Policy paper

Progress report: summary update

Updated 30 September 2025

Overview

Last updated: September 30 2025

Theme	Number of recommendations	In progress	Complete
The construction industry	28	28	0
Fire and rescue services	13	13	0
Response and recovery	14	14	0
Vulnerable people and Phase 1 recommendations	6	3	3
Total	61	58	3

Introduction 

This is the government’s second progress report on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 recommendations.

The government accepted all of the Inquiry’s findings and will take action on all 58 Phase 2 recommendations to deliver meaningful and lasting change to improve the lives of residents across the country.

We will publish progress reports quarterly until all recommendations have been implemented.

Since the progress report published in May, we have completed two recommendations related to Phase 1 Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (recommendations 59 and 61), requiring high-rise building managers to provide evacuation plans to the fire service and store them in an information box.

Timeline for delivery

We expect that it will take at least four years for all recommendations to be completed. We are working as quickly as possible to deliver all recommendations, while also ensuring that the action taken is the most effective.

The implementation timeline lists key milestones for each recommendation and when we expect each recommendation to be completed. It will be updated quarterly to reflect progress and incorporate new milestones, alongside the progress reports.

Many of the timescales are affected by additional factors, such as stakeholder engagement, consultation, and legislation which is subject to Parliamentary time. As a result, timescales may need to be adjusted to reflect this.

We remain committed to working as quickly as possible to deliver all Phase 2 and outstanding Phase 1 recommendations, while also ensuring that we achieve the best possible outcomes for the public.

Update on wider reforms 

Remediation acceleration plan (RAP)

In July, we published an update to our December Remediation Acceleration Plan (RAP) setting out progress on fixing buildings faster, and additional steps to remove barriers, strengthen accountability and speed up remediation.

In addition to other measures, we announced:

• over £1 billion new investment to speed up the remediation of social housing, giving social landlords equal access to government funding schemes, with immediate effect. This commitment is at the heart of a joint plan with social landlords and regulators committing to accelerate social housing remediation and improve resident experience

• a new Remediation Bill to deliver our commitments in the RAP as soon as Parliamentary time allows

• a new remediation backstop to provide powers for named bodies to remediate unsafe cladding in the event of landlord inaction

• government funding will be provided in exceptional cases where multi-occupied residential buildings under 11 metres have life-critical cladding fire defects, with no alternative funding route

• new long-term support to help replace costly Waking Watch measures, which involve trained personnel patrolling a building 24/7 to detect signs of fire and alert residents in case of an emergency

Eight years on from the Grenfell Tower tragedy there is no excuse for any building to remain unsafe. These measures will help to overcome the barriers to remediation so that residents are safe and feel safe in their homes.

The RAP reflects a coordinated national effort, led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and delivered in partnership with metro mayors, national and local regulators, and industry. Our goal is clear: remove all barriers to remediation to get buildings fixed faster and allow residents to feel safe in their homes.

Social housing reforms

In July, the government published its Plan for a decade of social and affordable housing renewal. The plan aims to deliver around 300,000 homes through the £39 billion Social and Affordable Homes Programme, with at least 60% for social rent.

We are rebuilding the sector’s capacity to invest in new and existing homes. £2.5 billion in low-interest loans will support new development. From April 2026, there will be a 10-year rent settlement at Consumer Price Index +1%. A consultation on rent convergence related to this closed in August.

We are working to establish an effective and stable regulatory regime for the social housing sector. In June, the regulations to bring Awaab’s Law into force were laid in Parliament. Awaab’s Law will come into force from October 2025 for emergency hazards and serious damp and mould. By 2027, Awaab’s Law will apply to all hazards listed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System hazards, except overcrowding. MHCLG also published draft guidance for social landlords.

New regulations for electrical safety in social housing were also laid in Parliament in June. Landlords must carry out electrical safety checks at least every five years and test electrical appliances they provide. The requirements will come into force from November 2025 for new tenancies and May 2026 for existing tenancies.

