An evacuation lift is designed to support the evacuation of people who may be unable to use stairs during an emergency. It forms part of the wider evacuation strategy for the building and needs to be considered alongside the protected route, management arrangements, power supplies, controls and communication systems required for its use.
Whether an evacuation lift is required depends on the building, its occupants, the evacuation strategy and the requirements that apply to the project.
Evacuation lift provision should therefore be considered during the design of the building rather than treated simply as an additional lift specification at a later stage.
When Should an Evacuation Lift Be Provided?
For buildings in England, Approved Document B currently states that lifts should generally not be used when there is a fire unless their use forms part of a management plan for evacuating people and the lift is appropriately sited, protected and provided with the safety features needed to remain usable during a fire.
Approved Document B refers to Annex G of BS 9999 for guidance on the design and use of evacuation lifts.
This means there is not currently a single general height threshold that determines whether every building must have an evacuation lift. The appropriate provision depends on the building, the needs of its occupants and the evacuation strategy adopted for the project.
Particular consideration should be given to buildings where occupants may not be able to use stairs independently, or where relying solely on stairs, refuges or evacuation aids would not provide an appropriate evacuation strategy.
Evacuation Lifts & Disabled Evacuation
Evacuation lifts are particularly relevant when planning means of escape for people who cannot use stairs or who would require assistance to descend several floors.
This can include wheelchair users and people with mobility impairments, but evacuation planning should not assume that mobility is the only factor affecting a person’s ability to use stairs during an emergency.
The evacuation strategy needs to consider the expected occupants of the building, the assistance that may be required and how evacuation will be managed if a person cannot use the normal stair route.
Where an evacuation lift forms part of that strategy, its location, operation and management arrangements need to be established alongside the other means of escape provisions.
What Does Approved Document B Say About Evacuation Lifts?
Approved Document B states that lifts should not generally be used during a fire unless their use is incorporated into the evacuation management plan.
Where an evacuation lift is used, the guidance requires the lift to be appropriately sited and protected and to contain safety features that allow it to remain usable during a fire.
The guidance also recognises that, where a firefighting lift is provided, it can be used to evacuate disabled people. In these circumstances, the management plan needs to establish how this will be handled and what will happen when the fire and rescue service arrives.
This does not make a firefighting lift and an evacuation lift the same thing. Their primary functions and operational arrangements remain different.
What Is BS 9999 Annex G?
BS 9999 provides guidance on fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings. Annex G includes guidance relating to evacuation lifts and their use as part of an evacuation strategy.
The lift cannot be considered independently from the surrounding building and management arrangements. The protected route, lift lobby, power arrangements, communication systems and procedures used to manage evacuation all form part of the overall provision.
The exact requirements need to be established for the individual project rather than assuming that the presence of a suitable passenger lift alone provides an evacuation lift.
What Is BS EN 81-76?
BS EN 81-76:2025 is the current standard covering additional requirements for new passenger and goods-passenger lifts that can be used to support the evacuation of persons with disabilities, including during a fire alarm.
It supplements the general lift requirements contained in EN 81-20 and addresses the additional provisions required where a lift is intended to support evacuation.
BS EN 81-76 does not replace the wider fire strategy or building requirements. The lift still needs to be incorporated into an appropriately designed and managed evacuation arrangement.
What Needs to Be Considered When Specifying an Evacuation Lift?
An evacuation lift needs to be designed around both the lift system and the way it will be used during an emergency.
Depending on the building and applicable requirements, considerations may include:
- The location of the evacuation lift
- Protected access and waiting areas
- Evacuation lift lobbies
- Power supplies and electrical protection
- Emergency communication systems
- Lift controls and evacuation operating modes
- Capacity and expected evacuation demand
- Access for wheelchair users and other occupants requiring assistance
- Fire and smoke protection around the lift
- Management procedures during an evacuation
The lift specification should therefore be coordinated with the architect, fire engineer, building-services designers and those responsible for the building’s evacuation strategy.
Evacuation Lift vs Firefighting Lift
An evacuation lift and a firefighting lift have different primary purposes.
An evacuation lift is intended to support the evacuation of building occupants who may be unable to use stairs.
A firefighting lift is primarily intended to support fire and rescue service operations by providing protected vertical access during an incident.
The design, controls, protected environment and management arrangements reflect these different functions.
For further information on the requirements relating to firefighting lifts, see our Firefighting Lifts page.
Can a Firefighting Lift Be Used for Evacuation?
