The UK government’s target for cladding removal may not be met unless significant progress is made, according to a report from the National Audit Office (NAO). The watchdog revealed that up to 60% of buildings with dangerous cladding have yet to be identified by the government, putting the 2035 completion date in jeopardy.
“Many people still do not know when their buildings will be made safe, contributing to residents suffering significant financial and emotional distress,” the report stated.
The NAO’s findings come on the heels of the Grenfell Inquiry, which concluded in September. The inquiry highlighted systematic dishonesty among manufacturers and sellers of the cladding linked to the tragic 2017 fire that claimed 72 lives.
The report assessed the efforts of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in replacing hazardous cladding from tower blocks in England. Since 2020, there has been a notable increase in remediation activity, with 4,771 buildings over 11 meters now under government scrutiny. Despite this progress, an estimated 7,200 additional buildings remain unidentified.
Slow progress has been reported concerning cladding replacement. While the MHCLG spent £2.3 billion on remediation efforts for identified structures, work has only been completed on roughly one-third of these buildings; around half have yet to see any action.
The NAO cautioned that if building identification does not improve by the end of 2024, alternative measures should be considered. These may include:
Moreover, issues surrounding taxpayer contributions remain a concern. The total estimated cost for all necessary works amounts to £16.6 billion, with plans to recover about £3.4 billion through a new Building Safety Levy set for introduction no earlier than autumn 2025.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently announced an investment of over £1 billion for repairs related to dangerous cladding during the 2025-26 budget, aimed at accelerating remediation efforts for social housing.
Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, emphasized that “there is a long way to go before all affected buildings are made safe.” Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown echoed these sentiments, urging MHCLG to expedite its efforts and ensure accountability from developers regarding costs involved in this critical issue.
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