On 2 September 2026, we reach exactly three years until references to BS 476 for fire resistance are removed from Approved Document B. From 2 September 2029, manufacturers, specifiers and building control bodies in England will no longer be able to rely on Approved Document B's references to BS 476 fire resistance testing. Three years can sound like plenty of time. In practice, transitioning a product’s fire performance evidence from BS 476 to the EN testing and classification system is rarely a quick job. It's worth understanding now what that transition actually involves - and why the manufacturers who start planning early will be in a stronger position than those who leave it late. What's Actually Changing Approved Document B currently allows fire resistance to be demonstrated using either the British Standard (BS 476) test methods or the European (BS EN) equivalents. From September 2029, the BS 476 route is removed from the guidance. Products will need fire resistance evidence based on the EN testing and classification system, principally to BS EN 13501-2, supported by testing to the relevant BS EN test standards. This doesn't mean every BS 476 report becomes worthless overnight, or that every product needs retesting immediately. It means that, from that date, BS 476 evidence will no longer be recognised as a route to compliance under Approved Document B guidance for new specifications. Why Three Years Isn't as Long as It Looks A transition programme for a single product range can involve several distinct stages: Evidence review – establishing exactly which products, configurations and applications currently rely on BS 476 test data. Gap analysis – identifying where existing EN evidence already exists, where it's partial, and where none exists at all. New testing or assessment – scheduling fire resistance tests where necessary and using Extended Field of Application (EXAP) reports to extend the scope of existing EN test evidence. Certification updates – updating third-party certification schedules and technical documentation to reflect the new evidence base. Each of these stages takes time, and they don't always run in a straight line. A test result that falls short of expectations can send a product back to development before retesting is possible. Factor in enough of those cycles and a three-year window starts to look considerably shorter. Testing Capacity Is Worth Thinking About Now As the deadline approaches, it's realistic to expect testing laboratories to see increased demand from manufacturers all working towards the same date. Booking slots, sample preparation and furnace availability all become harder to secure the closer you get to 2029. Manufacturers who plan their testing programmes early are more likely to secure the dates that suit their production and commercial timelines, rather than working around whatever capacity remains. Prioritising Where It Matters Not every product needs attention at once. A practical starting point is to prioritise based on: Commercial importance – which products or ranges generate the most volume or margin. Current specification activity – products actively being specified into live projects should take priority over those with limited ongoing demand. Evidence gaps – products with no EN evidence at all versus those where an EXAP could extend existing test data relatively quickly. This kind of triage means resources go where they can have the greatest impact, rather than treating the whole portfolio as equally urgent. What Manufacturers Should Do in 2026 Your priority should be to understand where you are in the transition cycle: Which products still depend solely on BS 476 evidence? Where does EN evidence already exist, and does it cover the full scope you need? Starting this work now, rather than in 2028 or 2029, means testing costs can be spread over a longer period, laboratory slots can be booked with more flexibility, and technical decisions can be made without the pressure of an approaching deadline. How UKTC Can Help UKTC works with manufacturers of passive fire protection and construction products to plan exactly this kind of transition. That includes fire resistance testing to current EN standards, review of existing test evidence, scoping analysis to identify gaps and opportunities for test programme planning, classification reports and EXAP development. If you want to understand where your product range stands against the 2029 deadline, speak to UKTC. We can review your existing evidence, identify gaps and help you build a structured testing and transition programme.

