About us

We regulate higher-risk buildings and work to raise safety standards for England’s buildings and improve built environment competence across England and Wales.

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Responsibilities

We are responsible for:  

  • overseeing the safety and compliance of higher-risk buildings
  • maintaining a register of higher-risk residential buildings so residents know who is responsible for their safety
  • assessing building control applications for higher-risk buildings in England  
  • supervising all other building control bodies, including local authorities and the private sector, to ensure building regulations are applied rigorously 
  • setting professional standards and maintaining a register for building control approvers and inspectors 
  • improving the skills and capabilities of professionals and trades in the built environment industry in England and Wales
  • reviewing the safety of people in, or about, higher-risk buildings and the standard of all buildings in England

Priorities

Our main priorities are to:  

  • build resident confidence and trust so people feel safe, and are safe, in their homes and communities
  • empower residents by providing them with a greater say in fire and structural safety issues that impact their buildings
  • enable the delivery of safe new homes through proportionate building control functions  
  • improve safety standards in existing homes including refurbishment
  • shift the culture of the construction sector by driving improvements in the competence of everyone involved in building design and construction
  • collaborate closely with stakeholders and industry professionals to support a consistent and accountable system

Who we are

Established in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, BSR is central to the government’s building safety reforms. Our full statutory powers are granted under the Building Safety Act 2022.

Our employees have expertise in building control, fire and structural safety, regulation and professional standards. We’re based in offices across England, Scotland and Wales.

We aim to maintain a dignified and inclusive workplace, with highly skilled and trained employees who are given opportunities to develop.