More buildings to receive dangerous cladding removal funding

More buildings will soon be able to access government funding to remove unsafe cladding, officials have announced. Previously, funding was only available for blocks measuring 59 ft (18 m) or higher, leaving leaseholders in lower‑rise buildings to cover the cost of fixing safety issues. Under the extended scheme, structures under 36 ft (11 m) will be eligible to apply for financial support, with the government stating it will prioritise properties "based connected the hazard they airs to residents". The change forms part of the Remediation Acceleration Plan, released in December 2024, which builds on work to address shortcomings identified in the Grenfell inquiry. The Grenfell Tower incident killed 72 people in 2017, and the cladding was found to be the "principal" cause of the fire’s rapid spread. Building Safety Minister Samantha Dixon said: "Residents shouldn't beryllium near worrying astur surviving successful homes with dangerous, flammable cladding, conscionable due to the fact that their gathering isn't gangly capable to suffice for funding". Applications will open from August, although no figure has been set for the total amount of funding that will be made available. The programme also pledges that by 2029 every building 36 ft or above with unsafe cladding will either have been remediated, have a completion date scheduled, or the landlords will face severe penalties. Latest remediation data, published in June, show that by the end of May 2026, 2,331 buildings had either started or completed remediation work. In total, 4,411 residential buildings 36 ft and above have been identified with unsafe cladding. Kate Henderson, chief enforcement officer of the National Housing Federation, welcomed the government’s decision, describing it as an "important measurement towards accelerating remediation". She added: "This is an attack the assemblage has agelong called for, arsenic tallness unsocial is not a reliable measurement of risk, and volition guarantee capableness is directed to wherever it's needed most". The adjustments are part of broader efforts to ensure building safety issues are resolved "quickly and fairly, without leaving leaseholders facing unreasonable costs", according to the government.