Fix It or Face Jail: Government Cracks Down on Unsafe Cladding

As a health and safety expert for the past 35 years, training professionals and auditing buildings, I’ve witnessed numerous shifts in fire safety policy. However, the latest update from the UK Government has drawn a hard line in the sand for landlords with unsafe cladding. It marks a significant turning point in the long-running saga of unsafe cladding remediation, which has been a central focus since the Grenfell Tower fire tragedy.

Increased Funding to Accelerate Social Housing Remediation

The government has now confirmed over £1 billion in funding to give social landlords the same access to remediation support as private building owners. This equal-access clause is now live, thanks to immediate updates to the Cladding Safety Scheme.

This addresses a long-standing disparity between sectors. For health and safety experts in social housing – whether you’re assessing fire risk, managing remedial projects, or working with tenants during disruption – this financial support should finally remove one of the most significant barriers to progress.

Remediation Deadlines Set in Law

The forthcoming Remediation Bill, which the government says will be introduced “as soon as parliamentary time allows,” doesn’t just encourage landlords to act – it will mandate it, with severe penalties for failure.

Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary, Angela Rayner, said:

“We are also 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.”

The deadlines set are as follows:

• Buildings 18m+ in height must be remediated by the end of 2029.
• Buildings between 11–18m must be remediated by the end of 2031.

Failure to comply – without reasonable excuse – could lead to unlimited fines or even imprisonment. That’s a major legal shift, and a stark warning to any organisation dragging its heels.

How Does the Government Plan to Enforce the Deadline?

The bill will also empower Homes England, local authorities, and regulators to step in and complete works themselves if a landlord fails to act. This is a necessary step, as we’ve all seen projects that stall for years due to inaction or financial wrangling.

The rollout of a new National Remediation System, supported by Homes England, promises to centralise safety data and hold landlords publicly accountable.

As someone who’s conducted safety audits post-Grenfell, I can’t stress enough how vital it is to have accurate, transparent data when assessing risk. This could be a game-changer in exposing bottlenecks and ensuring consistency across the UK.

Future Remediation Funding Plans: The Building Safety Levy

Coming into force in October 2026, the Building Safety Levy is expected to raise £3.4 billion over the next decade. The goal is to fund future remediation efforts without crippling affordable housing.

This will impact developers and, by extension, project risk assessments. However, there are exemptions for affordable housing, supported housing, and small-scale developments – something professionals in planning and construction should be aware of.

What Safety Experts Must Consider

In my 30+ years in the field, I’ve rarely seen such a clear shift from guidance to enforcement in the world of building safety. There’s no room left for complacency.

Whether you’re working with housing associations, construction firms, or regulatory bodies, now is the time to act.

• Audit your buildings.
• Reassess fire strategies.
• Get funding applications in early.
• Build strong communication plans with tenants.

At Astutis, we’ll continue supporting professionals with the training, expertise and guidance needed to meet these new demands. We have multiple fire safety courses available for all levels of an organisation, such as:

• NEBOSH Certificate in Fire Safety
• Fire Risk Assessment and Fire Safety Management
• Fire Warden

Alternatively, you can view any other fire safety-related topics we have covered recently in our Astutis Knowledge Hub below.