Cladding Remediation in 2026: Where We Are and What's Left to Do

Cladding Remediation in 2026: Where We Are and What's Left to Do

Nearly nine years after the Grenfell Tower fire exposed the scale of the UK's cladding crisis, the remediation effort continues. Thousands of buildings have been assessed, hundreds have been made safe, and billions of pounds have been committed. Yet for many leaseholders, residents, and building owners, progress feels painfully slow.

Understanding where things stand in 2026, which funding routes exist, what protections are in place, what assessments remain, and what is causing delays, is essential for anyone responsible for a building with external wall issues or anyone living in one.

The Scale of the Problem

The UK government's data dashboard tracks the progress of remediation across different building categories. The numbers tell a story of a problem that was far larger than initially understood.

When the first wave of investigations began after Grenfell, the focus was on buildings over 18 metres tall clad in aluminium composite material (ACM), the same material used on Grenfell Tower. That initial population was relatively small: around 500 buildings.

But as assessments expanded, it became clear that the problem was not limited to ACM. High-pressure laminate (HPL), rendered insulation systems, timber cladding, and various combinations of materials were all found to pose unacceptable fire risks on buildings of different heights. The scope grew to include buildings between 11 and 18 metres, and the types of defects expanded beyond cladding to include missing cavity barriers, inadequate firestopping, and combustible insulation.

By 2026, the government has identified thousands of buildings requiring some form of remediation. Of those in the highest-risk category, buildings over 18 metres with unsafe cladding, a significant proportion have completed works or have works actively in progress. But completion rates for the broader population of medium-rise buildings (11 to 18 metres) lag considerably behind.

Government Funding Routes

The government has established several funding mechanisms to support remediation. Understanding which route applies to your building is the first step in accessing support.

The ACM Cladding Fund

The original remediation funding was targeted specifically at the removal and replacement of ACM cladding on residential buildings over 18 metres. This fund covered both the private sector and social housing, with separate allocation streams. The majority of ACM remediation on high-rise buildings is now complete or well advanced, though some complex cases remain in progress.

The Building Safety Fund

The Building Safety Fund (BSF) was established to address non-ACM cladding systems on residential buildings over 18 metres. This is a larger and more complex programme, covering a wider range of defects and building types. The fund has been through multiple application rounds, and buildings accepted into the programme receive government funding to cover the cost of remediation works.

Progress through the BSF has been slower than many hoped. The process involves registration, eligibility assessment, procurement of a remediation contractor, agreement of costs, and then the works themselves. Each stage introduces potential delays, from disputes over scope to difficulties in securing specialist contractors.

The Cladding Safety Scheme

For medium-rise residential buildings between 11 and 18 metres, the government introduced the Cladding Safety Scheme. This scheme funds the assessment and, where necessary, remediation of external wall systems. The programme is still working through its pipeline, and many buildings in this height range are yet to receive assessments.

Social Sector Funding

Social housing providers, housing associations and local authorities, have access to dedicated funding streams for remediation. The Social Sector ACM Fund covered ACM removal on social housing, and social landlords can access the broader remediation programmes for non-ACM defects.

Developer Remediation

In a significant policy shift, the government secured commitments from major housebuilders to remediate buildings they developed. The Developer Remediation Contract, signed by over 50 developers, commits them to fixing life-critical fire safety defects in buildings over 11 metres that they built or refurbished in the 30 years prior to the agreement.

This route applies to buildings where the original developer can be identified and is still a viable entity. Where developers have gone into administration or cannot be traced, government funding routes provide a backstop.

Leaseholder Protections Under the Building Safety Act

The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced landmark protections for leaseholders, fundamentally changing who pays for remediation in qualifying buildings.

The Leaseholder Contribution Cap

For buildings over 18 metres, qualifying leaseholders are protected from any costs related to the remediation of relevant defects. For buildings between 11 and 18 metres, leaseholder contributions are capped, the cap depends on whether the building is inside or outside Greater London, with higher caps applying to London properties.

Who Qualifies?

The protections apply to leaseholders who own a single residential property or who own up to three properties in total. Leaseholders with larger portfolios, typically buy-to-let investors, may not benefit from the full protections. The rules are detailed and fact-specific, so leaseholders should seek advice if their eligibility is unclear.

Liability Waterfall

The Act establishes a hierarchy of who should pay when leaseholders are protected. The developer bears primary responsibility. If the developer cannot pay, or cannot be identified, the building owner (freeholder) bears the cost, provided they meet certain financial thresholds. Only as a last resort does government funding step in to cover the gap.

This liability waterfall is designed to ensure that those who created the defects, or who profited from the building, pay before taxpayers do.

