Do You Legally Need a First Aider at Work? UK Law Explained
Updated 28 June 2026 · 2 min read · Amber Training
Reviewed for accuracy by a qualified Amber Training first aid trainer.
Many London business owners assume workplace first aid is optional until they are inspected. It is not. UK law has required employers to provide first aid since 1981. Here is what you actually need to do.
The legal duty
Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, every employer must provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and people, so employees can be given immediate help if they are injured or taken ill at work.
This duty applies to all workplaces, including small businesses, shops and offices. The size of your business changes what is adequate, but it does not remove the duty.
What "adequate and appropriate" means
There is no one-size-fits-all rule. You must carry out a first aid needs assessment and provide cover that matches your risks. In practice, most workplaces need three things:
- A suitably stocked first aid kit
- An appointed person to take charge of first aid arrangements
- Trained first aiders where the assessment calls for them (holding Emergency First Aid at Work or First Aid at Work certificates)
Do the self-employed need first aid?
If you are genuinely self-employed and working alone, you must still ensure you have adequate first aid provision for yourself while at work. If you employ anyone, the full duties apply.
What about mental health?
First aid law focuses on physical health, but HSE guidance encourages employers to consider mental health in their first aid needs assessment. Many London employers now train Mental Health First Aiders alongside physical first aiders as good practice.
The cost of getting it wrong
Failing to provide adequate first aid can contribute to enforcement action, and it leaves you exposed if an incident is handled badly. Training is inexpensive compared with the risk, and an Emergency First Aid at Work course takes just one day.
How to become compliant quickly
The fastest route for most London workplaces is to:
- Complete a first aid needs assessment
- Stock an appropriate first aid kit
- Train at least one first aider (Emergency First Aid at Work for low-risk workplaces, First Aid at Work for higher-risk ones)
We can help with the last step. Browse our Emergency First Aid at Work course and First Aid at Work course, check upcoming course dates, or get in touch to arrange training for your team.
This article is general guidance, not legal advice. Always base your provision on your own first aid needs assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Do I legally need a first aider at work in the UK?
Yes. Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, every UK employer must provide adequate first aid equipment, facilities and trained people so staff can be helped immediately if injured or taken ill. The duty applies to all workplaces, including small offices and shops.
Does a small business need a first aider?
Yes. The duty applies regardless of size. A low-risk workplace with few staff may only need an appointed person and a stocked first aid kit, but larger or higher-risk workplaces need trained first aiders qualified in Emergency First Aid at Work or First Aid at Work.
What qualification does a workplace first aider need?
For lower-risk workplaces, the one-day Emergency First Aid at Work course. For higher-risk workplaces, the three-day First Aid at Work qualification. Both are Level 3 and valid for three years.
Book first aid training in London
Amber Training delivers accredited workplace first aid courses at your premises, across London and the surrounding areas.