Building and fire safety law and policy

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Building and fire safety are complex and rapidly changing areas of law and policy in the UK, with significant implications for those drafting construction contracts, advising on projects, and acting in disputes.

Developments following the Grenfell Tower fire

Following the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, the UK government, and the Scottish and Welsh governments, have implemented several courses of action intended to address acute concerns regarding building safety, with a focus on better-protecting residents of high-rise residential buildings.

In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower Fire, the UK government carried out an independent review of the Building Regulations and fire safety laws. The final report was published on 17 May 2018 (the Hackitt report). It set out over 50 recommendations, including a new regulator to oversee the construction and management of buildings. See News Analysis: The Hackitt fire safety report—does it go far enough?

In addition, effective from December 2018, the Building (Amendment) Regulations 2018, SI 2018/1230 amended the Building Regulations so as to ban the use of combustible materials in the construction of external walls of high-rise residential buildings (and certain ...

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Latest Construction News

CLC publishes new guidance on Higher-Risk Building control approval applications

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has published new guidance on Building Control Approval Applications for a new Higher-Risk Building (Gateway 2). Developed in collaboration with industry stakeholders and the Building Safety Regulator, the guidance outlines the baseline principles for both submitting and assessing applications. It provides practical recommendations for professionals involved in the building control approval process for higher-risk buildings and serves as a comprehensive resource with detailed baseline principles and specific advice on information submission and evaluation.

VMA Services v Project One

Construction analysis: The Technology and Construction Court (TCC) held that an adjudicator has jurisdiction to make a monetary award in favour of a responding party, where the adjudicator has determined that a notified sum is due to that responding party as part of its determination of the dispute referred to adjudication. The TCC enforced the adjudicator’s decision to award the responding party in the adjudication the notified sum.

MHCLG publishes guidance on the Building Safety Levy

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has published guidance on the operation of the Building Safety Levy, scheduled to launch on 1 October 2026. The guidance is intended to be read alongside the draft Building Safety Levy (England) Regulations, which were laid before Parliament on 10 July 2025. It explains how the levy will be charged, collected and passed back to central government. The guidance is aimed at a wide range of stakeholders, including the housebuilding sector, local authorities, registered building control approvers and the Building Safety Regulator, to clarify their roles and obligations under the levy.

BSI consults on new code of practice for bringing safe construction products to the market

The British Standards Institution (BSI) has launched a consultation on PAS 2000:2026, Construction products – Bringing safe products to market – Code of practice. The standard, set for publication in early 2026, will establish best practice recommendations for pre-market diligence, addressing four key areas: (1) pre-market risk assessment; (2) factory production control processes; (3) product information and collection; and (4) use of market feedback. The consultation closes on 18 August 2025, and BSI will host a free explanatory webinar on 30 July 2025.

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