A colleague who cannot use the stairs is on the second floor when the alarm goes. Your fire plan has to say how they get out. An evacuation chair is one answer, and the Evac+Chair range is the one we stock. This guide sets out what the rules ask for, where a chair fits, and how the two models in stock compare.
Quick answerThe Fire Safety Order requires your fire risk assessment to plan the escape of everyone in the building, disabled people included, without relying on the fire service. GOV.UK guidance treats an evacuation chair as one part of that plan, not an automatic answer. Trained operators matter as much as the chair. The 300H MK5 is £1,002.45 as listed.
Do you legally need an evacuation chair?
The guidance we checked does not require one, but the law does require a plan for everyone in the building. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 puts that duty on the responsible person.
The GOV.UK means of escape guide for disabled people is issued under Article 50 of the Order. It says the plan must cover disabled people and must not rely on the fire and rescue service arriving. It calls chairs only part of the solution, because some wheelchair users cannot transfer into one or stay seated. Carry-down methods are the fallback when other options are unavailable.
High-rise and higher risk residential buildings in England have extra duties, and fire and rescue services give 6 April 2026 as the start date. The GOV.UK Residential PEEPs page covers person-centred fire risk assessments and emergency evacuation statements, and the responsible person decides which measures are reasonable and proportionate. The regulations do not name a chair.
This section covers England. Check Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland separately, and ask your fire risk assessor what your premises need.
Refuge, lift or evacuation chair: what each one does
Each option solves a different part of the problem, and the GOV.UK guide treats them as parts of one plan.
- Refuge: a pre-arranged meeting point for assisted escape. Nobody should be left in one to wait for the fire and rescue service, and most hold a single wheelchair.
- Lift: the fire and rescue service takes control of the lifts on arrival. Fire-fighting lifts may be used early only by agreement with it.
- Evacuation chair: slides down the stairs with one or two trained operators. A training system should be in place when you buy.
Evacuation chair models: 300H or 600H?
Two chairs were in stock on 13 November 2026: the Evac+Chair 300H MK5 and the Evac+Chair 600H MK5. The collection page marks both low stock, and the product pages say dispatch is direct from the supplier, usually within 3 to 5 working days.
| Model | Max load | Unit weight | Folded (H x W x D) | Price, 13 Nov 2026 | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evac+Chair 300H MK5 | 182kg | 9.5kg | 1100 x 520 x 210mm | £1,002.45 | In stock, low |
| Evac+Chair 600H MK5 | 182kg | 11kg | 1100 x 600 x 270mm | £1,145.28 | In stock, low |
| Evac+Chair 110 Narrow Aisle | 150kg | 10kg | 1020 x 450 x 230mm | £1,184.59 | Out of stock |
Prices are as listed on the collection page, which shows £835.38 ex VAT for the 300H. The 500H lists up to 227kg and 45 degree stairs but was out of stock.
The 300H is lighter and narrower folded, and its listing describes friction belts for control. The 600H is wider and adds a self-braking track, and its listing says ascent needs two to four operators. Descent is single-person on both.
What a chair does not solve
- Weight: both listings give a 182kg maximum passenger load.
- Stairs: the listed range is 28 to 40 degrees, so check your pitch before ordering.
- Transfer: the passenger must be able to transfer in and stay seated.
- People: the 300H listing says employers must ensure enough staff are adequately trained, and it names no course.
Servicing is a running cost. The listing says a qualified engineer must service the chair annually, with regular inspection by a competent person, citing PUWER. The five-year warranty is based on service and maintenance. Evac+Chair offers servicing, but no price was listed.
Trade tipPractise with a colleague in the chair, not the person who would use it in a fire. The GOV.UK guide suggests operators take turns to limit the injury risk.
What to add, and a two-stairwell cost
The 300H and 600H listings say the chair comes with photoluminescent signs, wall hooks, a dust cover and a user guide, so extras are for a second location only. Single wall hooks are £17.02 and a pair is £31.44. The anti-theft device is £72.06. All were in stock on 13 November 2026.
Say your assessment finds two protected stairwells that each need a chair. The assessment decides the number, so treat this as a costing, not advice.
- Two 300H chairs: 2 at £1,002.45 is £2,004.90.
- Two anti-theft devices: 2 at £72.06 is £144.12.
- Total: £2,149.02, before servicing and training time.
Keep the stairwell protected
A chair only helps if the stair stays safe to use. Fire doors onto the stairwell need working seals, and our fire and smoke seals collection lists 54 products. The Astroflame fire door range covers wider door protection.
Watch outA propped door removes the fire separation the stair relies on. We cover the legal fix in our guide to fire doors held open.
Setting up an evacuation chair in six steps
- Identify who may need help to leave, including regular visitors.
- Agree the plan with each person, and do not assume they cannot leave independently.
- Choose the route: level exit, refuge, lift where allowed, or a chair on the stair.
- Check stair pitch, load and storage space, then pick the model.
- Fit it on view near the stair with the sign, and train several staff per shift.
- Service it every year and review the plan when the building or the people change.
Where evacuation chair orders go wrong
- Buying before assessing. The plan decides whether a chair is the answer.
- Training one person. Cover every shift, and let operators take turns in practice.
- Skipping servicing. The listings tie the warranty to service and maintenance.
- Ordering an unavailable model. The 110 and 500H were out of stock on 13 November 2026.
Before you order, tick these off:
- Passenger weight is under the 182kg listed maximum.
- Stair pitch sits inside 28 to 40 degrees.
- Stock and the 3 to 5 working day dispatch suit your timetable.
- Training and the first annual service are booked.
FAQs
No guidance we checked requires one by name. The Fire Safety Order requires a plan that covers everyone in the building, and the GOV.UK guide treats a chair as part of that plan, not an automatic answer. Your fire risk assessment decides, so ask your assessor.
The listings give a 182kg maximum passenger load. The passenger must be able to transfer into the chair and stay seated, and the GOV.UK guide says some wheelchair users cannot. Agree the plan with each person rather than assuming a chair suits them.
On 13 November 2026 the Evac+Chair 300H MK5 was listed at £1,002.45 and the 600H MK5 at £1,145.28. The collection page shows £835.38 ex VAT for the 300H. Wall hooks, signs and a dust cover are included, and annual servicing costs extra.
The 300H and 600H listings say yes. Both state annual servicing by a qualified engineer and regular inspection by a competent person, citing PUWER. The five-year warranty is based on service and maintenance, and Evac+Chair offers annual servicing as an extra.
The GOV.UK guide says one or two trained people operate a chair. Both listed models allow single-person descent. The 600H listing says ascent needs two to four operators. Train more than one person per shift so cover exists when someone is absent.
The GOV.UK guide describes individual plans for employees and regular visitors, and standard plans for occasional visitors. In high-rise residential buildings in England, the 2025 Regulations add a person-centred fire risk assessment, which a resident can accept or decline. Check the scope for your building.
The listings say the chair comes with wall hooks and photoluminescent signs, so it hangs in view near the stair. Evac+Chair offers initial siting and installation. Keep the route clear, and make sure trained staff know exactly where the chair is.
The 300H and 600H listings cover standard stairs from 28 to 40 degrees. The 500H lists up to 45 degrees but was out of stock on 13 November 2026. Measure your stair pitch with a level or a pitch gauge before you choose a model.
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