Ask most people what third-party certification gives them, and they'll describe a document: a logo, a certificate number, maybe a PDF they can download and file away. That's understandable. It's the part everyone sees but it's the least useful part of the story. A certificate is a summary. The value sits behind it, in the evidence, controls and ongoing assessment that justify the claim being made. The real question isn't "does this product have third-party certification?" It's "what evidence, controls and ongoing assessment sit behind that certification?" That question is about to get a lot more attention. The Government's 2026 Construction Products Reform White Paper proposes minimum transparency requirements for third-party certification schemes, stating that certificates should contain sufficient information to evidence product performance claims, including test results. The White Paper sets out the Government's proposed direction, providing a clear indication of how construction product certification is expected to develop. In this blog, we take a look at what should sit behind a third-party certification scheme that meets the proposals of the Construction Products Reform White Paper. What is third-party certification? Third-party certification, sometimes referred to as construction product certification, is independent verification that a product meets defined requirements. For construction products, this can combine assessment of test evidence with factory production control, surveillance and periodic review to provide continuing assurance of performance. The certificate is the end result, not the evidence A certificate exists because a wider process has taken place: testing, assessment, factory checks, ongoing surveillance. The certificate is the conclusion of that process, not a substitute for it. That distinction matters because certification can easily slide into a "certificate equals compliant" mentality. It's a convenient shorthand, but it isn't the same as understanding what has actually been demonstrated. Anyone specifying, purchasing or approving a certified product should be able to see the reasoning behind the claim, not just take the outcome on trust. The fire testing evidence behind the certificate Fire resistance or reaction to fire test reports, classification reports, Direct Field of Application rules and Extended Field of Application reports can form part of the evidence base that certification draws on and interprets. Certification draws on suitable technical evidence alongside assessment of the manufacturer's production controls and management systems. Together, these provide the basis on which certification can be awarded and maintained. Certification isn't a replacement for suitable test evidence; it's a framework for applying that evidence correctly and consistently. Anyone relying on a certificate should be able to trace it back to the reports that support it. Factory production control Testing a carefully prepared specimen tells you what's possible under controlled conditions. It doesn't tell you what leaves the factory every day. That's where factory production control comes in: the manufacturer's own quality systems, documented processes and material or component controls that keep everyday production in line with the certified specification. Certification bodies assess these controls because consistency, not just a one-off test result, is what makes a certificate meaningful over time. It's a distinction the White Paper itself draws: it defines product certification as a broader process than testing alone, describing it as ongoing assurance of compliance built on testing, factory production control and evaluation together - not any one of those in isolation. Ongoing surveillance Ongoing surveillance supported by periodic audits and reassessment is what keeps certification current. A certificate issued several years ago and never revisited isn't much of an assurance. This is one of the clearest differences between certification and a one-off test report: certification is meant to provide continuing assurance, not a snapshot frozen at the point of issue. This is why so many specifiers and contractors demand third-party certification from their supply chains. What happens when the product changes? Manufacturing rarely stands still. A new hardware supplier, a different core material, a changed adhesive, an altered manufacturing process, larger dimensions, a new glazing system - any of these can affect whether the original evidence still applies. Product changes need to be controlled because even relatively small variations can affect whether existing evidence and certification remain applicable. Depending on the change, it may already be covered by the product's Direct Field of Application or an existing EXAP. Where it falls outside that scope, additional testing or assessment may be required. This is why manufacturers need a clear process for notifying their certification body whenever a certified product changes. The certification body can then determine whether the existing evidence remains suitable or whether further testing or assessment is required. Without this process, certification can gradually