We have set out timescales for the introduction of a new regulatory standard for the competence and conduct of social housing staff. The standard will come into force in October 2026, followed by a three-year transition period before senior housing managers and executives must have or be working towards a relevant qualification. The transition period will be four years for registered providers with fewer than 1,000 homes.

New Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements will be introduced for private registered providers of social housing, including housing associations. From October 2026, providers must proactively publish information about the management of their social housing. From April 2027, they must provide tenants with access to information on request. We will also seek to extend Freedom of Information rights to tenants of Tenant Management Organisations to the same April 2027 timetable.

In July, we launched a consultation for a reformed Decent Homes Standard so that social and private rented tenants know clearly the conditions they can expect for their homes. We are also consulting on the introduction of minimum energy efficiency standards in the social rented sector, proposing that social landlords meet Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030.

We have established a quarterly stakeholder forum, bringing together social housing resident representative organisations to share feedback on policies and issues relating to tenant rights and voice. This group will complement the Social Housing Resident Panel, where residents can share their views and experiences directly with ministers and officials.

Later this year, we will launch a £1 million Resident Experience Innovation Fund. This fund will support tenants, social landlords, and other organisations to test and scale up innovative projects that aim to deliver better outcomes for social tenants.

Summary update on recommendations 

This section gives a summary update of the work that has been done to deliver recommendations since the last progress report in May 2025. It is grouped by the themes used by the Inquiry.

You can find detailed updates on all recommendations using the following links:  

• the construction industry

• fire and rescue services

• response and recovery

• vulnerable people and Phase 1 recommendations

The construction industry 

Single Construction Regulator 

In the May progress report, we said that implementing the single regulator would start with work to support the existing regulatory regime by strengthening the Building Safety Regulator. In June, MHCLG announced changes to the Building Safety Regulator. The reforms pave the way for the creation of a single construction regulator. The changes include:

• bringing in new leadership to the Building Safety Regulator: Andy Roe, former London Fire Brigade commissioner, has been appointed as non-executive chair of a new MHCLG shadow board. This is pending the establishment of a new body to take on the functions of the Building Safety Regulator from the Health and Safety Executive

• speeding up decisions: The Building Safety Regulator is implementing a new Fast Track Process. This will bring building inspector and engineer capacity directly into the Building Safety Regulator to enable a rapid acceleration to the processing of existing newbuild cases and remediation decisions. The Building Safety Regulator is working closely with industry to develop joint guidance aimed at improving the quality of applications and speeding up processing times, without compromising on safety or construction standards

• bolstering long-term investment in the capacity of the Building Safety Regulator: The Building Safety Regulator will recruit more than 100 members of staff by the end of this year to enhance operations

In addition, we have established our governance arrangements for the creation of the single regulator. We are working closely with industry and other stakeholders, including residents, as we make progress towards the publication of a prospectus, which will provide more detail on our proposals for the single regulator, later this year.

Chief Construction Adviser

In the May progress report, we said we would appoint an interim Chief Construction Adviser (CCA) as soon as possible, ahead of a permanent appointment.

In September 2025, the Minister for Building Safety appointed Thouria Istephan as interim Chief Construction Adviser for a 12-month period, until September 2026. This appointment ensures expert leadership is in place to support reform and maintain momentum while the government plans and recruits a permanent CCA.

Thouria will serve as an influential, independent adviser to the MHCLG Secretary of State on construction policy, industry engagement and system transformation. Her responsibilities include:

• advising the Secretary of State on all matters affecting the construction industry

• monitoring and advising on the department’s work relating to the Building Regulations, statutory guidance and the construction industry more generally

• engaging with industry more  through key industry forums and partnerships to identify and deliver solutions

• providing challenge and support to the department in her role by convening industry to support the design and implementation of the single regulator

• advising ministers and officials on the delivery of the response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 recommendations, and other matters on request

Thouria brings extensive expertise and practical experience to the role. From 2019 and 2024, she served as a panel member for the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, where she identified the systemic failures that led to the tragedy and the reforms needed to prevent future harm. Before this, Thouria spent decades at leading international design and architectural practices, where she held senior roles including Construction Design Management Manager, partner and Technical Design Deputy across major projects and sectors.

