UK: The UK government has confirmed deadlines for the removal of unsafe cladding under a new Remediation Bill, alongside a £1 billion investment in social housing remediation.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has set 2029 as the deadline for buildings over 18m to have unsafe cladding removed. Buildings between 11m and 18m will need to complete remediation by the end of 2031.
Landlords who fail to meet these deadlines without reasonable excuse will face unlimited fines or imprisonment under the new legislation.
Named bodies, including Homes England and local authorities, will have powers to remediate buildings directly if landlords fail to act.
The government has also confirmed regulations for the Building Safety Levy, which is expected to raise £3.4 billion over the next decade to help fund cladding remediation. The levy will take effect from October 2026.
Exemptions will apply to affordable housing, supported housing, and developments of fewer than ten dwellings, with a discount for previously developed land to support continued housing delivery.
Local Remediation Acceleration Plans will see Mayoral Strategic Authorities work closely with regulators to drive progress, supported by £5 million in funding provided to Metro Mayors.
Homes England is also rolling out a new National Remediation system to provide up-to-date building safety data to regulators and to hold failing landlords to account.
Deputy prime minister and housing secretary Angela Rayner: “[We are] sending a clear message to those responsible for a building still wrapped in unsafe cladding: act now or face the consequences.
“Our Remediation Bill will include a new duty on you to make your building safe by a specified date, and new powers to impose serious penalties on those who fail to comply with the duty, and ultimately to bypass them if necessary to make the building safe.”
Highlights:
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The UK government has confirmed deadlines for unsafe cladding removal by 2029 and 2031.
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The government has allocated £1 billion for social housing remediation.
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Landlords have faced the prospect of unlimited fines or imprisonment for failing to remove unsafe cladding.
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The Building Safety Levy has been confirmed to raise £3.4 billion over the next decade.
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The levy has been scheduled to take effect from October 2026.
