A prospectus for the fund, which will meet the cost for remediation in the private and social sector of buildings was launched on 26 May by Housing Minister, Robert Jenrick, and is predominately targeted at supporting leaseholders in the private sector facing significant bills. Ministers have stated that they expect building owners who are already remediating their buildings should continue to do so. Further stating that they should explore every opportunity to fund this work before seeking funding from the Government or passing on costs to their leaseholders.
However, the Government is clear that for leaseholders living in buildings owned by providers in the social sector, it will provide funding to meet the provider’s costs which would otherwise have been borne by leaseholders. The Government expects landlords to cover these costs without increasing rent for their tenants.
The Housing Secretary, mayors, and local leaders have also pledged to ensure vital building safety improvements continue during the coronavirus pandemic. This will ensure the safety of those living in high-rise buildings with unsafe cladding or insufficient fire safety measures is prioritised.
The fund’s application process has been designed to enable projects to proceed at pace with building owners, freeholders or others responsible for the building urged to register for the fund on Monday, 1 June, as applications can be progressed alongside the development of the remediation project.
Today I am launching our £1 billion fund to remove unsafe non-ACM cladding from buildings. This is work that must take place as an absolute priority to keep residents safe and brings total funding for remediation up to £1.6 billion.
I will not accept any excuses from building owners who have yet to take action and those responsible should register for the fund so that they can start the remediation process immediately. I have also reached an agreement with local leaders so that this important work can continue safely during the pandemic. New statutory guidance published today also means that all new residential buildings over 11 metres tall will be fitted with sprinkler systems. This is another critical part of our commitment to delivering the biggest changes to building safety for a generation.
Now that this additional £1 billion funding is in place, building owners must crack on with removing flammable cladding on all high-rise residential buildings that are over 18 metres.
The government will work with the Mayor of London and our Metro Mayors as well as local councils to ensure that these vital building safety works are finally carried out so that people are safe in their homes.
More safety measures
The Government has also published an amendment to the statutory guidance to building safety regulations – otherwise known as Approved Document B. These changes will ensure sprinkler systems and consistent wayfinding signage are mandatory in all new high-rise blocks over 11 metres tall when they come into force.
The Fire Safety Bill, which was introduced to Parliament in April and will empower fire and rescue services to take enforcement action and hold building owners to account if they do not comply with the law.
Vital building safety work to continue during pandemic
Local leaders have announced that essential work to replace unsafe cladding on high-rise buildings will continue during the COVID-19 pandemic.
