The Fire Protection Association

What The Fire Protection Association does

The Fire Protection Association (FPA) is a UK not-for-profit organization founded in 1946 by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to serve as the national voice on fire safety. It operates a multi-revenue model combining a 4,000+ member subscription programme, fee-based training (7,500+ individuals trained annually), UKAS-accredited fire testing laboratory services (cladding, fire resistance, suppression, watermist), and approximately 650 risk assessments per year across multi-site, DSEAR, compartmentation, and fire door surveys. Supporting revenue lines include the LPC Sprinkler Rules subscription, the Fire & Risk Management Journal (published 10 times yearly, member-exclusive), the Assembly Point Podcast, the annual FIRE Conference, and bespoke research via the insurer-funded RISCAuthority scheme (acquired by the FPA in 2001).

The FPA's underlying technology is anchored by a UKAS ISO 17025-accredited fire testing laboratory in Blockley, Gloucestershire, which operates cladding rigs (BS 8414, RISC 501), a suppression department (BS EN 12845, BS EN 14972-17:2025 watermist), and a fire resistance department. Its research base is RISCAuthority, an annually insurer-funded scheme producing proprietary risk management guides. Distribution is direct and sales-led: the FPA website (thefpa.co.uk) handles membership, training bookings, and publication sales, while enterprise services are delivered through on-site risk assessments and on-site laboratory testing. Marketing runs through owned content (Journal, podcast, advice & guidance library), events (FIRE Conference, webinars), and active social channels on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

The FPA is governed by a Board chaired by David Williams (former AXA Insurance UK MD) and led since 2024 by CEO Dr Gavin Dunn and COO Jackie Macaulay. The organization is operationally active across the UK, recently relocating its headquarters to 13,200 sq ft at Banbury Business Park in April 2026. Its 35+ person team is split across Fire & Risk Services, the Fire Testing Laboratory, Research, Training, Sales & Marketing, and Support Services, with a clearly bifurcated commercial profile: a high-volume, low-ticket member/training base and a lower-volume, high-ticket testing and consultancy business serving construction product manufacturers, insurers, and building owners. The Fire Protection Association (FPA) is a UK not-for-profit organization founded in 1946 by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to serve as the national voice on fire safety. It operates a multi-revenue model combining a 4,000+ member subscription programme, fee-based training (7,500+ individuals trained annually), UKAS-accredited fire testing laboratory services (cladding, fire resistance, suppression, watermist), and approximately 650 risk assessments per year across multi-site, DSEAR, compartmentation, and fire door surveys. Supporting revenue lines include the LPC Sprinkler Rules subscription, the Fire & Risk Management Journal (published 10 times yearly, member-exclusive), the Assembly Point Podcast, the annual FIRE Conference, and bespoke research via the insurer-funded RISCAuthority scheme (acquired by the FPA in 2001).

The FPA's underlying technology is anchored by a UKAS ISO 17025-accredited fire testing laboratory in Blockley, Gloucestershire, which operates cladding rigs (BS 8414, RISC 501), a suppression department (BS EN 12845, BS EN 14972-17:2025 watermist), and a fire resistance department. Its research base is RISCAuthority, an annually insurer-funded scheme producing proprietary risk management guides. Distribution is direct and sales-led: the FPA website (thefpa.co.uk) handles membership, training bookings, and publication sales, while enterprise services are delivered through on-site risk assessments and on-site laboratory testing. Marketing runs through owned content (Journal, podcast, advice & guidance library), events (FIRE Conference, webinars), and active social channels on LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

The FPA is governed by a Board chaired by David Williams (former AXA Insurance UK MD) and led since 2024 by CEO Dr Gavin Dunn and COO Jackie Macaulay. The organization is operationally active across the UK, recently relocating its headquarters to 13,200 sq ft at Banbury Business Park in April 2026. Its 35+ person team is split across Fire & Risk Services, the Fire Testing Laboratory, Research, Training, Sales & Marketing, and Support Services, with a clearly bifurcated commercial profile: a high-volume, low-ticket member/training base and a lower-volume, high-ticket testing and consultancy business serving construction product manufacturers, insurers, and building owners.