Approved Document B recognises that a firefighting lift can be used to evacuate disabled people where appropriate management arrangements are in place.
If this approach forms part of the building’s evacuation strategy, the management plan needs to establish how the lift will be used during evacuation and what happens when the fire and rescue service arrives and requires control of the lift for firefighting operations.
The suitability of this arrangement therefore needs to be established during the fire and evacuation planning for the building rather than assumed after the lift has been installed.
Do Evacuation Lifts Need Backup Power?
An evacuation lift intended to remain available during a fire needs a power arrangement appropriate to its emergency function.
The electrical supply, protection of associated circuits and arrangements required if the normal power supply is lost need to be coordinated with the lift system and wider fire-safety design.
The precise provisions will depend on the lift, building and applicable design requirements.
What Is an Evacuation Shaft?
From 30 September 2026, amendments to Approved Document B introduce the term “evacuation shaft” into the guidance.
An evacuation shaft is defined as a protected shaft containing a protected stairway, an evacuation lift together with its machine room, and evacuation lift lobbies.
The associated evacuation lift lobby is a protected area providing direct access to the evacuation lift where a person can wait in relative safety while evacuation is underway.
These changes establish clearer terminology for projects where an evacuation lift is incorporated into the protected means of escape arrangement.
Are Evacuation Lifts Required in Residential Buildings Over 18m?
At the time of writing, there is an important distinction between current requirements and proposed future guidance.
The government consulted in 2026 on proposals to recommend evacuation lifts in residential buildings with a top storey 18m or more in height.
That proposal should not currently be treated as an established general requirement.
Projects should therefore be assessed against the guidance and requirements that apply to the particular building and the stage at which the work is being carried out.
Can an Evacuation Lift Be Installed in an Existing Building?
Evacuation lifts can be considered for existing buildings, but the available options depend on the building structure and the wider evacuation arrangements.
Existing lift shafts, available space, protected routes, electrical supplies, fire protection and access at each floor all need to be assessed.
In some cases, the work required around the lift may be as significant as the lift installation itself because the protected environment and supporting building provisions need to be considered as part of the complete evacuation solution.
A site and design assessment should therefore be carried out before a particular lift system is selected.
Why Evacuation Lift Planning Should Start Early
An evacuation lift affects more than the lift shaft.
Its location can influence escape routes, stair arrangements, protected lobbies, electrical services and the overall evacuation strategy for the building.
Considering the lift early allows these requirements to be coordinated while the building layout and services can still be adjusted.
It also allows the project team to establish who will use the lift, how evacuation will be managed and what provisions are required if the lift is unavailable.
Evacuation Lift Design & Installation
New Lift Solutions provides evacuation lift systems for projects where lift-assisted evacuation forms part of the building’s emergency strategy.
We can work with architects, fire engineers, contractors and other members of the project team to establish the lift specification and coordinate its requirements with the surrounding building design.
Early involvement helps ensure that the lift, protected access, electrical provision and operational requirements are considered together rather than independently.
Frequently Asked Questions About Evacuation Lifts
Does every high-rise building need an evacuation lift?
No single current rule requires an evacuation lift solely because every building exceeds a particular height. The appropriate provision depends on the building, its occupants, the applicable guidance and the evacuation strategy. Current Approved Document B guidance should be considered alongside the requirements applying to the individual project.
Who can use an evacuation lift?
An evacuation lift is intended to support people who may be unable to use stairs during an emergency. The people expected to use the lift and any assistance they may require should be considered as part of the evacuation strategy and management plan.
Can a normal passenger lift be used for evacuation?
A conventional passenger lift should not simply be assumed to be suitable for evacuation during a fire. Where lift-assisted evacuation forms part of the strategy, the lift needs to be appropriately protected, equipped and managed for that purpose.
Is an evacuation lift the same as a disabled access lift?
No. A disabled access or platform lift is primarily intended to provide accessible movement during normal building use. An evacuation lift has an additional emergency function and needs to be incorporated into the building’s fire and evacuation strategy.
What standards apply to evacuation lifts in the UK?
Current guidance includes BS 9999 provisions relating to evacuation lifts, while BS EN 81-76:2025 covers additional requirements for new passenger and goods-passenger lifts used to support the evacuation of persons with disabilities. The standards and guidance applicable to a particular project should be established as part of the wider building and fire-safety design.
Discuss Your Evacuation Lift Requirements
If your project requires an evacuation lift, New Lift Solutions can work with your project team to establish the appropriate lift specification and coordinate the installation requirements with the building’s fire and evacuation strategy.