What "invacuation" means and how it differs from evacuation
In short
Invacuation means moving people to a place inside the building where they are at less risk — not out of the building, which is evacuation, and not locking doors, which is lockdown. It can include bringing people in from outside if that is safer, and moving them away from windows and exterior walls to a safer spot inside.
Key points
Invacuation is one of the four procedures named in section 5(3) of the Act.
It means moving people to a safer place inside the premises, not leaving the building.
It can include bringing people in from outside, where it is safe to do so.
It is a different duty from lockdown — invacuation is about where people go; lockdown is about who can get in or out.
Nothing in the guidance requires a dedicated "shelter room" with special equipment.
The legal definition
Section 5(3)(b) of the Act describes the duty as being "for moving individuals to a place on the premises or at the event where there is less risk of physical harm being caused to them". The statutory guidance's own definition, at paragraph 7.11, adds detail: "the process of moving people away from danger to a place within the premises … where there is less risk of physical harm being caused to them. This can include bringing people into the premises … from outside or moving people from one part of the premises to another, where it is safe to do so."
So invacuation covers two related moves: shifting people already inside to a safer part of the building, and bringing people in from outside if staying out is more dangerous than coming in.
How it differs from evacuation and lockdown
Evacuation (section 5(3)(a)) is about getting people out of the building — the right choice when the danger is inside. Invacuation is close to the opposite: it is for use "when the danger is outside, or when leaving would take people towards it", moving people to safety within the building instead. Lockdown (section 5(3)(c)) is a separate duty again, about preventing people entering or leaving — a building can be invacuating and locking down at the same time, but they answer different questions: invacuation answers "where do people go", lockdown answers "who gets in or out".
What the guidance says to think about
Paragraph 7.40's second bullet gives the practical steer: "identifying safer areas with capacity for people to shelter … this could include identifying specific safer areas that are at a distance from windows, exterior walls and entry points, or bringing people into the main area of the premises and locking the doors and shutters on entry and exit points." Paragraph 7.39 confirms that bringing people in from outside is contemplated "in circumstances where it is safe to do so" — nobody has to be brought inside through danger to comply.
None of this requires buying anything. It is about knowing, in advance, which parts of your building are furthest from windows and outside walls, and being ready to move people there.
Common questions
- Can we bring someone in from outside during an invacuation?
Yes, where it is safe to do so. The guidance expressly contemplates bringing people into the premises from outside as part of invacuation.
- Is invacuation the same as lockdown?
No. Invacuation is about moving people to a safer place inside the building. Lockdown is about stopping people getting in or out, which is how section 5(3)(c) puts it. A plan can use both together, but the Act lists them as two separate duties under section 5(3).
- Do we need a dedicated shelter room?
Not necessarily. The guidance asks you to identify safer areas — away from windows, exterior walls and entry points — using the building you already have. There is no requirement to create or equip a special room.
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Sources
Last reviewed 2 November 2026, against the statutory guidance of 15 April 2026 (corrected 6 August 2026).