Name

The Fire Protection Association

Legal name

The Fire Protection Association

Website

https://thefpa.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Fire Protection Association is a UK not-for-profit founded in 1946 that delivers fire safety training, UKAS-accredited testing, risk assessments, and research to over 4,000 members, insurers, and building owners across the United Kingdom.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fire safety services

akta.pro primary industry

Testing, Inspection, Maintenance & Compliance Services (NFPA/Local Code) (HSAHAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fire Hydrant & Standpipe Inspection, Testing & Service (IMAIAJAK)

Keywords

• Fire safety training
• Fire risk assessment
• UKAS fire testing
• Fire safety membership
• Sprinkler inspection services

Headquarters

HQ city

Moreton In Marsh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership subscriptions: Annual membership subscriptions providing access to fire safety news, advice, training resources, exclusive member benefits, Fire & Risk Management Journal, and discounts on services. Over 4,000 active members.
2. Training courses and qualifications: Classroom and online fire safety training courses including fire risk assessment qualifications aligned with BS 8674, fire door inspection, passive fire protection, and CPD courses. Approximately 7,500 individuals trained annually.
3. Fire testing services: UKAS-accredited fire testing laboratory services including cladding tests (BS 8414), fire resistance tests, sprinkler head testing, pipe inspections, and watermist system testing per BS EN 14972-17:2025.
4. Risk assessment services: Multi-site fire risk assessments, DSEAR risk assessments, fire compartmentation and fire door surveys, fire strategies, and sprinkler system inspections. Approximately 650 risk assessments completed annually.
5. Publications and advertising: Fire & Risk Management Journal published 10 times yearly (exclusive to members), plus full page adverts available for £750 + VAT. Media packages and partnership schemes offered.
6. Events and conferences: FIRE Conference (annual hybrid event), webinars on topics like sprinkler compliance, industry tradeshow participation, and member-exclusive Q&A webinar programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The FPA is the UK's national fire safety organisation, delivering UKAS-accredited fire testing, fire risk assessments, fire safety training and qualifications, and sprinkler inspection services alongside a membership scheme for over 4,000 fire safety professionals. It also runs the RISCAuthority insurer-funded research programme, publishes the Fire & Risk Management Journal, and operates the annual FIRE Conference to drive industry policy and best practice.

Product overview

The Fire Protection Association operates as the UK's national fire safety organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of fire safety products and services. The core offering includes membership (over 4,000 members), fire safety training (7,500+ individuals trained annually), UKAS-accredited fire testing laboratory services, risk assessment services (650+ annually), and sprinkler services. Supporting offerings include the RISCAuthority research scheme, the Fire & Risk Management Journal (10x annually), LPC Sprinkler Rules subscription, the Assembly Point Podcast, and the annual FIRE Conference. The organization also provides freely accessible advice and guidance resources alongside policy advocacy through its Policy Manifesto. These products work together to serve the fire safety profession through training, testing, research, publications, and industry representation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RISCAuthority: An annually funded research scheme administered by the FPA and supported by UK insurers, publishing extensive guides and recommendations for risk management in fire and security areas.

