Consultation Launched: Fire Safety of Domestic Upholstered Furniture

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has launched a public consultation on proposed reforms to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.

The consultation was published yesterday and follows the Government policy paper released in January 2025. It reflects the outcomes of stakeholder engagement activities and a comprehensive review of the available evidence base. The Government is now seeking views from industry and other stakeholders on the proposed changes.

Consultation period and access

The consultation will be open for 12 weeks, closing on 23 June 2026.
The consultation document can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/product-regulation-fire-safety-of-domestic-upholstered-furniture

Following the close of the consultation, the Government will review the submissions received and publish a formal response. This response will outline a proposed timeline and roadmap for implementing any agreed reforms.

Context: wider product safety reform

This publication forms part of a wider announcement on reforming the product safety framework, following the Product Regulation and Metrology Act receiving Royal Assent in July 2025.

OPSS has also confirmed that it will host a virtual launch event covering all three related consultations on 13 April (11:30–12:30). The event is intended for all interested stakeholders and will outline the proposals and respond to initial questions. Further details, including how to join, will be shared by OPSS in due course.

Summary of the proposals

The consultation sets out the Government's plans to:

• Introduce new furniture fire-safety requirements based on a smoulder test, and end mandatory open-flame testing
   
• Provide greater flexibility for manufacturers by allowing compliance through either component testing or composite testing
   
• Remove re-upholstery, repair, and second-hand furniture from the scope of the sector-specific regulations, with these products instead to be regulated under the General Product Safety Regulations

How to respond

Responses can be submitted directly to Government in the following ways:

• Online via the consultation page:  https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/product-regulation-fire-safety-of-domestic-upholstered-furniture 
   
• By downloading the response form from the consultation page and emailing it to: furniturefiresafety@businessandtrade.gov.uk 

FIRA members who wish to contribute to a collective industry response can email their completed response form to info@fira.co.uk 

FIRA will collate member feedback submitted via this route as part of an industry-wide response.

Members are encouraged to review the consultation proposals and consider whether they wish to provide input before the consultation closes on 23 June 2026.