UK Care Home Fire Causes: Must-See Infographic for 2025

Written by David Brayfield

May 13, 2025

See the top causes of UK care home fires in our new infographic. Learn what's behind 9,560 incidents since 2011—and how to prevent them. See the full Care Home Fire Alarm Guide and get access to our FREE Care Home Fire Safety Toolkit.
UK Care Home Fire Safety

Fire incidents in care homes are more common than you might think. There have been 9,560 reported care home fires in England since 2011—an average of 735 per year. We’ve created a visual breakdown of the top fire causes, so you can act on the data and improve your home’s fire safety.

UK Care Home Fire Causes

Share this With Your Team – Download the PDF

Use the resource on…

  • Staff noticeboards
  • Induction packs
  • Fire safety briefings

Key Stats at a Glance

  • 45% of fires started by cooking appliances
  • 17% caused by smokers’ materials
  • 12% from electrical appliances
  • 10% from electrical distribution faults
  • Other causes: space heating, matches, candles, heating systems

“We want to help care homes across the UK become safer, smarter and better prepared. We hope our Care Home Fire Alarm Guide and our downloadable ACT Fire Safety Toolkit.”

David Brayfield, Managing Director

✅ Ready to Take Action?

Get the complete step-by-step guide to fire alarm compliance, PEEPs, L1 systems and more. Designed for care home managers and compliance leads.

Read the Full Care Home Fire Alarm Guide

What This Means for Your Care Home

Care homes face unique risks: residents with limited mobility, 24/7 operations, and staff-led evacuations. These stats highlight just how important it is to:

  • Regularly test and maintain your fire alarm system
  • Keep kitchen areas monitored and fire-safe
  • Ensure smoking is strictly controlled and risk-assessed

Take the Next Step

Reduce your risk of becoming the next statistic.

Download the Free Care Home ACT Fire Safety Toolkit
Take the 3-Minute Fire Safety Assessment
Book a Compliance Review Call

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