move outside the scope of the evidence that originally supported it. What exactly has been certified? A meaningful certificate should let someone identify, at minimum: The product and how it's identified The manufacturer The product's construction or specification The performance characteristics covered The standards and scheme requirements applied The scope and limitations of the certification Its current validity status This matters more for some products than others. Let’s look at fire doors as an example; relatively small changes to construction, hardware or dimensions can undermine the evidence that originally supported a claimed performance. A certificate that doesn't make the specifics clear leaves too much for assumption. Another crucial element when verifying a certificated product is that when a certificate lookup returns a single word - valid - it tells you very little. Specifiers need to understand the scope of what's covered, the performance claims being made, and the limitations attached to them, not just whether a certificate is currently active. The 2026 White Paper's proposed minimum transparency requirements are aimed squarely at this gap, so that users can more easily understand what different certification schemes actually do and don't provide. UKTC ensure schemes provide publicly accessible certification information, with certificates linked to the scheme rules under which they were issued. This information is held digitally in the UKTC ensure vault, providing stakeholders with a single source of truth. Through the product label or certificate, stakeholders can access the UKTC ensure vault to check the current certification status and view the information supporting it. Certification and the golden thread Certification information connects to product identification and traceability, and increasingly to the golden thread. The White Paper's direction of travel points toward greater use of digital product information, identifiers and records to support accountability over a building's lifecycle. This is the direction UKTC ensure was built around: Accessible certification information with publicly available scheme rules and clear revision numbers to allow stakeholders to align certification with the applicable rules. Traceable product certification through labelling that features a QR code to access a single source of truth that holds the certificate and relevant evidence. Clear labelling that identifies the manufacturer, expected product performance and year of manufacture. Annual surveillance and factory production control audits that provide ongoing assurance that applicable management and production requirements continue to be met. These key features all link back to the golden thread of building safety information. These features support the wider move towards accessible, traceable product information and help manufacturers contribute to the golden thread of building safety information. So, next time you’re looking at your own third-party certification, or if you’re reviewing your supply chain, can you answer these questions… Are you confident that the third-party certification will hold up to public scrutiny? Is the third-party certification scheme ready for regulatory reform? Because in today’s market, the question that matters isn't whether a product carries third-party certification. It's what stands behind it. See what sits behind UKTC ensure Explore UKTC ensure's approach to transparent, traceable third-party certification and see how certification information can be accessed by manufacturers, specifiers and contractors.

Fire testing of products has two distinct disciplines, reaction to fire testing and fire resistance testing, and they answer two entirely different questions. As a UKAS-accredited fire testing laboratory, this is one of the most common points we help manufacturers at the start of their test journey work through. So, here's the distinction, explained through the lens of the fire itself. The dividing line: flashover Every compartment fire follows a broadly similar journey: ignition, growth, and, if not controlled, flashover, the point at which the fire transitions from a localised, growing event into a fully developed fire engulfing the entire compartment. After flashover, temperatures rise dramatically and survivability inside that space significantly drops. That single moment is the cleanest way to separate the two test regimes. Reaction to fire testing sits before the point of flashover. It's concerned with how a material behaves during the early growth of a fire – how easily it ignites, how much heat it releases, how quickly flame spreads across its surface, and how much smoke it produces. These characteristics directly affect how fast a fire can grow and whether it reaches flashover in the first place. Fire resistance testing sits after flashover. It assumes a fire is fully developed and asks whether a building element can contain it for a defined period. This can include walls, doors, floors and penetration seals. If you’re new to manufacturing, or developing a new product, understanding which side of flashover your product sits on is usually the fastest way to identify which test