What Is BS 7177? UK Mattress Fire Safety Labels

What does BS 7177 mean in plain words?

BS 7177 is a British Standard. Its full name is the specification for resistance to ignition of mattresses, mattress pads, divans and bed bases. Ignition means catching fire. So the standard says how hard it should be to set a mattress alight.

The British Standards Institution (BSI) publishes it. BSI lists BS 7177:2008+A1:2011 as current. It covers mattresses, mattress pads, divans and bed bases. BSI says it does not apply to mattress protectors.

BSI also says the test levels do not show how a mattress behaves in a fully developed fire. That is a fire that has already taken hold of a room.

In short: BS 7177 is about resisting the first spark or flame. It is not a promise the mattress cannot burn.

What are the BS 7177 hazard categories?

BS 7177 sorts mattresses by where they will be used. More risky places need tougher tests. SATRA, a UK test house, sums up the four grades like this.

Hazard category	Tests it must pass	Typical places
Low hazard	A smouldering cigarette (EN 597-1) and a match-sized flame (EN 597-2)	Homes, including non-motorised caravans
Medium hazard	Low hazard tests, plus ignition source 5 from BS 6807	Boarding schools, halls of residence, hostels, hotels, hospitals, homes for older people
High hazard	Low hazard tests, plus ignition source 7 from BS 6807	Certain hospital wards, hostels, hotels, offshore sites, homes for older people
Very high hazard	High hazard tests as a minimum, plus extra tests the buyer sets	Locked psychiatric units and prison cells

For hotels, hospitals and similar places, SATRA says the grade should follow a risk assessment. A home mattress is not tested as if it were a prison mattress.

How do BS 7177, BS 5852, Crib 5 and the 1988 regulations fit together?

These names are easy to mix up. Each one does a different job.

Name	What it is	What it means for a mattress
1988 Regulations	UK law on fire safety of home furniture	The fillings inside must pass ignition tests
BS 7177	Standard for the finished mattress, pad, divan or bed base	Sets the hazard grade shown on the label
EN 597-1 and EN 597-2	Cigarette test and match-flame test for mattresses	The two low hazard tests
BS 6807	Flaming tests for mattresses, divans and bed bases	Adds bigger flames for contract grades
BS 5852	Ignition tests for upholstered seating, covers and fillings	Used by the 1988 rules to test foam fillings
Crib 5	Ignition source 5, a small stack of burning wood	Used by the 1988 rules to test foam fillings

The full name of the 1988 law is the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. It covers beds, divans, mattresses and pillows. But not every part applies to mattresses.

• The cigarette test for upholstery and the match test for covers exclude mattresses and bed bases. Those tests are for sofas and chairs.
• The permanent label schedule also excludes mattresses and bed bases.
• The filling rules do apply. Foam, fibre and other fillings in a mattress must pass their ignition tests.

Trading Standards guidance says mattresses, divans and bed bases are covered separately by BS 7177. SATRA explains why. General product safety law says a mattress must be safe. Passing the right BS 7177 grade is the usual way makers show that.

“Crib” means a small wooden crib, like a tiny stack of sticks. The 1988 rules test foam with an “ignition source 5 crib” under BS 5852. That is why people say “Crib 5”. Separately, the medium hazard grade of BS 7177 adds an ignition source numbered 5, taken from BS 6807.

What does a mattress fire label look like?

SATRA describes the BS 7177 label from the standard. It shows a smouldering cigarette and a lit match. The word RESISTANT runs around the border. It then states the grade, such as domestic use (low hazard).

A clear mattress label should tell you:

• the standard, BS 7177
• the hazard grade, such as low hazard for domestic use
• enough detail to identify the maker and model

Keep the label attached. It is how you, a charity or a buyer can check the mattress later. Cutting it off can also cause warranty problems. See mattress certifications and labels for other marks.

Does a fire label mean the mattress will not burn?

No. The tests use set ignition sources under lab conditions. They do not make a mattress fireproof. Keep smoking materials, heaters, candles and damaged flexes away from bedding. An electric blanket has its own instructions.

What changed to UK fire-safety labels in 2025?

From 30 October 2025, the amended 1988 rules no longer require a display label on new products. A display label is the swing tag often seen in shops. The government says permanent-label duties for furniture have not changed.

For mattresses, this change matters less than it sounds. Mattresses and bed bases were already outside the 1988 display and permanent label schedules. Their fire label comes from BS 7177.

The same amendment removed some baby and children’s mattresses from the 1988 rules. It applies when both the length is under 170 cm and the width is under 75 cm. A 70 × 140 cm cot bed mattress is under both limits. A Small Single, 75 × 190 cm, is not.

These small mattresses must still meet general product safety rules. The government guidance names standards businesses may use, such as BS 7177 and EN 597. See the official 2025 guidance and the kids mattress guide.

Can I sell or donate a mattress without a label?

Usually you should not. Trading Standards guidance for businesses says used furniture must meet the same standards as new. For mattresses, it says to look for a BS 7177 label.

The same guidance says items without the right label may not comply. It advises not selling them until you get expert advice, for example from the maker. Items that cannot be checked should go to a recycling centre.

Charities that resell furniture check too. The British Heart Foundation says upholstered items must have a fire safety label. It also cannot take stained mattresses. Ask the charity before you book a collection.

If your mattress has no label, look at mattress recycling in the UK and delivery and disposal. For buying used, see second-hand mattress hygiene.

Does a mattress for a rental home or HMO need a different rating?

Trading Standards guidance says the furniture rules apply to lettings. That includes holiday homes and furnished homes let as a business. So landlords and letting agents are covered.

A furnished home is still a home. SATRA’s typical low hazard example is domestic dwellings. So a low hazard mattress is the usual grade for a normal let.

Shared housing is less clear. SATRA’s medium hazard examples include hostels, halls of residence and holiday camp chalets. A house in multiple occupation (HMO) is not named in that list. Ask the person doing your fire risk assessment, your council or your local fire and rescue service. This is not legal advice.

Do toppers and protectors need their own labels?

Toppers usually do. SATRA says BS 7177 treats anything slept on, including pads and toppers, as a mattress. Trading Standards guidance lists mattress pads and toppers under the filling rules too. Read the label on the topper itself.

Protectors are different. BSI says BS 7177 does not apply to mattress protectors. See protectors and encasements.

What else can break the labelled setup?

Removing the label. Replacing the cover with an unmarked one. Damaging the ticking, the outer fabric of the mattress. Each can make it harder to show what was tested.

Domestic grades are not contract grades. Do not use a low hazard mattress where a hotel, hostel or care setting needs a higher grade.

Related BedGuide entries

• Mattress certifications and labels
• What voids a mattress warranty
• Mattress types compared
• Editorial policy