Are corded blinds illegal in the UK?
No. Corded blinds are not banned in the UK, and you are not breaking the law by having one. But there are rules about how new blinds are sold, and those rules say nothing about the millions of corded blinds already hanging in people’s homes. That gap is where most of the risk sits.
What the rules require
GOV.UK’s child safety blind cords guidance says that “new blinds with looped cords must have child safety devices installed at the point of manufacture or be sold with the blind.” The underlying standard is BS EN 13120: since its 2014 amendment, a new blind must either be safe by design (cordless, or with concealed or tensioned cords) or come with a safety device such as a cleat, tensioner or breakaway connector. Our rules-by-country guide covers the detail.
What they do not require
The standard governs blinds sold today. It does not require anyone to replace blinds installed before 2014. When the UK Government answered the “Ban looped blind cords” e-petition in April 2014, it said that with an estimated 200 million blinds already in people’s homes, “introducing a ban on all blinds with looped cords would be ineffective”, and that the revised standard “makes provision for the retrofitting of safety devices”.
So “legal” and “safe” are different questions. A blind can be perfectly lawful and still have a loose loop of cord or chain a toddler can reach.
If you have a corded blind
- Fit and use a safety device. GOV.UK says cleats should be positioned out of children’s reach on an adjacent surface at least 1.5 metres from the floor. The device only helps if the cord is actually wrapped back on it each time — see why safety devices are not foolproof.
- Move cots, beds and furniture away from windows. Furniture adds to a child’s reach. See cots, beds and furniture near windows.
- Rented home? Our guide for renters covers who is responsible for what.
Where a winder fits
A winder is not required by any rule and does not make a blind compliant with anything. It gives a loose chain somewhere to go: wound up onto a wall-mounted disc, out of reach of children and pets, stuck to the wall with no drilling. It still has to be used each time, and it does not deal with inner cords on some blind types. For the trade-offs against cutting the chain or a breakaway connector, see winder vs. cutting vs. breakaway.