route applies. This will help you get your product ready to test and ultimately get your product to market faster. Reaction to fire testing: how a material behaves as a fire grows Reaction to fire testing examines the combustibility characteristics of a material and its contribution to fire growth and spread. In the UK and Europe, the results feed into a BS EN 13501-1 (Euroclass) classification - the A1 to F scale. You can read more about reaction to fire classifications here. Since BS 476 reaction to fire testing was withdrawn in the UK in March 2025, BS EN 13501-1 classification is the only available and compliant route for manufacturers. The specific test method depends on the classification being targeted, but typically includes a combination of the tests listed below: Single Burning Item (SBI) test (BS EN 13823): exposes a product to thermal attack from a single burning item to assess flame spread, heat release, and smoke production Small flame test (BS EN ISO 11925-2): assesses ignitability under direct flame contact Non-combustibility test (BS EN ISO 1182): identifies products that produce negligible heat or flame at high temperature, relevant to the highest Euroclasses Gross heat of combustion / calorific value test (BS EN ISO 1716): determines the maximum potential contribution a product could make to a fire Reaction to fire testing is the route for surface materials and products whose primary fire risk is contributing to growth and spread - external cladding, insulation, roofing materials, membranes, and wall linings etc. Fire resistance testing: how a building element performs once fire takes hold Fire resistance testing measures whether a building element can maintain its function under intense thermal attack for a defined period usually expressed in minutes, from 30 up to 240. Performance is assessed against three criteria, often seen together as an R E I rating: R — Load-bearing capacity: does the element continue to carry structural load E — Integrity: does it prevent flames and hot gases passing through I — Insulation: does it limit temperature rise on the unexposed face, so the next compartment doesn't ignite. Products undergoing a fire resistant passive fire protection, the first line of defence protecting escape routes, compartmentation, and structural integrity during a fire. It applies to elements like doorsets and hardware, walls and partitions, glazing systems, penetration seals, and linear joint seals. These are the components that can ensure life safety in an event of a developed fire. So which test does your product need? In practice, the question to ask is: what job does this product do in the building, and at what point in the event of a fire does that job matter? If your product is a surface, lining, or material whose main fire risk is how it ignites, burns, or contributes to a growing fire, you're almost certainly looking at reaction to fire testing and a BS EN 13501-1 classification. If your product is a building element expected to hold a line, physically separating one space from another, while a fire is fully developed, you're looking at fire resistance testing against the relevant BS EN standard for that element type. Here’s a side-by-side comparison. Reaction to Fire Testing Fire Resistance Testing Before flashover After flashover How does the product contribute to fire? Can the element contain the fire? Ignition, flame spread, heat and smoke Integrity, insulation and load-bearing capacity Materials and surfaces Building elements Ensuring Life Safety United Kingdom Testing & Certification (UKTC) is a UKAS-accredited fire testing laboratory offering reaction to fire and fire resistance testing for construction & building products. Our testing allows manufacturers to evaluate performance and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. If you’re ready to start your next test program, or even if you’re unsure where to start, contact our team by clicking here.

United Kingdom Testing and Certification - UKTC - offer market leading fire testing and certification services to demonstrate client’s building materials and components comply with all appropriate standards and building codes. Accredited by UKAS. FIRE TESTING & CERTIFICATION SERVICES FOR CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS & BUILDING MATERIALS We are United Kingdom Testing & Certification, a UKAS accredited provider of fire testing and certification services for construction, building and passive fire product manufacturers across the UK. We test, inspect and certify to ensure products are safe, quality and compliant. Testing Certification Technical UKAS ACCREDITED FIRE TESTING AND CERTIFICATION SERVICES. United Kingdom Testing and Certification (UKTC) deliver fire testing and certification services that enable manufacturers of building materials and products to demonstrate compliance with all appropriate international standards, regulatory obligations and customer expectations. Testing Services Button Technical Services Button Certification Services Button Committed to Quality and Competence. UKTC is a UKAS accredited testing laboratory No. 21542. The laboratory is accredited by UKAS to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for