The Government has started to release its dedicated £400 million fund to remove and replace unsafe cladding on high-rise social housing
Twelve local authorities and 31 housing associations across the country have been given the go ahead and the funding to start removing and replacing dangerous aluminium composite material ACM cladding from social housing buildings owned by social landlords which are 18 meters or higher.
As work is ongoing, costs are subject to change, and that is why the government will be closely monitoring progress.
Secretary of State for Communities, the Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP said:
“There is nothing more important than ensuring people are safe in their homes and that is why I am pleased the £400 million funding has started to be released.
“We are doing the right thing by residents and fully funding the replacement of unsafe ACM cladding in social housing buildings 18 metres or above.
“In the private sector, I want to see landlords protect leaseholders from these costs. I am pleased that a number have stepped forward to do so, including Barratt Developments, Legal & General, Taylor Wimpey, Mace and Peabody. However, there are some who are not engaging in this process. If they don’t, I have ruled nothing out.”
According to data from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, over 75% of social housing buildings deemed as unsafe, have either completed or have plans to remove and replace the unsafe cladding.
Plans are now in place for the remaining 25% yet to have work done and fire safety plans have been implemented to ensure the safety for all tenants until the cladding has been replaced.
The move to replace unsafe cladding follows a building safety programme that included the independent Hackitt review of fire safety and building regulations, prompted by the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
This led to a ban on combustible materials used on high-rise buildings.
Full details of the ban and how the recommendations of the Hackitt review will be implemented will be published later this year.
