Where Emergency Lights Are Required in the UK

For most people, emergency lighting might be synonymous with fire exit signs. And that’s not entirely wrong! But it’s more than that.

In times of power failure, the most dangerous thing to happen is people panicking. And what makes people panic more than sudden total darkness? That’s where emergency lights come in.

When the power goes out, these lights immediately switch on to provide enough illumination for people to find the exits and evacuate to safety.

In a busy office, crowded commercial space, or a warehouse, it can mean the difference between mass panic and organised evacuation.

But if you’re a business or building owner, where are emergency lights actually required? Do you need them in every room, stairwells, toilets, plant rooms, or staff-only areas?

In reality, there are a few things to consider.

That’s what we’re going to go through in this guide. We’ll discuss the different standards, like BS 5266 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.

We'll cover the buildings and areas that commonly need emergency lighting, including a few places that are surprisingly easy to overlook.

Why Emergency Lighting Is Required in the First Place

Picture this:

Fire breaks out in the building. Alarms blare. Power gets cut.

Even the familiar corridor you’ve been passing through in the last few years becomes difficult to navigate in the dark. And depending on the emergency, the sudden darkness could be scary.

That’s why emergency lighting is critical. These fittings are designed to provide illumination when the normal lighting supply fails.

BS 5266-1:2025 provides recommendations and guidance for the design, installation and wiring of these systems. The goal? Help people safely exit a building during an emergency.

But wait. Are emergency lights the same as emergency exit signs? Yes! There’s a difference.

An exit sign provides visual guidance towards an exit. They’re usually illuminated arrows pointing toward the nearest exit. Emergency lighting, on the other hand, provides illumination as would a regular light fitting. These are so people can actually see the route they're taking.

That said, a building may therefore need both.

During a power cut, all normal or regular lights cease their function. Meaning it can get really dark real fast. But good emergency lighting can help with:

• Safe evacuation

• Identifying escape routes

• Reducing confusion and panic

• Finding fire safety equipment

• Maintaining visibility in key areas

Emergency lighting is also important for fire safety compliance, so installing it is an essential part of getting up to code.

Which Buildings Need Emergency Lighting?

One building might have a different requirement than the smaller building next to it. A fire risk assessment is needed to help determine what's needed for the building.

Offices

Temporary or new staff and visitors will have a hard time evacuating in an emergency when there are no visible paths and emergency exit signs to guide them to safety.

That’s why emergency lighting is best installed along corridors, stairs, escape routes, and around exits. All of these can help people move safely during a power failure.

Retail Shops

Some shops might have straightforward building designs, but customers don't necessarily know the layout as well as staff do.

Emergency lighting can be important in customer areas, stock rooms, staff areas, and escape routes, particularly where the building is large, has multiple exits, or has areas without natural light.

Warehouses

Tall shelving in warehouses can obscure signs and create long aisles. During an emergency, these aisles can become dangerous, especially when items from the shelves fall down, creating obstacles during evacuation.

Loading areas, storage areas and access routes may also become difficult to navigate during a power outage.

Schools and Universities

You can’t expect all students, teachers, and visitors to know where the closest exit is during an emergency.

Emergency lighting and signs in corridors, stairwells, assembly halls, and other areas forming part of the evacuation route are crucial for ensuring safer evacuations.

Hotels

When was the last time you went to a hotel and the first thing you checked was the emergency escape route? (Maybe all of us should really make that a habit.)

But it goes without saying that most guests aren't familiar with the building.

That’s why emergency lighting along guest corridors, staircases, escape routes, and around exits is more than useful; it’s essential.

Hospitals and Care Homes

What do hospitals and care homes have in common? People who need help evacuating when there’s an emergency. Most of them also have complex layouts, so emergency lighting should be considered more of a requirement than just a lighting upgrade.

Apartment Buildings

For individual private homes, emergency lighting isn't usually required. In blocks of flats, however, it's a completely different story.

Shared corridors, stairwells, entrance halls, and basement areas fall under UK fire safety regulations and require proper backup lighting.

Areas that lack natural daylight, like underground car parks and basements, also need reliable emergency lighting to help residents evacuate safely, even during a daytime power failure.

Every Location Where Emergency Lighting Should Be Installed

Ask yourself: Where could someone struggle to find their way during an emergency if the normal lighting failed?

Escape Routes

The most obvious locations are the building’s escape routes. This covers everything from corridors, hallways, and internal pathways. Basically, any routes that lead to final exits.

You don’t want visibility to drop along these areas; otherwise, getting everyone out quickly and safely becomes a real challenge.

