The end of 2025 and beginning of 2026 saw the government release a plethora of announcements on the subject of building safety, many of which will have a significant impact on building owners or managers as accountable persons and principal accountable person (PAP).
While much of the following relates to the Remediation Acceleration Plan published last year, the government appears to have taken further steps beyond what was published.
Building Safety Regulator
It is a busy time for the Building Safety Regulator (BSR). New regulations which are due to come into force on 27 January 2026 will transfer the functions of the BSR from the HSE to a new arm's-length body sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
The regulations make provision for the constitution of the new body and include transitional provisions for the move of staff and services from the HSE to the BSR.
There is no change to the functions of the regulator or the ministerial powers and responsibilities set out in the Building Safety Act.
Single construction regulator
The transfer of the BSR out of the HSE is said to be the first step towards implementing a single construction regulator (one of the recommendations of the Phase 2 Report of Grenfell Tower Inquiry). In furtherance of this objective, the government has published The Single Construction Regulator Prospectus: Consultation Document which sets out the government's plans for a new regulator to bring together standards across buildings, products and professionals in the construction sector.
The Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy has said that "one regulator across the entire construction system will be better able to review evidence, identify risks, issues and opportunities, as well as support action with enforcement where it is necessary".
The government has formed the view that "the current system of regulation and oversight is too complex and fragmented" and plans "to rationalise and strengthen the system of regulatory oversight and enforcement for the building professions".
The consultation closes on 20 March 2026 with a full response being published in summer 2026.
Gateway 2 approvals
The BSR regularly hit the headlines in 2025 for long delays. Gateway 2 applications, in particular, have been a cause for concern as the major backlogs coupled with high rejection rates have caused significant delays in both new build and remediation higher‑risk building (HRB) projects.
Since the summer, action has been taken to address the delays including the establishment of the Innovation Unit. The focus to date appears to have been on clearing the "new build" back-log.
However, it has been reported that that focus will shift in the first half of 2026 to reducing the number of live cases relating to remediating unsafe buildings. According to the latest building control approval application data (September to December 2025), there are still 280 live remediation application cases, with approval taking 43 weeks and having an approval rate of only 40% (and 34% in London). It is hoped that the new Gateway 2 guidance (updated in December 2025) published by the Construction Leadership Council will improve the approval rate.
The BSR's Strategic Plan 2023-26 covers the period to March 2026. With the move to MHCLG, we can probably expect a new strategic plan to be published setting out how the BSR plans to carry out its building safety functions over the next 3-5 years.
Remediation Enforcement Unit
A significant development is the establishment of the building safety Remediation Enforcement Unit within the BSR. This was first announced in February 2025 as part of the Remediation Action Plan to speed up remediation of residential buildings with unsafe cladding. The intention was that it would be up and running by summer 2025 but January 2026 is now the likely date.
The Remediation Action Plan also promised a Remediation Bill to create a legal duty to remediate and a hard ‘endpoint’ for remediation. The bill was to be brought forward as soon as parliamentary time allowed. This has not yet happened and is definitely an area to watch.
Building assessment certificates
PAPs also need to be aware of their obligations to apply for a Building Assessment Certificate. For existing buildings, the PAP must apply for a BAC within 28 days of being directed to do so by the BSR.
The BSR started to direct people to apply in April 2024 and is working through groups of buildings categorised by risk. With only 28 days to respond, it is of course important for the PAP to be prepared and ready to respond before receiving the direction to apply. Failing to apply when directed (without a reasonable excuse) is an offence.
Fire safety – evacuation plans
Looking forward, the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 come into force on 6 April 2026. The regulations will apply in England only and will require the Responsible Person to produce personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) for residents in buildings between 11–18m whose ability to evacuate the building without assistance in the event of a fire is compromised as a result of a cognitive or physical impairment or condition. The Responsible Person will typically be the building owner or manager. The Responsible Person must also produce a building emergency evacuation plan.
Other developments
In addition to the above, we have seen a vast array of announcements, guidance and data released over the last month.
The HSE has confirmed that in line with the Grenfell 2 Report, the BSR will carry out a continuous review of Approved Document B so fire guidance stays clear, proportionate and up to date.
The HSE and BSR have also published reports on a number of fire safety research projects looking at timber cladding, balconies, roof insulation, fire spread over pitched roofs with solar panels, to name but a few.
MHCLG has published the annual update on unit costs, defined as cost per m2 of cladding remediated, for high-rise and mid-rise non-ACM buildings. The data shows an 8% increase in costs since the last publication in December 2024, which is said to be 5.6% above general construction price inflation.
The BSR has completed its initial review of the definition of HRBs and found that the current definition appropriately reflects the available evidence on risks to individuals from the spread of fire and structural failure. The government has accepted the BSR’s recommendation not to change the scope at the present time although this will be the subject of an ongoing review to ensure that the list of buildings subject to the enhanced regulatory oversight of the higher risk regime remains appropriate.
There was a consultation which closed on 31 December 2025 on the PAS9880 Standard which covers Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls and Cladding of Flats. The authors of the original PAS are considering how it has been used and whether, for example, further information should be provided as to how "…risk…" should be defined. It is not clear when or if any amendments will be made public.
Coming up in 2026
Looking forward, the BSR is currently carrying out a Fundamental Review of Building Regulations Guidance. Recommendations from the review are expected in 2026.
The Building Control Independent Panel, set up to review and improve the building control system in England, was supposed to publish its review by the end of 2025 so we can expect the report in the coming months.
In respect of construction products, the Construction Products Reform White Paper is supposed to be published before Spring 2026. This follows the consultation on the Green Paper carried out last year and ongoing engagement with the sector. The Construction Products (Amendment) Regulations 2025, which came into force on 8 January 2026, allow for the continued recognition of CE-marked products, removing the need for additional UKCA testing, for construction products placed on the UK market.
October 2026 should see the introduction of the Building Safety Levy, a charge being introduced in England to fund the remediation of building safety defects, which will apply to new residential developments.
December 2025 saw the government publish its third progress report on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 recommendations. The government indicated in that report that it was on track to deliver on all recommendations within four years. The government's first annual report will be published in February 2026. The government has said that the report will provide "a wider overview on what we set out to do and the progress that has been made so far, plans for the upcoming year, and our responsibility to provide lasting change".
Plenty to digest and plenty to watch out for.