The Interim Chief Construction Adviser is a time-limited, non-statutory role appointed through a direct ministerial process, in line with Cabinet Office guidance and will be taken up on a part-time basis.

Thouria’s appointment marks a key milestone in the government’s building safety reform progress.

Approved Documents

In July, the Building Safety Regulator appointed an expert panel to support and inform the fundamental review of the Building Regulations guidance, known as the Approved Documents. The panel consists of experts from a broad range of fields, including architecture, housebuilding, digital, and academia, and will engage widely across the sector to inform the review. The panel will provide interim findings in spring 2026 and a final report in summer 2026, including recommendations on how guidance can better support designers to demonstrate compliance with building regulations.

The Building Safety Regulator continues to develop at pace the planned autumn consultation on the guidance within Approved Document B in line with the recommendations. This will also inform future updates as part of the continuous review.

Construction Products Reform

We have committed to progressing system-wide reform of the construction products sector. The consultation on the Construction Products Reform Green Paper closed in May.

In the May progress report, we said that, following the consultation, we would set out the government’s initial response and our next steps for long term reform. To do this, we will publish a white paper before spring 2026. The white paper will include policy on test data, the construction library, and oversight of conformity assessment, as a key step in progressing associated Inquiry recommendations (13, 14 and 24).

Fire Engineers

The Fire Engineers Advisory Panel was established in April to provide expert and academic advisory advice to government on the fire engineering profession. The panel is now drafting a statement on what should be expected of a competent fire engineer in line with recommendation 17. The panel is undertaking engagement work with the sector to support this work. The panel also advises on the implementation of other recommendations related to fire engineers.

The four recommendations (15, 16, 17 and 18) about the fire engineering profession should be delivered in an appropriate sequence. Delivering an authoritative statement of skills and knowledge for a competent fire engineer is the panel’s priority. This statement will consider what the attributes of a fire engineering profession are, how a member of the profession is defined, and the role and responsibilities of a fire engineer. The statement will help to support the profession to meet current and emerging fire safety demands, embedding high standards of ethics and helping to restore public trust. The statement must be delivered before a regulatory system can be proposed.

We will set out plans for next steps in relation to the recommendations concerning fire engineers by the end of this year.

Fire Risk Assessor competence

We have committed to legislate to make it a mandatory requirement for fire risk assessors to have the competence to perform this critical role independently verified by a UKAS-accredited certification body and overseen by a regulator. We will bring forward legislation to achieve this when Parliamentary time allows.

In August, the British Standards Institution published BS 8674:2025 Built Environment – Framework for Competence of Individual Fire Risk Assessors – Code of Practice. The standard can be purchased online at the British Standards Institution website. This British Standard is an important step forward for the fire risk assessor profession, setting out the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours that industry consider fire risk assessors should possess.

MHCLG has developed a cross-government board that meets monthly to oversee progress and support delivery of this recommendation. A new Four Nations and Crown Dependency Forum will also meet on a regular basis from September to support UK-wide consistency of approach to fire risk assessor competence requirements.

We will set out our delivery plans and key milestones for this recommendation by the end of this year.

Transparency and oversight

The Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended that it be made a legal requirement for the government to maintain a publicly accessible record of recommendations made by select committees, coroners and public inquiries.

We accepted this recommendation in principle and, in July, we published the first Public Inquiries: Recommendations and Government Response dashboards. The dashboards record the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Phase 2 report and the May 2024 Infected Blood Inquiry report, the government’s response to the recommendations and progress towards implementation of those recommendations government has accepted. The dashboards will be updated periodically to show implementation progress, and will be expanded to capture the recommendations, and implementation progress of future and recently closed inquiries.

