The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Made: 28th April 2025

Laid before Parliament: 30th April 2025

Coming into force: 30th October 2025

The Secretary of State makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987[^f00001].

The Secretary of State has, in accordance with section 11(5) of that Act, consulted such organisations as appear to him to be representative of interests substantially affected by these Regulations and such other persons as he considers appropriate.

Citation, commencement, extent and interpretation

1

• (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2025.

• (2) These Regulations come into force on the day after the expiry of a period of six months starting with the date on which they are laid before Parliament.

• (3) These Regulations extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

• (4) In these Regulations “the 1988 Regulations” means the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988[^f00002].

Amendments to the 1988 Regulations

2

The 1988 Regulations are amended in accordance with regulations 3, 4 and 5.

Removal of certain products from scope of the 1988 Regulations

3

In paragraph (1) of regulation 3 (interpretation), in the definition of “furniture” for sub-paragraph (a) substitute—

(a) furniture of any description which is ordinarily intended for private use in a dwelling and— (i) includes— (aa) beds and divans (including the bases and headboards of both); (bb) sofa-beds; (cc) cushions; (dd) mattresses and pillows; (ii) does not include— (aa) bedding or floor coverings (including carpets and mats); (bb) mattresses intended for use by babies and children, if the length is less than 170 cm and the width is less than 75 cm; (cc) modular mattresses intended for use by babies and children, if the largest component has a length of less than 170 cm and a width of less than 75 cm; (dd) upholstery designed to be used with baby furniture; (ee) play pens; (ff) children’s car seats; (gg) play mats; (hh) baby changing mats; (ii) prams, pushchairs, buggies and strollers; (jj) cots, cribs and cradles, including carry cots, bassinets, Moses baskets, travel cots and bedside sleepers; (kk) cot bumpers; (ll) upholstered bed side barriers intended to be used to prevent a child falling out of bed; (mm) baby rockers and bouncers; (nn) baby nests; (oo) baby highchairs and lowchairs; (pp) chair-mounted and table-mounted children’s booster seats; (qq) baby walkers;

Labelling

4

• (1) Omit regulation 10 (labelling requirements: display labels).

• (2) In regulation 14 (second-hand furniture) omit paragraphs (3) and (4).

• (3) Omit Schedules 6 and 8.

Insertion of regulation 16

5

After regulation 15 (prohibition on supply) insert—

(16) (1) A magistrates’ court in England and Wales may try an information for a section 12 offence if the information was laid within twelve months from the time when the offence was committed. (2) A magistrates’ court in Northern Ireland may try a complaint for a section 12 offence if the complaint was made within twelve months from the time when the offence was committed. (3) Summary proceedings for a section 12 offence may be brought in Scotland at any time within twelve months from the time when the offence was committed. (4) In this regulation “section 12 offence” means an offence against these Regulations under section 12 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987. (5) This regulation does not apply in relation to an offence committed before the coming into force of regulation 5 of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2025.

Signed

Justin Madders — Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State — Department for Business and Trade — 28th April 2025

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Explanatory Note

These Regulations amend the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (“the 1988 Regulations”).

Regulation 3 amends the definition of “furniture” in the 1988 Regulations to omit certain types of products intended for babies and young children.

Regulation 4 amends the 1988 Regulations to remove provisions which put in place a requirement for a display label, both at the initial point of sale and in the secondhand market.

Regulation 5 inserts regulation 16 into the 1988 Regulations, which extends the time limit for instituting legal proceedings arising from an offence against the 1988 Regulations from six months to twelve months.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or business sectors is foreseen. An Explanatory Memorandum has been published alongside these Regulations and is available at www.legislation.gov.uk.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1987 c. 43. Section 11(1) was amended by S.I. 2005/1803. There are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

[^f00002]: S.I. 1988/1324, amended by S.I. 1989/2358. There are other amendments but none is relevant.