Products and services

• FPA Membership Annual membership scheme providing access to the Fire & Risk Management Journal, exclusive member benefits, training discounts, advice and guidance resources, and industry updates for over 4,000 fire safety professionals, building owners, and insurers.
• Fire Safety Training
• Fire Testing Laboratory UKAS-accredited fire testing services (ISO 17025) including BS 8414 cladding testing, fire resistance testing, sprinkler head and pipe testing, suppression system testing, and BS EN 14972-17:2025 watermist system testing at the FPA's Gloucestershire laboratory.
• Risk Assessment Services
• Sprinkler Services Sprinkler system inspections, sprinkler head evaluation and testing, pipe inspections, and technical consultancy aligned with BS EN 12845:2015 and LPC Sprinkler Rules, used by fire suppression contractors and building owners.
• RISCAuthority Research Scheme Annually funded research scheme administered by the FPA and supported by major UK insurers, publishing risk management guides and recommendations covering fire safety, security, business continuity, and emerging risks.
• Fire & Risk Management Journal The UK's market leading fire safety journal published 10 times a year, available exclusively to FPA members, covering industry developments, emerging risks, protection technologies, and best practice.
• LPC Sprinkler Rules Subscription-based technical rules for automatic sprinkler installations incorporating BS EN 12845, providing the definitive design and installation standard for UK sprinkler systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,500 individuals trained annually through classroom and online courses
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FireQualcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2026The FPA partnered with FireQual to deliver a new suite of fire risk assessment qualifications. These qualifications are fully aligned with BS 8674:2025, the recently published British Standard establishing the framework for assessing fire risk assessor competency. The FPA also launched bridging courses to support learners who completed ABBE fire risk assessment qualifications to gain equivalent FireQual qualifications.
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)coreOthers · 6 October 2025The FPA responded to a government consultation from MHCLG regarding relaxing Building Safety Act 2022 requirements for telecoms installation in higher-risk buildings. The FPA advocated against relaxing regulations, citing inadequate fire-stopping practices and lessons from the 2009 Lakanal House fire.
• RISCAuthority (UK Insurers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRISCAuthority is an annually funded research scheme administered by the FPA and supported by a significant group of UK insurers. The scheme publishes extensive guides and recommendations for risk management in fire and security, with its core purpose being to continually raise resilience standards within the business community.
• Association of British Insurers (ABI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe FPA was established in 1946 by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to be the core voice of fire safety for the Fire Offices' Committee. The organization's heritage lies in sharing fire safety messages to government, businesses, and the public.
• Building Safety Regulator (BSR)minorOthersThe FPA collaborates with the Building Safety Regulator on matters related to building fire safety and competency frameworks.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BSI (British Standards Institution): BSI is the UK's national standards body and a global business improvement company offering standards development, certification, and training across many sectors. While FPA influences the standards BSI publishes (e.g., BS 8674), BSI operates at far greater scale and broader scope.
• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) company with fire and building safety service lines. As a broad incumbent, it competes with FPA in construction product testing and certification but operates across many other industrial verticals.
• UL Solutions: UL is a global safety science organization offering testing, inspection, and certification across multiple product categories including fire. It competes with FPA in UKAS-equivalent fire testing and certification, with substantially greater geographic and capital reach.

Direct peers

• Warringtonfire: Warringtonfire is a UK-based fire testing and certification business (part of Element Materials Testing) operating accredited laboratories for reaction-to-fire, fire resistance, and cladding testing. It directly competes with FPA's UKAS-accredited testing laboratory in the same product categories.
• Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE): IFE is a registered charity and international professional body for fire engineers, offering membership, qualifications, and technical publications. It overlaps with FPA on professional development, fire risk assessment competency, and industry representation.
• Fire Industry Association (FIA): FIA is the UK's principal trade association for the fire safety industry, representing manufacturers, installers, and maintainers. It is highly comparable to FPA as a membership-led industry body offering training, technical guidance, and policy advocacy in UK fire safety.
• BRE Group (Building Research Establishment): BRE Group is a UK-based building science organization offering fire testing, certification (LPCB), research, and standards development. It is the closest direct competitor to FPA across testing, research, and policy influence in the UK built environment safety market.
• Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE): CABE is a UK professional body for building engineers, offering membership, qualifications, and technical publications in building safety. Both FPA's current CEO and COO were recruited from CABE leadership, and it overlaps with FPA on competency frameworks and policy advocacy in the post-Grenfell regulatory environment.
• LPCB (Loss Prevention Certification Board): LPCB, now part of BRE Group, is a UK certification body for fire and security products, operating approval schemes, testing, and listing services. It directly competes with FPA's LPC Sprinkler Rules and fire testing services and serves similar insurer and construction clients.

Regional players

• FM Global: FM Global is a US-headquartered commercial property insurer operating its own research campus (Norwood) that produces fire and risk research for insured clients. It is comparable to FPA's RISCAuthority scheme in combining insurer-funded research with risk management guidance, but serves a primarily US client base.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TheFPA_UK
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FPAPublications
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-fire-protection-association

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Fire Protection Association