What Assessments Are Still Needed?

Despite the progress made, a significant number of buildings have not yet been fully assessed. This is one of the most persistent challenges in the remediation programme.

The EWS1 Form

The External Wall System Fire Review (EWS1) form was introduced to provide a standardised assessment of external wall systems for the purposes of mortgage lending and building insurance. A qualified professional, typically a chartered fire engineer, inspects the external walls and issues a rating.

An EWS1 rating of A1 means no combustible materials are present and no remediation is needed. Ratings of A2, A3, B1, and B2 indicate varying levels of combustible material and risk, with B2 being the most serious (requiring remediation before the form can support a mortgage valuation).

The demand for EWS1 assessments has far outstripped the supply of qualified assessors. While the government has taken steps to increase the number of professionals able to carry out these assessments, waiting times remain a frustration for leaseholders trying to sell or remortgage their properties.

Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls (FRAEW)

For buildings where a more detailed assessment is needed, particularly those entering government-funded remediation programmes, a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls may be required. This is a more thorough investigation, often involving intrusive inspection (opening up sections of the wall to examine what lies behind the outer cladding layer).

FRAEWs are carried out by suitably qualified fire engineers and provide the technical basis for designing remediation schemes. The shortage of fire engineers with the necessary expertise and professional indemnity insurance to carry out this work is a bottleneck in the pipeline.

The Role of Fire Engineers in Remediation

Fire engineers are central to every stage of the cladding remediation process. Their involvement includes initial assessment of the external wall system, determining whether the building meets acceptable fire safety standards, designing remediation schemes where it does not, specifying materials and construction methods for replacement cladding systems, overseeing works to ensure they are carried out to specification, and signing off completed remediation.

The fire engineering profession in the UK is relatively small, and the surge in demand created by the cladding crisis has stretched capacity. Qualified fire engineers with experience in external wall assessment and remediation design are in high demand, and securing their services early in the process can prevent delays later.

For building owners entering a remediation programme, whether government-funded or self-funded, appointing a fire engineer at the outset is a critical step. The fire engineer's assessment drives the scope of works, the cost estimate, and the programme timeline.

Timeline Expectations and What Is Causing Delays

If you are a leaseholder or building owner waiting for remediation, you will want to know when it will be done. The honest answer is that timelines vary enormously depending on the building, the funding route, and the complexity of the works.

Common Causes of Delay

Contractor availability. The remediation programme has created enormous demand for specialist cladding contractors. Procurement timelines for larger projects can run to many months, and some buildings have had to re-tender after initial contractors withdrew.

Design complexity. Not every building can have its cladding simply stripped off and replaced. Some buildings have complex geometries, listed status, or structural constraints that make remediation design challenging and time-consuming.

Funding approval. For buildings in government-funded programmes, each stage of the process requires approval. Disputes over eligible costs, changes in scope, and administrative processing times all add to the timeline.

Freeholder cooperation. The remediation process requires the building owner's cooperation. In some cases, freeholders have been slow to engage, reluctant to provide access, or resistant to taking on project management responsibilities. The Building Safety Act gives leaseholders and the Building Safety Regulator tools to compel action, but these processes take time.

Legal disputes. Some buildings are caught up in disputes about who is liable for costs, particularly where the original developer is contesting responsibility or where there are complex ownership structures involving managing agents, right-to-manage companies, and intermediate landlords.

Realistic Expectations

For buildings already accepted into a government-funded programme, the typical timeline from registration to completion of works is two to four years, depending on the complexity and scale of the project. For buildings not yet in a programme, particularly medium-rise buildings still awaiting assessment, the wait is longer.

The government has stated its ambition to have all identified high-rise remediation either complete or well in progress by the end of 2026. For the broader population of medium-rise buildings, the timeline extends further.

What Building Owners Should Do Now

If your building has not yet been assessed for external wall fire safety, do not wait for a government programme to reach you. Commission an EWS1 assessment or a fire risk appraisal of external walls from a qualified fire engineer. This will establish whether your building has a problem and, if so, how serious it is.

If your building has been assessed and remediation is needed, engage early with the relevant funding programme. Appoint a fire engineer to design the remediation scheme. Begin the procurement process for a remediation contractor. The earlier you start, the sooner your residents will be safe and your building will be marketable.

If you are a leaseholder, know your rights under the Building Safety Act. Understand whether you qualify for cost protections, and challenge any charges you believe are not compliant with the legislation.

Need a cladding assessment or fire engineering input for your remediation project? Post your requirement on [Infirisk](https://www.infirisk.com) and connect with specialist fire engineers.