England's HHSRS now assesses 21 hazards, not 29. The full list, which hazards were combined, the new scoring bands, and what it means for Awaab's Law.
Since 23 June 2026 the HHSRS in England assesses 21 hazards, not 29. Related hazards were combined rather than dropped, the A to J scoring bands were replaced by three bands, and statutory operating and enforcement guidance replaced the 2006 versions.
Category 1 hazards still require the local authority to act. If your inspection checklist or software still lists 29 hazards, it is out of date.
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 came into force on 23 June 2026. GOV.UK published new statutory operating guidance and enforcement guidance the same day, issued under section 9 of the Housing Act 2004, and the operating guidance replaces the version issued in 2006.
The number of hazards fell from 29 to 21, with statistically similar hazards amalgamated. The underlying method is the same: a hazard is scored from the likelihood of harm and the spread of harm outcomes. What changed is the list, the banding and the language.
The operating guidance groups the hazards by what they protect against. This is the current list:
| Group | Hazards |
|---|---|
| Physiological requirements | Damp and mould growth; excess cold; excess heat; asbestos and manufactured mineral fibres; indoor air pollutants; lead; radiation |
| Protection against infection | Domestic hygiene; water supply |
| Protection against accidents | Falls on the level; falls on stairs; falls between levels; electrical hazards; fire and explosions; flames and hot surfaces; collisions, entrapment and ergonomics; structural collapse and falling elements |
| Psychological requirements | Crowding and space; entry by intruders; noise; lighting |
Group labels vary slightly between published summaries, so check the operating guidance itself (Part 2 contains the hazard profiles) if you are building a checklist.
Eight of the former 29 disappear as separate entries. The merged hazards are:
Combining hazards means some of the old distinctions are no longer separate line items. A carbon monoxide finding is now recorded within indoor air pollutants, and a food safety finding within domestic hygiene. The facts you record on site still matter; the label you file them under has changed.
The operating guidance also introduces baseline indicators, a checklist of reasonable standards for each hazard. Falling short of a relevant baseline indicator should be regarded as a deficiency. They are designed so that people who are not HHSRS-qualified can audit a home against them, and a fully scored assessment remains the job of a competent assessor.
The local authority must take enforcement action where it finds a Category 1 hazard, and has discretion for Category 2. The options available include hazard awareness notices, improvement notices and prohibition orders, with demolition orders and clearance areas for Category 1, and emergency remedial action or an emergency prohibition order where there is imminent risk of serious harm.
For social landlords the HHSRS is also the benchmark behind the Decent Homes Standard and the hazard categories that Awaab's Law brings into statutory timescales.
Phase 1 of Awaab's Law, in force since 27 October 2025, covers damp and mould and emergency hazards. Phase 2 adds seven further categories from 30 November 2026: excess cold, excess heat, falls, structural collapse, fire and explosions, electrical hazards and domestic hygiene. All seven are hazards within the 21, which is why the revised guidance is the one to use when deciding whether a reported problem is a hazard that starts a clock.
Our posts on phase 2 and the electrical overlap cover the timescales. Phase 3 is intended to extend the regulations to all remaining hazards except overcrowding. Some commentary gives 2027 as the date; the guidance itself does not give one.
21. The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 reduced the list from 29 by combining related hazards, with revised statutory guidance published on 23 June 2026.
They were combined rather than removed. For example fire and explosions are now one hazard, and carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, biocides and uncombusted fuel gas sit within indoor air pollutants.
A hazard scoring 1,000 or more, which is the high band. The local authority must take enforcement action on a Category 1 hazard. Category 2 hazards, scoring below 1,000, are at the authority's discretion.
No. Scotland uses the Repairing Standard and the Tolerable Standard, and Northern Ireland uses the Fitness Standard. The 2026 changes are to the English system.
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