Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs)

What is a PEEP?

photo shows an elderly person with mobility issues being helped up the stairs The purpose of a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (also known as a PEEP) is to provide people who cannot get themselves out of a building on their own with an evacuation plan in an emergency.

Do you need a PEEP?

If you cannot leave your home unaided in an emergency, then you will need a PEEP. A PEEP may be needed for someone with an impairment or disability such as:

  • Mobility impairment
  • Sight impairment
  • Hearing impairment
  • Cognitive impairment
  • A medical condition or injury which might cause them to need assistance to evacuate safely.

You should contact your local Housing Manager to discuss the implementation of a PEEP. Visit the Your Housing Manager page if you are unsure who this is. 

Additionally, you may require a PEEP on a temporary basis. If you have broken your leg for example, you may use a wheelchair or walking aid for a period of time until you recover. Please make your Housing Manager aware of this or any other temporary mobility issues.

Why a PEEP is important

Properties known to need additional support are included in a PIB (Premises Information Box). These secure, locked boxes are mounted on the walls in each block. These are where the London Fire Brigade or our staff can access floor plans to the building, as well find out which homes have an identified need for assistance in an emergency evacuation.

However, the plan must not rely on the intervention of  the fire and rescue services alone. If you are an older person and less mobile, or over 18 and have a physical or learning disability, there are gadgets available that will allow you to quickly call for help in an emergency, particularly if you live on your own.

Depending on the overall level of support that you need, you may be eligible for a pendant alarm or other Telecare equipment following an assessment from Sutton Council. You can also request a home fire safety visit from the London Fire Brigade who might also suggest extra help and support from other organisations. 

Whose responsibility is a PEEP?

We take our obligations to fire safety extremely seriously. It is our responsibility to ensure the process for our tenants to self-identify that they may require a PEEP is accessible and then to implement the PEEP assessment. 

Initially, we have written directly to our residents in the following blocks: 

  • Chaucer House
  • Balaam House
  • Killick House
  • Beauclere House
  • Athol House
  • Brendon House
  • Argyle House
  • Caverhill House

If you suspect that a neighbour or fellow resident may need to create a PEEP, please make them known to your Housing Manager. 

How we use the information

Some of our residents may have concerns about how this personal information is stored. Its intended use is solely to help in case of an emergency. We are bound by data protection law, so no personal data beyond the number of the property and number of affected persons will be kept in the Premises Information Boxes or held by SHP without consent. Read more about our privacy policy.