Resuscitation Council UK published an updated guide to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) on 29 October 2025, rebranded as Public Access Defibrillators: A Guide for Communities1. The charity said the refreshed resource supports national efforts to improve access to defibrillators and provides practical guidance for anyone responsible for a device in their community1.
The guide is intended to help individuals, communities and organisations ensure that their device is installed, maintained and emergency rescue ready1. According to the charity, it includes information on how defibrillators work, when and how to use them, what to consider when purchasing and installing a device, the importance of registering defibrillators on The Circuit, the national defibrillator network, and legal considerations for providing a defibrillator in a public setting1.
Resuscitation Council UK said that each year in England around 100,000 people experience a sudden cardiac arrest, and that ambulance services attempt resuscitation in approximately 30,000 cases1. It said the gap is largely due to delays in recognising that someone is in cardiac arrest, for example if a person collapses when no one is around, and in starting CPR before emergency services arrive1. The charity said that when used alongside high-quality CPR, early defibrillation more than doubles the chance of survival1.
"Together, we can increase survival rates from cardiac arrest and help ensure everyone across the UK is better prepared to respond to the ultimate medical emergency."
Why it matters for households
The guidance is aimed at people responsible for a defibrillator in their community, such as those maintaining a device at a village hall, sports club, workplace or other public site, rather than at households generally. For those keepers, the updated guide sets out what the charity says should be considered on installation, upkeep and registration with The Circuit, so that a device is ready for use in an emergency1. The charity states that early defibrillation alongside high-quality CPR more than doubles the chance of survival, and that improving access to defibrillators and public confidence in their use has the potential to save thousands of lives1. Households wanting to know where their nearest public device is can use the site's guide to public access defibrillators, and wider background is in the first aid hub and the community hub.
What happens next
No further dates or implementation steps have been reported. The guide is available through Resuscitation Council UK1.
