Fire safety in dwellings is governed by Part B of the building regulations, with guidance in Technical Guidance Document B. It covers means of escape, fire detection and alarm, resistance of the structure to fire, limiting internal and external fire spread, and access for the fire service.
Part B applies to new dwellings and to works such as extensions, attic conversions and material alterations. Its objectives are that occupants can escape safely, that the structure remains stable for long enough, that fire does not spread unduly within or between buildings, and that the fire service can reach the building.
For a house, the practical outputs are a protected escape route, usually the hall and stairs, interlinked smoke and heat alarms, fire-resisting construction between a dwelling and an attached garage or adjoining dwelling, and escape windows in certain rooms depending on the design.