Gas Safety Changes in 2026: What Engineers and Customers Need to Know
Heatline Plumbing & Heating Solutions Ltd | Updated 27 September 2026
Gas safety standards are changing, and homeowners and landlords in Sutton Coldfield may notice additional checks when an engineer tests their gas installation. The key update is IGEM/UP/1B Edition 4, which changes how engineers assess tightness test results and determine gas purging volumes.
This article explains what is changing, how it affects customers and engineers, and where IGEM/G/11—the Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure—fits in.
Are these new gas safety laws?
The updates discussed here are changes to industry technical standards and procedures. They should not be described as a new Act of Parliament or a blanket new legal requirement to replace existing boilers. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, as amended, remain part of the underlying legal framework.
IGEM/UP/1B sets out testing and purging requirements within its defined scope. IGEM/G/11 explains how engineers assess and respond to unsafe gas situations. These documents serve different purposes, but both matter when assessing whether an installation can safely remain in use.
When does IGEM/UP/1B Edition 4 take effect?
IGEM published Edition 4 in March 2026, with early adoption expected as soon as reasonably practicable. The transition ends on 30 September 2026, when Edition 3 is withdrawn. From 1 October 2026, engineers should be working to Edition 4 for installations within its scope. [1]
What has changed in gas tightness testing?
A tightness test helps an engineer establish whether a gas installation is gas-tight. The testing process remains broadly similar, but the interpretation of pressure losses and subsequent actions have changed.
Permissible pressure losses are now linked to the fuel gas and installation volume, rather than meter size alone. A reading that falls within a numerical limit is not, by itself, enough to establish that the installation passes. [2]
Where perceptible pressure movement occurs, the engineer must establish whether it comes from the installation pipework or connected appliances. Pipework must meet the standard’s “no perceptible movement” criterion. Where appliances cannot reasonably be isolated, that criterion applies to the test with them connected. [3]
For customers, the practical consequence is that a pressure loss may require further investigation, even if a similar reading was previously accepted. This can mean additional testing and, where a fault is identified, repairs before the affected installation is returned to use.
Does every test require an installation volume calculation?
Not necessarily. IGEM’s FAQ clarifies that, after establishing the loss is not attributable to pipework, a loss below the smallest permissible limit for the relevant gas does not require a volume calculation solely to compare it with those limits.
Purging is different: installation volume must be calculated whenever purging is undertaken under the standard, with purge volume determined as 1.5 times installation volume. These are professional procedures, not checks for householders to attempt. [3]
How does the Gas Industry Unsafe Situations Procedure apply?
IGEM/G/11 is the framework for classifying and managing unsafe situations. The current published version is Edition 2 with amendments from July 2022, June 2024 and July 2025. It is separate from the October 2026 UP/1B transition. [4]
The two principal classifications are:
- Immediately Dangerous (ID): an immediate danger to life or property. If it cannot be corrected at the visit, the engineer seeks permission to disconnect and seal the affected supply. Refusal requires escalation to the appropriate gas emergency service or LPG supplier.
- At Risk (AR): faults could create danger in future. Normally, the engineer seeks permission to turn off the affected appliance or installation, explains the fault and issues a warning notice. Specific exceptions apply where switching off would not reduce the risk.
Classification depends on the actual circumstances and the engineer’s assessment. Warning labels and written advice must be taken seriously; an appliance marked not to be used must remain unused until made safe. [4]
What does this mean for gas engineers?
Engineers need to review the complete revised standard, update their working methods and understand the accompanying clarifications. Gas Safe Register’s revised Industry Standard Update 133 provides an overview, but does not replace the full document. [2]
In practice, businesses should allow for additional investigation where readings require it and explain that possibility when booking work. Clear explanations help customers understand why testing may extend beyond the appliance originally booked for repair.
What does this mean for homeowners and landlords?
An update to a standard is not, on its own, evidence that your boiler needs replacing. The relevant question is what the engineer finds and what work is necessary to make the installation safe.
Before authorising remedial work, ask your engineer:
- What fault has been identified?
- Which appliance or section of pipework is affected?
- Can it be repaired, and what will that cost?
- What must remain switched off until repairs are complete?
For landlords, existing duties continue: arrange the required annual safety checks on landlord-provided gas appliances and flues, and maintain gas fittings safely. A boiler service and a landlord gas safety check serve different purposes; confirm what your booking includes. [5]
Gas safety support in Sutton Coldfield
Heatline Plumbing & Heating Solutions Ltd supports homeowners and landlords across Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham and surrounding areas with boiler servicing, gas safety checks and boiler repairs.
If you have received a warning notice or would like to book a gas safety appointment, call 0121 517 0585 or visit contact Heatline online. Tell us about any warning notice when booking so we can understand the work required.
This article is a customer overview. Engineers must use the complete current standards, relevant manufacturer instructions and a site-specific assessment.