UK fire safety rules for upholstered furniture from India
Domestic upholstered furniture sold in the UK must meet the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988: fillings pass ignitability tests, the cover and filling together pass a cigarette test, the cover passes a match test, and the piece carries a permanent label. Since 30 October 2025 the display label is no longer required, and many baby products are out of scope.
What each part must pass, and what to ask the factory for
The first UK supplier arranges the testing. The certificate only counts if it matches the foam and fabric that actually went into your order.
| Component | Requirement | Ask your Indian supplier for |
|---|---|---|
| Foam filling | Schedule 1 ignitability test | Foam test certificate for the grade used |
| Non-foam filling (fibre, feather, etc.) | Schedule 2 ignitability test | Filling test certificate |
| Upholstery composite (cover over filling) | Schedule 4 cigarette test | Cigarette test report for the actual cover and filling combination |
| Cover fabric | Schedule 5 match test, or in some cases a match-resistant interliner | Match test report for the fabric as supplied, or the interliner certificate |
| Finished piece | Permanent label to Schedule 7 | Label artwork and placement before production |
What is covered, and what left the rules in 2025
Covered
- Upholstered chairs, sofas, sofa-beds, futons, stools, ottomans, bean bags and floor cushions
- Upholstered headboards, footboards and bed side rails
- Mattresses, divans, bed-bases, pillows and cushion fillings
- Loose and stretch covers
- Upholstered cane furniture, and garden furniture suitable for use in a home
Removed from 30 October 2025
- Cots, cribs, cradles, Moses baskets, travel cots and bedside sleepers
- Baby and children's mattresses under 170 × 75 cm, and cot bumpers
- Prams, pushchairs, car seats, playpens, play and changing mats
- Baby nests, rockers, bouncers, high chairs, booster seats and baby walkers
These now fall under general product safety law.
The permanent label
Durable and securely attached to an external surface, on each piece of a suite and on loose and stretch covers. It must carry:
- A caution
- The name and postcode of the first UK supplier
- A batch or identification number, and the date of manufacture or import
- The filling and cover materials
- A summary of how the piece complies, and whether a fire-resistant interliner is used
A missing or wrong permanent label is a compliance failure on its own, however the furniture performs. Mattresses, divans and bed-bases follow their own labelling standard.
What an inspection in India can and cannot do
We do
- Trace fire certification to the actual batch of foam and cover fabric in production.
- Check for component substitution against what was specified at order.
- Verify the permanent label is present, durable and correctly worded.
We do not
- Perform or certify ignition testing. An accredited laboratory does that.
- Issue fire compliance certificates or declarations.
- Give legal advice on the regulations.
The full UK picture, including moisture, timber legality and where UK orders go wrong: importing furniture from India to the UK.
UK fire safety questions
Do UK fire safety rules apply to sofas imported from India?
Yes. Domestic upholstered furniture supplied in the UK must meet the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, wherever it is made. The first UK supplier, usually the importer, arranges the testing.
Which furniture is covered?
Domestic upholstered furniture: chairs, sofas, sofa-beds, futons, stools, ottomans, bean bags and floor cushions; upholstered headboards and bed parts; mattresses, divans and bed-bases; cushion and pillow fillings; loose and stretch covers; upholstered cane furniture and garden furniture suitable for use in a home.
Is the display label still required?
No. Since 30 October 2025 the display, or swing, label is no longer required on new furniture. The permanent label is unchanged and still required. Existing stock with display labels can still be sold if the labelling accurately represents compliance.
Which children's products were removed from the rules in 2025?
Baby and young children's products such as cots, cribs and Moses baskets, small baby and children's mattresses, cot bumpers, prams and pushchairs, car seats, playpens, play and changing mats, baby nests, rockers and bouncers, high chairs, booster seats and baby walkers. They now fall under general product safety law instead.
What must the permanent label show?
A caution, the name and postcode of the first UK supplier, a batch or identification number, the date of manufacture or import, the filling and cover materials, a summary of how the piece complies, and whether a fire-resistant interliner is used.
Can an inspector in India test furniture to the UK fire rules?
No. Ignition testing is a laboratory's work. An inspector can trace the certificates to the batch of foam and fabric actually used, check for substituted components, and confirm the permanent label is present, durable and correctly worded.
Sources: GOV.UK, Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2025; Business Companion, New upholstered furniture: fire safety. Checked 11 October 2026. General information, not legal advice; the regulations are under review.
Check the certificates against what is actually in the order
Tell us the factory, the product and the date. We tell you exactly what we can and cannot verify on fire compliance before you book.
Talk to an inspector UK import guide