Brocade
TL;DR: BSI has published PAS 9980:2026, the revised code of practice for fire risk appraisal of external walls (FRAEW) in existing blocks of flats, replacing the 2022 edition. GOV.UK says an FRAEW done under the 2022 edition stays valid until it needs review, so you do not need to re-commission appraisals because of it. What changes is commissioning: from now on, specify the 2026 edition in every new or renewed FRAEW brief, and check what your cladding funding route expects before you instruct anyone.
Read our guide to tracking FRA actions →
What Changed in PAS 9980:2026
PAS 9980:2026 is a revised edition of the code of practice that specialist assessors use to judge the risk of fire spreading over or within the external walls of an existing block of flats. BSI announced it in a press release dated 14 September 2026, and the BSI Knowledge catalogue lists its publication date as 30 September 2026. Either way, it was published in September 2026.
BSI summarises the revision in one sentence: it "clarifies aspects of the methodology, streamlines content and reflects industry developments." The press release adds that the standard aims for more consistent FRAEWs "by providing a structured methodology, common terminology and clearer documentation requirements."
Government guidance published the same day is more direct about the scale of the change.
PAS 9980:2026 replaces PAS 9980:2022. The updated version provides a clearer and more structured assessment process but does not significantly change how risk is assessed.
— MHCLG, Understanding fire risk appraisals of external walls in blocks of flats, 14 September 2026
The principles carry over. The methodology is still risk-based, and BSI's release says it "reinforces the principle that remediation decisions should be proportionate to the level of risk presented by a building, rather than adopting a blanket approach to the removal or replacement of cladding." It is still a voluntary code of practice, and it is free: BSI offers the document as a no-cost download.
We have not listed clause-by-clause differences from the 2022 edition. BSI's public pages do not set them out, and your assessor is the right person to explain which changes touch your buildings.
Do You Need a New FRAEW?
No, not because of the new edition alone. GOV.UK says so directly.
If an FRAEW was completed by a competent assessor using PAS 9980:2022, it should continue to be valid until it needs to be reviewed or updated. A new FRAEW will usually only be required if there is a change to the building's external walls, or it is recommended in a subsequent FRA.
— MHCLG, Understanding fire risk appraisals of external walls in blocks of flats, 14 September 2026
So the triggers for a new appraisal are the same ones you already track: a change to the external walls, or a recommendation in a later fire risk assessment (FRA). If a leaseholder, lender or contractor tells you a 2022-edition FRAEW is now out of date, point them to that GOV.UK page.
Not every building needs an FRAEW at all. GOV.UK says buildings with traditional brick or masonry walls are generally unlikely to need one, provided the construction is confirmed as masonry and not, for example, brick slip over combustible insulation. It also says an FRAEW "may be needed for blocks of flats of any height."
How an FRAEW Feeds Your FRA
The FRAEW informs the FRA; it does not replace it. The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarified that, for buildings with two or more domestic premises, the fire risk assessment required by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 must cover the building's structure and external walls, including cladding, balconies and windows.
BSI's catalogue entry puts the relationship in one line.
The outcome of an FRAEW is intended to inform fire risk assessments (FRAs) of multistorey, multi-occupied residential buildings.
— BSI Knowledge, PAS 9980:2026
In practice the sequence runs in a loop. The FRA action plan recommends an FRAEW. The FRAEW gives a risk outcome (low, tolerable, medium or high, in GOV.UK's summary). Then, in GOV.UK's words, "the building's FRA should be updated to reflect the findings." If your FRA still reads as it did before the FRAEW came back, that loop is open.
The responsible person for the FRA, according to the same GOV.UK guide, "is usually the building owner, landlord, managing agent or housing provider, depending on who has control of the building's common parts." If you are a managing agent, check your management agreement to see whether that is you for each block.
See how Brocade tracks FRA actions and their evidence →
What to Do Now
Five steps, in the order we would take them.
