What is the Primary Authority Scheme?

The Primary Authority Scheme (PAS) gives businesses the opportunity to form a statutory partnership with a single local authority. This partnership provides robust, reliable and assured fire safety advice that can be applied consistently across all business locations.

What is Primary Authority Advice?

Often referred to as assured advice, Primary Authority Advice helps protect businesses by reducing exposure to unfair or inconsistent regulatory action.

Why should I follow it?

By following Primary Authority Advice, your business can avoid conflicting guidance from different local authorities and gain confidence that you are meeting legal requirements. If your business has acted on the advice, another authority cannot take enforcement action that is inconsistent with that advice.

How we can help

What can Primary Authority Advice cover?

Advice is tailored to your business and typically covers:

  • Interpretation and application of fire safety legislation
  • Fire safety compliance systems
  • Business-specific regulatory risks
What is included

We work closely with your business to understand your fire safety risks and improve compliance across your organisation.

Our support includes:

  • Reviewing overarching fire safety policies and procedures
  • Assessing fire evacuation plans
  • Providing tailored Primary Authority Advice
  • Offering constructive guidance to improve compliance
  • Acting as a single point of contact with other fire authorities
  • Coordinating communication to reduce duplicate inspections

We also receive feedback from other fire authorities following inspections or complaints, helping us build a complete understanding of how your procedures work in practice.

Where issues arise, we can:
  • Work with you to assess the issue quickly
  • Agree appropriate remedial action
  • Recommend proportionate responses to other fire authorities
  • Direct against inappropriate enforcement where your business has followed Primary Authority Advice

Benefits of Joining the Scheme

Financial benefits
  • Reduce the cost of complying with regulations
  • Reduce the cost of compliance failures
  • Avoid unnecessary legal fees and court fines
  • Minimise the cost of inconsistent regulatory action
Business benefits
  • Improve confidence in your compliance arrangements
  • Build an open and trusted relationship with your Primary Authority
  • Receive tailored, reliable advice you can depend on
  • Reduce disruption caused by multiple inspections
  • Gain greater consistency across all business sites
Risk reduction

The scheme helps reduce:

  • Financial risk associated with compliance failures
  • Business continuity risks caused by investigations or enforcement
  • Reputational damage resulting from failures to meet legal requirements

How the Scheme Works & Get in Touch

How is advice provided?

Businesses and their Primary Authority regularly discuss compliance matters. Some discussions result in formal Primary Authority Advice, while others may not.

Although there is no statutory requirement for advice to be provided in writing, it is considered best practice for all advice to be recorded and made accessible to both parties.

How long does advice remain valid?

Primary Authorities review advice whenever appropriate, including when:

  • Your business updates its control systems or procedures
  • Relevant legislation or national guidance changes
  • Other local authorities raise concerns

Interested in joining?

If you’d like to discuss how the Primary Authority Scheme could support your business, we’d be happy to help.

Call: 02380 725205

Email: partnerships.manager@hantsfire.gov.uk

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