Fire and rescue services

National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Action Plan

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has developed a comprehensive action and delivery plan which sets out their timeline of work that will allow the NFCC and fire and rescue services to address the recommendations. The plan has been shared with key stakeholders, including MHCLG.

The NFCC has provided fire and rescue services with online progress tracker documents so that they can report any plans or actions they are taking locally to address the recommendations. The NFCC will use these trackers to develop a national picture of progress, identifying gaps and where additional support may be needed.

Good progress is being made against the action plan and some notable developments are:

• a review of the current relevant regulations, guidance, and standards to determine if there is a need for greater standardisation of lift fire controls has been completed. A position has now been agreed, and this will be finalised for submission to the Building Safety Regulator in autumn 2025

• the Operational Training and Education Group (previously known as the Training Managers Forum) has been re-established and the first quarterly meeting was held in June. The Group provides a space for shared discussions, learning and development of learning materials and will support our work in addressing many of the recommendations

• the Organisational Learning Good Practice Guide has been drafted and launched a consultation in summer 2025. We expect a final version to be approved and made available to services in winter 2025

• key stakeholders have been engaged on the development of an Organisational Learning Library that will provide services with greater access to lessons learned across the UK and internationally. An interim solution is being designed so that we can meet this need quickly (by autumn 2025), with a final, more sophisticated product being developed as part of the wider digital transformation within the NFCC

• reviews of national guidance on various topics have begun. These include fireground radios, site specific risk information and decision making for non-commanders. We will be able to update in the progress and findings of these reviews in future updates

• the NFCC submitted changes to Water UK for their National Guidance Document on the Provision of Water for Firefighting, and the addition of a new Confirmation of Adherence template. All changes were accepted by Water UK and the guidance has been published on Water UK’s website

Response and recovery

In July, we published the UK Government Resilience Action Plan, as part of the government’s commitment to reviewing the resilience landscape. The plan sets out the government’s strategic vision for a stronger and more resilient UK and the steps being taken to deliver this.

The action plan focuses on building national resilience across all risks we could face in the UK as set out in the National Risk Register. It details how the government is taking action to build both our national and personal resilience through a ‘whole of society’ approach.

Recent crises and inquiries, including the findings from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, have demonstrated that the consequences of emergencies are often disproportionately felt across society. To tackle this, assessing and planning for people who are vulnerable in different types of emergencies is core to the action plan.

The Cabinet Office also launched a public consultation to gather information on how to best improve engagement between Category 1 emergency responders and the voluntary community and faith sectors.

The consultation aimed to gather views about the suggested changes to existing legislative requirements; the challenges and opportunities for strengthened partnerships; and whether there are alternative ways to achieve improved partnership working. The consultation closed on 16 September and all the information provided is now being reviewed.

Vulnerable people and Phase 1 recommendations

Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs)

The Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025 were laid on 4 July 2025. This mandates Residential Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs) in high rise and higher-risk residential buildings. This means that two Phase 1 recommendations 59 (33.22.C) and 61 (33.22.F) have now been completed.

Under the regulations, residents with disabilities or impairments will have a person-centred fire risk assessment to identify equipment and adjustments to aid their fire safety and evacuation and a ‘Residential PEEPs statement’ recording what they should do in a fire. Fire and rescue services will also receive information on vulnerable residents in case they need to support their evacuation. The resident’s consent is required throughout the process. Further information on why we are doing this and what the regulations mean in practice can be found at Residential PEEPs: Factsheet.

We are considering a range of potential options to introduce primary legislation to complete the policy requirement for the final Phase 1 recommendation 60 (33.22.E) as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

The government has committed funding this year to support social housing providers to deliver Residential PEEPs for their renters. Future years’ funding will be subject to confirmation through the Spending Review and business planning processes.