Unsafe cladding on thousands of buildings in England must be removed by newly imposed deadlines, backed by fresh legislation and over £1 billion in funding for the social housing sector.
The government recently announced a joint plan with housing providers to accelerate cladding remediation, alongside a forthcoming Remediation Bill to enforce compliance and speed up work across the country.
Social landlords will now have the same access to government funding as private building owners, with changes to the Cladding Safety Scheme taking effect immediately. Housing associations, councils and regulators have committed to faster assessments, timely repairs, and better support for tenants during the process.
Under the planned legislation, buildings over 18 metres must be fixed by the end of 2029, while those between 11 and 18 metres have until the end of 2031. Landlords who fail to act without reasonable excuse could face unlimited fines or even imprisonment. New powers will also allow bodies such as Homes England and local authorities to step in and complete works if necessary.
Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: “We have given social landlords access to over £1 billion to remediate unsafe cladding and make residents safe. The social sector is ready to rise to the challenge and make sure that residents are safe in their homes.
“We are also today 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.”
Building Safety and Fire Minister Alex Norris added: “We are determined to make buildings safe and protect residents. Since publishing our Remediation Acceleration Plan, we’ve made strong progress, and this update goes further to drive accountability and remove barriers to speed up remediation.
“There is now a clear pathway to remediate every building with unsafe cladding. We expect everyone to play their part in giving residents and leaseholders the peace of mind that they deserve.”
Additional measures include long-term support for leaseholders to replace costly Waking Watch measures and, for the first time, funding for cladding remediation on buildings under 11 metres in exceptional cases.
The Building Safety Levy, set to raise an estimated £3.4 billion over 10 years starting in October 2026, will also help fund repairs while exempting affordable housing, supported housing, and small developments.
Local Remediation Acceleration Plans will see Mayoral Strategic Authorities work closely with regulators to drive progress, backed by £5 million of government support. A new National Remediation System, delivered by Homes England, will improve oversight and hold landlords accountable through real-time data.
Since the publication of the Remediation Action Plan in December 2024, about 24,000 more residents are now living in buildings that have been remediated — though ministers have stressed that work must continue until all unsafe buildings are made safe.
