The essentials every UK site should have in place
This guide is general information to help you get organised. It is not legal or professional health-and-safety advice. Requirements vary by council and by the type of site you run. Always confirm the specifics with your local authority and, where a “competent person” is required (fire, gas, electrical, legionella), use a suitably qualified professional. HolidayFox cannot accept responsibility for compliance on your site.
Running a campsite or glamping site in the UK carries a defined set of legal duties around fire, gas, electrics, water and general safety. None of them are onerous once you know what they are — but they do need to be in place, kept up to date, and documented.
This guide sets out each area, with the checks to make and the records to keep. There is a one-page self-audit at the end you can work through against your own site.
These are two separate consents, and most sites need both.
Most campsites need a caravan/campsite licence from the local council under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960. Some sites are exempt — for example certificated sites operating under an exempting body, or short-term use under the “28-day rule”. Glamping units generally still count.
Planning permission is a separate consent from the licence. Change of use of land, or erecting permanent glamping structures, will often require it. Check with your council's planning department before you build.
Fire is the single most important area for a camping or glamping site. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 you are the “Responsible Person” for your site and must carry out — and keep — a written fire risk assessment. Review it regularly and whenever things change.
Gas appliances, cylinders and pipework must be installed and checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer, at least annually. Keep the certificates, and store cylinders safely — ventilated, secured, and away from ignition sources.
Electrical hook-ups and site distribution must be installed and periodically inspected by a competent electrician to the current wiring regulations (BS 7671). Keep inspection reports, ensure RCD protection where required, and act on any remedial items.
Any stored or hot water — showers, taps, hot tubs — carries a legionella risk. Carry out a legionella risk assessment and follow a straightforward control regime: temperature checks, flushing little-used outlets, and records.
Hot tubs are a significant risk in their own right. Follow HSE guidance (HSG282): a water-testing routine, a cleaning and dosing schedule, and written records for every tub.
If you use a private water supply — a borehole or spring rather than mains — it must meet drinking-water quality standards. Your council can advise on testing.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 applies, and Employers' Liability insurance is compulsory (with limited exceptions). With five or more employees, your general risk assessment must be written down.
Public Liability insurance is effectively essential for any site open to guests, even with no employees.
Walk your site and assess the everyday hazards: water bodies, uneven or slippery ground, livestock and farm activity, play equipment, fire pits and BBQs, and any mix of vehicles and pedestrians. Provide first aid on site.
If it isn't written down, it is hard to demonstrate you did it. Keep these together and up to date:
Work down the list. Anything you cannot tick is your to-do list; anything you are unsure about, check with your local authority or a qualified professional.
Download this checklist as a printable PDF
| Do you have this in place? | In place? |
|---|---|
| Site licence (or confirmed exemption) | ▢ |
| Planning permission for use of land & structures | ▢ |
| Written fire risk assessment (dated, reviewed) | ▢ |
| Adequate spacing between units | ▢ |
| Extinguishers / fire points serviced & in date | ▢ |
| Escape routes, signage & assembly point | ▢ |
| CO alarms in units with stoves or fires | ▢ |
| Annual Gas Safe check — certificate on file | ▢ |
| Electrical inspection by a competent person | ▢ |
| Legionella assessment & controls | ▢ |
| Hot-tub testing log (per tub) | ▢ |
| Public Liability insurance current | ▢ |
| Employers' Liability insurance (if staff) | ▢ |
| General site risk assessment | ▢ |
| First aid provision on site | ▢ |
| Accident book & RIDDOR awareness | ▢ |
Disclaimer. This guide is provided by HolidayFox for general guidance only. It is not legal or professional health-and-safety advice, and it is not a substitute for it. Health and safety requirements vary by site type and by local authority, and the law changes over time. You are responsible for your own compliance: verify the specifics with your local authority and appoint suitably qualified professionals where a “competent person” is required (for example fire, gas, electrical and legionella). HolidayFox accepts no liability for any loss, penalty or damage arising from reliance on this guide.
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