Emergency bulkhead lights are one option for illuminating corridors and other parts of an escape route.

Staircases

Stairs are one of the last places you'd want to leave in darkness, even when it’s not an emergency.

During a power cut, it can be much harder to judge step heights and changes in direction, increasing the risk of trips and falls during an evacuation.

And no one moves slowly during a panicked evacuation! Even greater risk of tripping and falling.

Your emergency lights should cover the stairs, landings, and changes in direction along the route. Emergency bulkhead lights are a good option for communal stairwells and shared corridors where a robust fitting is required.

Fire Exit Doors

Finding the way out during an emergency shouldn't feel like choosing a door in Let’s Make a Deal. Exit doors need to be properly marked or labelled, so evacuating people can easily identify where they need to go.

Emergency exit signs also help make the intended route clear, especially when the exit isn't immediately obvious.

But where should emergency exit signs be placed?

Illuminated signage should be positioned anywhere a person might hesitate: directly above final exit doors, across complex corridor junctions, at sudden changes in direction, or along particularly long stretches where extra reassurance is needed.

Kind of like saying, “The exit is this way. Yes, seriously, it’s this way.”

These labels usually have a green running man on them. So, if you see one, rest assured you’re guided.

Changes in Floor Level

Tripping and falling during an emergency is one of the no-nos if you want to get to safety quickly. But when visibility is poor, even a small change in floor level can become a trip hazard.

That's why emergency lighting needs to account for every shift in height across your space. This includes individual steps, ramps, split-level areas, raised platforms, and changes between connecting corridors.

It might be easy to say, “Everyone knows there’s a single step there,” but during an emergency, people are panicking, some might just forget, or visitors might not notice the change.

Open Areas (Anti-Panic Lighting)

Emergency lighting isn’t only for narrow hallways and escape routes.

Even large open spaces like warehouses, retail floors, large reception areas, and sports halls need emergency illumination when the main power fails. This helps people orient themselves and safely locate the nearest escape route.

Simply lighting the exit door wouldn't give occupants enough visibility to get there.

Toilets Above Certain Sizes

This might come as a surprise, but yes, even toilets need emergency lighting, especially larger toilets with more floor area. Think public toilets like in malls and other commercial premises.

Always consider how someone would reach safety if the normal lighting failed.

Plant Rooms

Some emergency lighting isn’t just about evacuation.

Case in point: plant rooms that can contain equipment that staff may need to access or shut down safely during an emergency.

These can be boiler rooms, electrical switch rooms, and generator rooms.

Lift Lobbies

It’s strongly advised against relying on lifts for escape during emergencies, particularly during a fire.

The lobby still needs consideration, though. Everyone in the lobby will still need guidance on their way to the stairs.

First Aid Rooms

Depending on the emergency, someone might need immediate medical assistance before being transported to the exit. That’s why emergency lighting in any first aid room (if available) should always be considered.

Fire Alarm Call Points

Automated smoke or heat sensors can fail over time, so a manual fire alarm call point should always be visible for every occupant in the building. Emergency lighting above them can be very useful, especially when they’re positioned along corridors or in less obvious areas.

Fire Fighting Equipment

Emergency lighting can also help people identify important fire safety equipment, such as:

• Fire extinguishers

• Hose reels

• Fire blankets

These can give occupants a better chance of getting to safety, depending on the emergency.

Areas That Often Get Forgotten

Then we have the boring little corners that everyone doesn’t even bat an eye on.

Cleaner cupboards, small storage rooms, staff kitchens and rear delivery entrances can all be forgotten during an installation, particularly when the building has been altered over time.

Basement corridors are another common blind spot. Service corridors, plant access routes, and roof access areas are another common blind spot.

External escape routes deserve some attention too. An outside staircase might be the closest path to safety for occupants, so lighting needs to be suitable for this route.

These spaces frequently come up during fire risk assessments because the assessment looks at how people actually use the building, not just simply following what the floor plan says.

That’s why it’s recommended to walk through the building to see firsthand where emergency lighting is needed.

How Risk Assessments Decide Where Emergency Lights Are Needed

I guess this is the point I’ll be repeating over and over in this guide: a checklist alone isn't enough. The lighting needs to reflect the way the building is actually used.

That’s because fire risk assessment considers the actual building and how people use it.

Some relevant considerations:

• Occupancy: Who uses the building and how many people are likely to be there?

• Travel distances: How far do occupants need to travel to reach safety?

• Hazards: Are there stairs, machinery, storage systems, or other hazards along the escape route?

