Carbon Monoxide Alarms Save Lives campaign launches across the UK

The "Carbon Monoxide Alarms Save Lives" campaign launched on Monday 11 July 2022 and will run until 28 August, sponsored by Britain's four gas distribution networks: Wales & West Utilities, SGN, Northern Gas Networks and Cadent¹. It is backed by the All-Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group and supported by the charity CO-Gas Safety, and is intended to explain what carbon monoxide is, how to stay safe and why households need alarms¹. The campaign follows years of campaigning by the All-Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group, which has formally called for carbon monoxide alarms to be required in many more homes since 2017¹.

The rules differ by nation. In Scotland, since 1 February 2022 all homes have been required to have a carbon monoxide alarm in all rooms where there is a fixed combustion appliance (excluding an appliance used solely for cooking) or a flue; in rented properties landlords are responsible for supplying the alarm, and alarms must meet EN 50291-1 and have a sealed battery for the duration of its lifespan¹. In England, the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 come into force on 1 October 2022, following debate in the Second Committee for Delegated Legislation on 20 June and approval in the House of Commons on 21 June¹. They require alarms in all rented accommodation and new build properties where there is a fixed combustion appliance, excluding gas cookers, and when such an appliance is first installed in any home; private and social sector landlords will have a duty to repair or replace alarms once informed they are faulty¹. The Welsh Government has announced it will bring forward changes from 1 December 2022, delayed from 15 July, under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, requiring landlords to ensure working detectors are fitted where there is any gas appliance, an oil-fired combustion appliance or a solid fuel burning combustion appliance¹. In Northern Ireland, alarms have been mandatory in homes where a new fossil fuel appliance is installed since The Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 came into operation on 31 October 2012, and the Private Tenancies Act, requiring alarms in privately rented homes and placing a duty on landlords to repair them, received Royal Assent on 27 April 2022¹.

Barry Sheerman MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group, said:

The NHS states that severe carbon monoxide poisoning causes around 60 accidental deaths in England and Wales every year, and exposure at sub-lethal levels causes common, non-specific symptoms such as headaches, nausea and dizziness, and is therefore thought to be under-reported¹. Carbon monoxide can form when any carbon-based fuel is burnt, with typical sources including gas appliances, petrol engines and solid fuel fires and stoves¹.

Why it matters for households

Many more households will be legally required to have a carbon monoxide alarm, and the campaign is intended to explain the new duties and why alarms are needed¹. CO-Gas Safety states that alarms to EN 50291 bought direct from manufacturers or from reputable retailers do save lives, but that alarms are no substitute for regular servicing by qualified people and chimney or flue cleaning, and that even alarms to EN 50291 are not health monitors². The charity also states that carbon monoxide cannot be seen or smelled, making alarms vital². For help understanding the regulations or for legal advice, CO-Gas Safety directs people to Citizens Advice, which provides a free advice service for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland¹. Our guide on whether you need a carbon monoxide alarm sets out the basics, and where to put a carbon monoxide alarm covers positioning.

What happens next

The campaign runs until 28 August 2022, with new digital resources to download each week via the campaign homepage¹. The English regulations come into force on 1 October 2022, and the Welsh changes from 1 December 2022¹.