30/10/26

Halloween Safety Tips for Families and Renters

Simple Life’s Halloween safety guide for families covers costumes, trick-or-treating, checking sweets, decorating a rented home safely and keeping pets calm. Halloween 2026 falls on Saturday 31 October, so expect more trick-or-treaters out earlier in the evening. There’s a handy checklist at the end.

How can families stay safe this Halloween?

Most Halloween accidents can be avoided with a few simple checks. Choose a well-made costume, keep children visible and supervised, check sweets before they’re eaten, and use LED lights instead of candles.

How do I choose a safe Halloween costume for my child?

The safest Halloween costumes are UKCA or CE marked, fit well without dragging on the ground, and let your child see clearly. Face paint is usually safer than a mask.

Check the label. Look for UKCA or CE marking, and remember even marked costumes can catch fire, so keep children away from naked flames. Buy from trusted retailers. When the Office for Product Safety and Standards tested costumes for under-sevens in 2024, most failed basic safety tests. Most of the costumes tested were bought from online marketplaces.
Avoid flimsy extras. Capes, plastic add-ons and long trailing parts catch fire more easily. Long cords and drawstrings can also be a strangulation risk.
Make sure they can see. If your child wears a mask, check the eye holes are big enough.
Think about the hem. Costumes that drag on the ground are easy to trip over, especially on steps and kerbs.
Test face paint first. Try a small patch on the skin the day before to check for any reaction.
Know what to do in an emergency. If clothing catches fire, the advice is to stop, drop and roll.

How can children trick-or-treat safely?

Children should trick-or-treat with an adult or in a group. They should keep to familiar, well-lit streets and stay on the doorstep rather than going inside anyone’s home.

Go with an adult. Younger children should always be accompanied. Older children should stay in a group and agree a route and a time to be home.
Be seen in the dark. Add reflective tape to costumes and bags, and give each child a torch or glow stick.
Stick to familiar streets. Plan a route in advance and keep to well-lit areas.
Only knock where you’re welcome. A pumpkin or Halloween decorations outside usually means a household is happy to join in. Respect “no trick-or-treaters” signs. Some neighbours may be older, unwell or simply prefer a quiet night.
Never go inside. Children should stay on the doorstep and never enter a stranger’s home.
Cross roads carefully. Excited children can forget road safety, so a quick reminder before you set off helps.

How should I check Halloween sweets before children eat them?

Check every sweet before it’s eaten. Throw away anything unwrapped, opened or homemade by someone you don’t know, and read labels carefully if your child has a food allergy.

Check everything before eating. Do this when you get home, before anything is opened.
Watch for allergens. Swapping treats with siblings or friends is an easy way to keep everyone happy.
Watch out for choking hazards. Hard sweets, lollipops and small toys aren’t suitable for very young children.

Are candles in pumpkins safe? Safer ways to decorate for Halloween

Real candles in pumpkins are a fire risk, especially near costumes, curtains and doorways. Battery-powered LED tea lights look just as good and remove the risk entirely.

Swap candles for LED lights. Check that the battery compartment on any light-up decoration is secure, as button batteries are dangerous if swallowed.
Keep walkways clear. Make sure decorations, cables and pumpkins don’t block doorways, stairs or paths.
Use outdoor-rated lights outside. Only use lights designed for outdoor use, and don’t overload sockets or extension leads.
Carve carefully. Let adults do the cutting and give children the scooping and design jobs instead.

How can I decorate a rented home for Halloween?

You can decorate a rented home for Halloween without damaging walls or breaking your tenancy terms. Use removable hooks, keep shared spaces and fire doors clear, and never cover a smoke alarm.

Use command hooks, not nails. Removable adhesive hooks and strips hold lights and garlands without leaving holes. Test one somewhere discreet first, as some paints can lift.
Keep communal areas clear. If you live in an apartment, keep hallways, stairwells and landings free of decorations, pumpkins and bags. These are escape routes in an emergency. Never prop or wedge fire doors open.
Don’t cover or disable smoke alarms. Keep decorations, fake cobwebs and bunting well away from alarms and heat detectors. Never take the battery out, even for a party.
Check your tenancy before decorating outside. Most things are absolutely fine, such as a pumpkin on the doorstep or lights in your window. It’s worth a quick check before fixing anything to the outside of the building or to shared areas.
Report anything you spot. If you notice a problem while decorating, such as a loose fitting, a faulty socket or a smoke alarm that isn’t working, report it through the My Simple Life app.

How do I keep my pet calm on Halloween?

Keep pets indoors, in a quiet room away from the front door, and make sure Halloween sweets are out of reach. Chocolate and sugar-free sweets containing xylitol are toxic to dogs.

Give them a safe space. Set up a quiet room with their bed, water and a few toys, and close the curtains.
Watch the door. Constant knocking and opening can be stressful, and pets may try to slip out. Check their microchip details are up to date just in case.
Keep sweets and wrappers out of reach. Store the treat bowl somewhere your pet can’t get to.
Skip the costume if they’re not keen. Only dress up pets who are relaxed about it, and never use anything that restricts movement, breathing or sight.