The Government is on the side of leaseholders and residents. It is committed to ensuring that people are safe and feel safe in their homes, both now and in the future.
As part of opening the Building Safety Fund (BSF) to new applications in 2022, the BSF has been adapted to ensure high-rise buildings continue to be made safe while focussing relentlessly on making sure our approach is risk-driven, proportionate and delivered more quickly.
For example, all funding decisions for new applications now involve applicants providing an assessment of the risks posed by fire spread over external walls to identify what, if any work, is needed. This is called a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) and is undertaken by competent professionals. The FRAEW uses the new PAS 9980:2022 code of practice, with professionals using their expert judgement to assess risk and appropriate mitigations.
The BSF now cover works directly related to the recommendations of a FRAEW, conducted on an eligible building with cladding. These recommendations could be:
- the removal and replacement of cladding (in whole or part)
- mitigations such as the installation of sprinkler systems.
This approach is intended to increase the overall pace of addressing life-safety fire risk defects, minimise the disruption and inconvenience caused by works for those living in affected high-rise buildings, and simplify the process.
People’s safety will remain paramount.
More information you might find useful:
- What is the Building Safety Fund?
- Who applies to the Building Safety Fund?
- What are the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act 2022?
- More Frequently Asked Questions on Fire safety
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