• Building layout: Is the building open-plan, multi-storey, compartmentalised, or complex?

• Fire strategy: What evacuation arrangements and escape routes are in place?

Maintained vs Non-Maintained Emergency Lighting

This is probably where most confusion happens when getting an emergency light.

Maintained Lighting

Simply put, this type of emergency lighting functions like a regular daily light fitting. Then, when a sudden power cut happens, instead of shutting off like the rest of the lights, this one remains switched on to provide light for evacuation.

This type can be useful in environments where all lights need to look like part of the normal operation, including some entertainment and public venues.

Non-Maintained Lighting

These are emergency lights that remain off during normal operating hours, but in the event of a power cut, they automatically switch on to provide illumination.

They're commonly used in places such as offices, warehouses, and schools where normal lighting provides everyday illumination and emergency lighting is reserved for power failures.

But which one to use?

You choose the type of emergency lighting based on how people use the space. That’s why the building matters.

• Maintained emergency lights are like a night light that's already switched on. They stay lit all the time, so people can see important signs and routes even during normal use.

• Non-maintained emergency lights are like a torch you keep in a drawer. You don't need it when the lights are working, but it switches on when the power goes out.

Common Emergency Lighting Mistakes

1. Missing stair lighting - Stairs are too important to leave to chance. Check every flight, landing and change in level.

2. Poor exit sign positioning - A sign can be perfectly illuminated and still be practically useless if it's hidden behind another structure or can't be seen from where it matters.

3. Not illuminating fire equipment - Extinguishers and alarm call points may become difficult to locate when the normal lighting fails.

4. Installing too few fittings - One emergency light at the end of a corridor doesn't automatically mean the entire route is adequately lit.

5. Not regularly testing fittings - Emergency lighting needs to be regularly tested and maintained, not installed once and forgotten about.

6. Not updating emergency lighting - Making renovations like adding a wall or a new corridor can potentially change the way people move through the building. Your emergency lighting system may need to change with it.

Choosing the Right Emergency Lights

Hey, knowing where to put your emergency lights is only half the process. The next question is what type of fitting to use.

Emergency Bulkhead Lights

If you’re looking for durability, bulkhead fittings are a practical choice for general illumination.

You can commonly see them in corridors, stairwells, service areas, warehouses, and other commercial environments.

Their enclosed design allows them to withstand everyday abuse.

Emergency Exit Signs

These are your guides in times of emergency. When you’re disoriented and can’t find your bearings, just look for these signs, and they’ll show you the way.

They’ve got arrows, unmistakable EXIT text, and typically a little green man running towards a door.

Emergency Downlights

These are more discreet compared to the bulky bulkhead and exit signs. Emergency downlights are useful in modern commercial interiors where a traditional bulkhead fitting might look a little too industrial for the space.

If you’re looking to maintain a clean ceiling design, then these are the ideal fittings for your space.

Emergency Twin Spot Lights

You ask someone what they think an emergency light is, and they most likely will point to a twin spot emergency light. These are useful where you need to direct light over a larger area or towards specific escape routes.

They’re ideal for larger spaces and areas with higher ceilings, but you would see them even in smaller establishments.

But now you know better.

Emergency LED Panels

Who knew your regular LED panel lights can become emergency lights as well? Some panels come with built-in emergency backup power, but you can also use regular panels as emergency lights.

Just add a compatible emergency pack specifically made for LED panels. Now your panel gets three hours of light to help with safe evacuation.

Emergency Conversion Kits

If you're upgrading an existing lighting installation, conversion kits can be worth considering.

Rather than replacing every existing fitting, an emergency conversion kit can allow suitable luminaires to be adapted for emergency operation.

The emergency pack mentioned above is one example. You could also certainly find ones for other types of light fittings.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Leave Your Escape Route in the Dark

Emergency lighting isn’t just compliance for compliance’s sake.

It's about making sure that if your normal lights suddenly go out, every person in the building can still see enough to make their way towards safety.

The keywords here are “emergency” and “safety.”

That means looking beyond obvious escape signs and considering corridors, staircases, changes in floor level, final exits, larger open areas, fire equipment, toilets, plant rooms and all the less glamorous corners that are easy to forget.

Of course, the exact requirements will depend on the building, its occupants, layout, and fire strategy, which is why a suitable fire risk assessment is so important, because that will tell you what type of emergency lights you need.

If you’re in the market for reliable emergency lighting, check out Simple Lighting’s collection.

We’ve got exit signs, bulkheads, downlights, panels, and other emergency lighting solutions that can get you started on the right track towards proper safety compliance.

Browse our range today!