1. List every FRAEW you hold, with its edition and date. For each block, record whether it has an FRAEW, which edition of PAS 9980 it was done under, the risk outcome, and whether the FRA was updated afterwards. A block with a 2023 FRAEW rated medium risk and an FRA that still predates it is the one to look at first. 2. Do not re-commission valid 2022-edition appraisals. Use the GOV.UK wording above in your file note so the decision is recorded, and so the next person to ask gets the same answer. 3. Name the edition in every new brief. When you commission or renew an FRAEW, ask the assessor in writing which edition they will work to, and specify PAS 9980:2026. GOV.UK's step-by-step guide to commissioning an FRAEW says assessor skills and ethics are covered in PAS 9980:2026 Clause 5 and Annex B, and warns that "a standard fire risk assessor may not have the specialist skills needed to carry out an FRAEW." 4. Check the funding route before you instruct anyone. If you are applying for the Cladding Safety Scheme, the commissioning guide says your application "must include an FRAEW completed by a firm on this panel." The under-11-metre fund overview, last updated 17 August 2026, still refers to PAS 9980:2022. Ask Homes England or your panel assessor which edition they expect, and keep the reply on file. 5. Gather the documents before the assessor arrives. The commissioning guide lists what helps: construction drawings and as-built information, the fire strategy, records of alterations to the external walls, previous FRAs and FRAEWs, completion certificates, and warranties for cladding and insulation. Missing documents can mean extra searches, which the guide notes "may increase costs and delay the assessment."
A Worked Example
Take a managing agent with 12 blocks, three of which have FRAEWs from 2023 under the 2022 edition. One came back medium risk with a recommendation for improved detection in the common parts.
Nothing about PAS 9980:2026 changes the status of those three reports. The agent's work this month is narrower: confirm that the medium-risk block's FRA was revised to include the detection works, attach the installer's certificate to that action, and add a line to each file saying the 2022-edition FRAEW remains valid under the 14 September 2026 GOV.UK guidance. When the next FRA on one of the other nine blocks recommends an appraisal, the brief names PAS 9980:2026 and the agent asks the funding route which edition it will accept before signing the appointment.
What Does Not Change
The FRA remains the legal duty, and the FRAEW remains a specialist input to it. Professional judgement still decides the outcome.
Professional judgement remains a central component of every FRAEW.
— BSI, 14 September 2026
That matters when you read a report. GOV.UK says positioning on the risk scale "is not purely numerical" and that the report should explain the risk outcome, the reasons for it, and any recommendations. If a report gives you an outcome without the reasoning, ask the assessor for it before you act on the recommendations or put them in a service charge budget.
For buildings in scope of the higher-risk regime, the FRAEW and the FRA update that follows it also belong in the golden thread. Our Golden Thread guide covers how to keep those records retrievable. The same external wall evidence is what lenders and insurers ask about, which we covered in insurability and the evidence behind it.
Common Questions
Do I need a new FRAEW now that PAS 9980:2026 has been published?
Usually not. GOV.UK guidance says an FRAEW completed by a competent assessor using PAS 9980:2022 should continue to be valid until it needs to be reviewed or updated. A new FRAEW is usually only needed if the external walls change or a later fire risk assessment recommends one.
What changed between PAS 9980:2022 and PAS 9980:2026?
BSI says the revision clarifies aspects of the methodology, streamlines content, reflects industry developments and sets clearer documentation requirements. GOV.UK describes the result as a clearer and more structured assessment process that does not significantly change how risk is assessed.
Is PAS 9980:2026 a legal requirement?
No. BSI describes it as a voluntary code of practice. The legal duty is the fire risk assessment under the Fire Safety Order, which must cover external walls. PAS 9980 is the method a specialist uses when that assessment calls for a detailed appraisal of the walls.
Does the 2026 edition affect cladding funding applications?
Check before you commission. The Buildings under 11 metres fund overview, last updated 17 August 2026, still refers to PAS 9980:2022, and Cladding Safety Scheme applications need an FRAEW from a firm on the scheme's assessor panel. Confirm the expected edition with Homes England or your panel assessor.
How much does a copy of PAS 9980:2026 cost?
Nothing. BSI's press release says PAS 9980 can be downloaded at no cost, and the BSI Knowledge page offers a DRM-free copy.
Further Reading
- Cladding funding for buildings under 11 metres: what an application pack needs
- Fire risk assessment tracking guide: closing FRA actions with evidence
- Insurability, lending and the evidence behind it
- GOV.UK: Fire risk appraisals of external walls (FRAEWs), the collection of commissioning and reporting guides
This article is for informational purposes. For building-specific advice, consult a qualified fire safety professional.