First Aid Requirements for Small Businesses (UK Guide)
Updated 28 September 2026 · 3 min read · Amber Training
Reviewed for accuracy by a qualified Amber Training first aid trainer.
Every UK business must provide first aid, whatever its size. The legal minimum under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 is a suitably stocked first aid kit, an appointed person to take charge of first aid arrangements, and information telling your staff what those arrangements are. Whether you also need a trained first aider depends on your risks and headcount, decided by a simple needs assessment. HSE's starting points suggest one for low-risk workplaces from around 25 staff, and for higher-risk work from around 5.
The three things every small business needs
- A first aid kit suited to your work and headcount. A small BS 8599-1 workplace kit covers most small, low-risk teams (see what a kit should contain).
- An appointed person who takes charge if someone is ill or injured, keeps the kit stocked and calls 999. No formal training is required for this role.
- Clear information for staff: who the appointed person or first aider is, where the kit is, and what to do. A notice by the kit and a line in your induction is enough for most small businesses.
When a small business needs a trained first aider
Your first aid needs assessment decides it. As a guide from HSE's suggested starting points:
- Low-risk work (offices, shops, most hospitality): an appointed person may be enough under 25 staff; from 25 to 50, at least one first aider trained in Emergency First Aid at Work.
- Higher-risk work (workshops, construction, warehousing, kitchens with significant hazards): an appointed person under 5 staff; from 5 to 50, at least one trained first aider at EFAW or First Aid at Work level depending on the risks.
These are starting points, not ceilings. Many small businesses train someone even when an appointed person would technically suffice, because the gap between "calls 999" and "starts CPR" is exactly the gap that matters in a cardiac arrest.
The small-team problem: absence
In a team of eight, one appointed person on holiday means nobody is covering. Your assessment should say who steps in. Training two people instead of one is the simplest fix, and it is usually the moment small businesses decide trained cover is worth it.
Covering a small team affordably
For one or two people, a public per-person course can be the cheaper option. Once you are training more, or you would rather not lose people to a day of travel, on-site group training is usually better value because it is priced per session, not per person. We have no minimum group size: our EFAW session is £550 and FAW £1,500 for up to 12 staff, at your premises, with no VAT to add and nothing to pay to book.
Keep it simple and written down
A one-page record of your assessment, your appointed person or first aiders, and your kit locations is all most small businesses need, reviewed when your team or work changes.
This article is general guidance, not legal advice. If you want your team trained on site, request a free quote and we will confirm within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Does a small business legally need a first aider?
Every employer, however small, must provide adequate and appropriate first aid under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. The minimum for any business is a stocked first aid kit, an appointed person to take charge of first aid arrangements, and information telling staff what the arrangements are. Whether you also need a trained first aider depends on your needs assessment: HSE's starting points suggest one for low-risk workplaces from around 25 staff, and for higher-risk work from around 5.
What is an appointed person?
An appointed person takes charge of first aid arrangements, looks after the first aid kit and calls the emergency services when needed. They do not need formal first aid training, although many small businesses choose to train them because it makes them far more useful in an emergency.
Do self-employed people need first aid provision?
Yes. HSE guidance is that self-employed people should have adequate first aid provision for themselves, which in practice means at least a suitable first aid kit for the work they do.
What is the cheapest way to train a small team in first aid?
It depends on numbers. For one or two people, a public per-person course can cost less. As numbers grow, an on-site group session priced per session rather than per person usually works out cheaper and removes travel and time away from the business.
Book first aid training in London
Amber Training delivers accredited EFAW and FAW courses across London and Enfield, with on-site group training available.