Resistance to Fire Testing of the non-load bearing elements of construction including; door and shutter assemblies, walls and partitions, linear joint seals, glazing and architectural hardware. Learn More Testing Reaction to Fire Button Technical Classification Reports Button Certification UKTC ensure™ Button Testing Doorsets & Hardware Button Technical EXAP Reports Button Testing Walls & Partitions Button Our customer experiences The lab install team went above and beyond to get the sample ready for the test (nothing was too much trouble). Thanks to Barry & Thomas and all the team for their effort. Really is appreciated. Integrated Doorset Solutions Ltd. Always a pleasure to deal with the team at UKTC Hampton Doors Very insightful visit. Extremely good company to work with and always flexible to accommodate your requirements. Obex Protection Ltd. Great service and support from the team throughout. Merit Holdings Brilliant Team. Very family feel in the company. Intelligent Membranes Excellent test facility and all of the engineers were very knowledgeable and experienced. Very happy overall and we will be back soon! Jeld-Wen A massive thank you to Rob and the team for all their efforts in what was another successful result for us. Specialist Door Solutions Ltd. Excellent experience with knowledgeable and helpful staff. Good organisation and brilliant hospitality. Westport

Experience the best in fire safety with UKTC. Our UKAS accredited laboratory provides leading testing, inspection, and fire certification services in the UK, ensuring product safety and compliance. Trust us to ensure your peace of mind. About United Kingdom Testing & Certification Down A fire testing laboratory established to answer industry demands United Kingdom Testing & Certification (UKTC) is a UKAS accredited fire testing laboratory offering both fire resistance and reaction to fire testing as well as number of supporting tests. From its single UK-based laboratory, UKTC can deliver fire resistance, reaction to fire, smoke leakage and acoustic testing. This minimises costs for manufacturers looking to cover a full scope of testing by keeping it all under one-roof with a single test specimen. To further support manufacturers looking to comply with demand from across the industry, UKTC established a UKAS Accredited third-party certification scheme, UKTC ensure. The independent certification scheme is the first of its kind to be completely aligned with the golden thread and meets the demands for clearer labelling and transparency. Pace and precision is crucial to the ethos of UKTC and we aim to deliver fire resistance test reports within 10 working days of the test and reaction to fire draft reports within 5 working days of the completed testing. 1/1 Speak to us about your needs SOCOTEC UK & Ireland United Kingdom Testing & Certification was acquired by SOCOTEC UK & Ireland in the summer of 2025. The acquisition strengthens UKTC's position as the UK's fire testing partner of choice and opens the door to expanded capabilities, investment and long term growth. SOCOTEC is the UK's leading provider of testing, inspection and compliance services with comprehensive solutions in the infrastructure, environment, building & real estate and advisory sectors. What this Means for UKTC Customers You'll continue to work with the same friendly, knowledgeable team that you already know. There are no changes to our service model. You can expect the same industry-leading turnaround times that you've always received. SOCOTEC CEO Hervé Montjotin said: “The move aligns with SOCOTEC Group’s global expertise in fire safety, with over 300 fire safety experts worldwide, allowing the UK operation to leverage internationally held knowledge and skillsets from across the company’s presence in 27 countries. SOCOTEC’s global fire and building safety portfolio includes specialised centres of excellence across Europe, the Middle East and the USA.” To learn more about SOCOTEC UK & Ireland, visit the website by clicking here . Meet the team Meet the team Discover more about the team committed to ensuring life safety through the delivery of an industry-leading test experience. Our Mission Trusted to ensure. Why UKTC's mission is to ensure life-safety by empowering businesses to showcase their compliance. The "why" behind our existence lies in the fundamental belief that adherence to regulations and standards is paramount for preserving life and property. By facilitating businesses in demonstrating their commitment to compliance, we contribute to a safer built environment. We recognise that life-safety is a collective responsibility, and our "why" embodies the ethos of fostering a culture where businesses actively participate in upholding the highest standards to protect communities and assets. How The "how" of UKTC's approach is defined by four pillars: accuracy, efficiency, conscientiousness, and innovation. Accuracy ensures that our work is reliable and carried out with the upmost integrity, leaving no room for error. Efficiency is embedded in our workflow, streamlining processes to deliver results promptly for our customers without compromising quality. Conscientiousness