possible, and asks respondents not to write "see above": answers are analysed question by question, so cross-references may not be captured.

Part K and this call apply to England.