Clarion statement on fire safety case
Fire safety is one of our top priorities at Clarion, and as the UK’s largest social landlord, we take our responsibility to keep residents safe extremely seriously.
In response to a report by Sky News, the matter in-question concerns a story around the displaying of a poster relating to Person-Centred Fire Risk Assessments (PCFRAs) invitations. These were posters displayed in buildings inviting residents to contact us to allow us to work with them to understand any additional risks to them in the event of a fire in their home and to identify specific hazards. This activity, whilst not a legal requirement, is recognised as best practice, and we took a proactive role to display them across all our buildings as part of our ongoing commitment to resident safety. It is important to note we seek to capture information about residents’ individual support needs in a variety of ways with them directly, including when they first move into their Clarion home.
In 2023, Clarion’s HR team received an email from a former employee raising concerns that a manager had advised staff to falsify evidence of these posters being displayed. We sought further information and supporting evidence at the time, but none was provided, which restricted our ability to take further action.
In 2024, Clarion received an audio recording that confirmed the behaviour described. As soon as this evidence came to light, we acted immediately, launching a full investigation and audit of fire safety signage across all affected buildings. The investigation confirmed this was a localised and isolated issue within one neighbourhood team and took appropriate action against the individual involved.
We recognise that the actions of this manager were completely unacceptable and do not reflect Clarion’s values or the standards we expect of our colleagues. Keeping our residents safe is our number one responsibility, and we are committed to ensuring every member of our staff upholds the highest standards of professionalism and care in delivering that duty.
We have robust governance, fire safety management and whistleblowing procedures in place to ensure that any concerns are handled swiftly, fairly and transparently. We also have a clear procedure relative to PCFRAs with responsibilities clearly communicated, supported by guidance and information for our housing teams.
Our residents place great trust in us to provide safe, secure homes, and we do not take that responsibility lightly. We will continue to work tirelessly to uphold that trust, ensuring every home we manage meets the standards our residents rightly expect and deserve.