guides our actions, emphasizing the thoroughness and diligence required in every body of work that we undertake. Innovation propels us forward, constantly seeking out the state of the art to improved our services. What We Test, Inspect, and Certify regulated products, processes, and persons. Our customers entrust us with the critical responsibility of evaluating and validating compliance across a spectrum of domains. Testing involves rigorous assessments to ascertain the functionality and safety of products. Inspection delves into the thorough examination of processes to ensure adherence to established standards. Certification is the culmination, providing official recognition of compliance. Through this suite of services, we build a foundation of trust with our customers, assuring them that their products, processes, and personnel meet or exceed the necessary regulatory benchmarks. UKTC | Trusted to Ensure. Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Embed Video Link Copied

UKTC can help you achieve UKCA Marking for your products, affirming their safety, quality, and performance according to GB legislative requirements. From fire-resisting doorsets to external pedestrian doorsets, rely on us for compliance and continuous surveillance. UKCA Marking The UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark is the new UK product marking scheme that is required for products being placed on the market in Great Britain (Scotland, England, and Wales). What is UKCA Marking? UKCA marking is a declaration that products meet the appropriate safety, quality, and performance standards to conform with the necessary GB legislative requirements. Applicants of UKCA marking must be able to demonstrate compliance with the relevant designated standard(s) and certification is conditional on the Approved Bodies' auhorisation where applicable. Thereafter, the approved body will implement continuous surveillance where applicable to ensure constancy of performance. An Approved Body can provide UKCA marking of construction products for the following product categories: UKCA Marking for fire-resisting and/ or smoke control doorsets and/ or openable windows This scheme applies to external fire-resistant and/ or smoke control doorsets and/ or openable windows. Applicants shall evidence that their product and processes complies with the requirements of the designated standard BS EN 16034, including that technical documentation (such as Declarations of Performance (DoP) have been correctly produced. This will be assessed using the relevant Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance (AVCP) system as defined in legislation and will involve some or all of the following tasks: • Sampling of test specimens • Testing under BS EN 1634-1, BS EN 1634-3, BS EN 1191 and BS EN 12605 where applicable • Classification under BS EN 13501-2 • Extended field of application (EXAPs) under BS EN 15269-1 • Factory production control inspection • Continuous surveillance of factory production control UKCA Marking for windows, external pedestrian doorsets and screens This scheme applies to windows (including roof windows, roof windows with external fire resistance and door height windows), external pedestrian doorsets (and their assemblies, including unframed glass doorsets, escape route doorsets) and screens. Applicants shall evidence that their product and processes complies with the requirements of the designated standard BS EN 14351-1, including that technical documentation (such as Declarations of Performance (DoP) have been correctly produced. This will be assessed using the relevant Assessment and Verification of Constancy of Performance (AVCP) system as defined in legislation and will involve some or all of the following tasks: Sampling of test specimens Testing under BS EN 12211, BS EN 1027, BS EN 13049, BS EN 14609, BS EN 948, BS EN ISO 140-3, BS EN ISO 10077-1, BS EN ISO 10077-2, BS EN ISO 12567-1, BS EN ISO 12567-2, BS EN 410, BS EN 13363-1, BS EN 13363-2, BS EN 1026, BS EN 12046-1, BS EN 14608, BS EN 14609, BS EN 12046-1, BS EN 947, BS EN 948, BS EN 949, BS EN 950, BS EN 13141-1, BS EN 1523, BS EN 13124-1, BS EN 13124-2, BS EN 1191, ENV 13420, ENV 1628, ENV 1629, ENV 1630, BS EN 1863-2, BS EN 12150-2, BS EN ISO 12543-2, BS EN 14179-2, BS EN 14321-2, BS EN 60335-2-103, BS EN 12453, BS EN 61000-6-3 and BS EN 61000-6-1 where applicable Factory production control inspection Continuous surveillance of factory production control Whilst not all of these tasks are the responsibility of the Approved Body, they should be notified before any of the tasks are undertaken to ensure that the evidence meets their requirements. Why you should commit to UKCA marking Future Proof Stay ahead of the competition and respond quickly to market demands with our efficient certification process. Streamlined Logistics Simplify your operations by aligning products with local standards making it easier to product compliant, quality products for across the UK. Increased Trust and Credibility The UKCA mark demonstrates a commitment to quality and safety, building trust in your products and your brand. UKCA Applicant Guide UKCA Application Form UKCA Extension to Scope Form