Corporate report

State of the Estate 2024-25 (HTML)

Updated 5 May 2026

Joint Ministerial Foreword

The UK’s public estate is one of our most powerful tools for national renewal. It represents an asset of enormous potential, and this government is determined to fulfil that potential. 

For too long, short-term thinking and underinvestment left the estate unable to deliver what the country needs. We are changing that, leading a concerted, cross-departmental effort to transform our buildings and land into a genuine catalyst for growth and opportunity.

Kickstarting economic growth is our number one priority, and the public estate is central to that mission. Strategic management of our assets is already unlocking investment and driving regional prosperity, and the results this year speak for themselves:

• We are delivering significant savings on expensive, central London properties, through our successful drive to relocate more roles to cities and regions throughout the UK.
• We are driving improvements in the quality, scale, and breadth of property data, enabling better decisions, better value, and greater impact across the whole estate. 
• Through regional efficiency and smarter operations, we are delivering substantial environmental gains alongside our property savings, achieving a 42.1% drop in greenhouse gas emissions and exceeding our 15.6% waste reduction target, while continuing to drive improvements toward our water and recycling goals to save nearly £330 million for the taxpayer.

We also recognise our responsibility to make Britain a clean energy superpower. The opening of HMP Millsike, the UK’s first all-electric prison, is proof that sustainability and effective service delivery go hand in hand.

The Office of Government Property is leading the cross-government drive to more strategically plan, manage and deliver improvements to our estate – making public buildings more resilient, and a better places to deliver public services.

Improving the condition of our estate and tackling the maintenance backlog remain urgent priorities. The direction is right, the momentum is real, and we are building a public estate that will strengthen our economy, support our NHS and break down barriers to opportunity for every citizen.

Mary Creagh CBE MP,  

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature

Rt Hon Anna Turley MP,  

Minister of State (Minister without Portfolio) for the Cabinet Office

Head of Function Foreword

The 2024-25 State of the Estate report is published at a pivotal moment; a new government, with ambitious missions for national renewal, and a long-term Spending Review that demands every part of the public sector demonstrates its value; these are not abstract pressures. 

They are a direct call to action for the Government Property Function. Our task is to ensure that the public estate becomes a genuine enabler of mission delivery: supporting growth, releasing value and providing the right spaces for public services to thrive.

That means confronting some hard truths as well as celebrating real achievements. The National Audit Office’s review of government property management was a significant moment of challenge and reflection. 

It made clear that, despite genuine progress, the strategic management of maintenance across the estate still falls short of what is required. Maintenance has too often been treated as a short-term pressure to defer rather than a long-term investment to plan for. The result is a backlog that grows more costly over time and undermines the buildings our public services depend upon. We are committed to a more rigorous, strategic approach, working with departments and HM Treasury to embed long-term maintenance planning as a core discipline across government.

At the same time, the government’s commitment to infrastructure and planning reform presents a significant opportunity. Reforms designed to accelerate residential development and drive economic growth will reshape communities across the country and the public estate has a direct role to play. Surplus and underutilised government land, released and developed strategically, can help unlock housing, attract private investment and stimulate local economies. We intend to be an active partner in that national effort.

Against this backdrop, the achievements of this year are all the more significant. Over the 2022‑23 to 2024‑25 period, we delivered £2.0 billion from surplus property disposals and £500 million in estate running cost savings, beating both targets a full year ahead of schedule. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation completed the £6 billion Annington Homes buyback, securing an asset now valued at £10 billion and better accommodation for our armed forces. The Office of Government Property is working within a cross-government approach, shaping the estate strategy alongside funding and assurance functions to support more effective long-term planning and delivery. Within this, NISTA is strengthening the coordination of major projects by bringing together strategy, funding and expert assurance to improve oversight and delivery across the infrastructure and property portfolio. The InSite property database is fully live, providing a trusted, modern foundation for data-driven decisions. And we are now using artificial intelligence (AI) to assess Strategic Asset Management Plans, enabling more efficient and consistent analysis while maintaining quality.

Ultimately, the estate is only as strong as the people who manage it. We continue to invest in the skills and capabilities of our property professionals, building a workforce equipped for the challenges and opportunities ahead. Through better data, better buildings and a more capable profession, we are building a public estate ready to deliver for the future.

Mark Chivers,  

Government Chief Property Officer

Purpose and Scope

The State of the Estate report satisfies the requirement in the Climate Change Act 2008^{[footnote 1]} to account for the progress made in the year towards improving the efficiency and contribution to sustainability of buildings that are part of the government’s estate. As required under the Act, the report is laid before Parliament. This report covers the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

This report provides an authoritative cross-government source of estate data and insight with wider value for policy and operational practice. It consolidates estate data across portfolios, presenting a consistent baseline to support the development of operational strategies and analytical work. Key trends, changes and emerging pressures across the government estate are expressed to inform evidence-based policymaking and more informed decision making across government.

This State of the Estate report utilises data contained in ‘Government Estate: Annual Data Publication, 2024-25’.^{[footnote 2]} The report focuses on the central government estate and does not include local authority assets or the wider public estate. Most portfolios cover central government property throughout the United Kingdom. Estates managed by the Devolved Administrations are out of scope. 

Information presented in the chapter ‘A Greener Government Estate’, is collected by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) through monitoring of the Greening Government Commitments^{[footnote 3]} (GGCs). The GGCs are government targets developed by Defra and agreed across government. GGCs set out actions UK government departments and their agencies will take to reduce their impact on the environment. 

The detailed data on Government Estate Portfolios for the year ending 31 March 2025 can be found in the ‘Government Estate: Annual Data Publication, 2024-25’, which contains estate information for the period 2021-22 to 2024-25.

Executive Summary

The government estate underpins the delivery of public services across the United Kingdom. It is extensive in scale, diverse in nature and long-lived in character. Decisions about how it is managed have lasting implications for public expenditure, service resilience, sustainability and the government’s ability to adapt to future challenges.

In 2024-25, the estate comprised 181.1k built assets with a total floor area of 159.1 million m², alongside extensive land holdings. These assets supported a wide range of functions, including healthcare, education, justice, defence, infrastructure and administrative activity. The estate therefore cannot be understood as a single entity; its risks, costs and opportunities are distributed unevenly across portfolios with complex operational requirements.

The reported freehold value of the estate increased 9.1% to £208.4 billion, reflecting revaluations and portfolio-specific changes, particularly within defence. At the same time, total annual running costs reduced 0.9% to £26.6 billion, despite ongoing inflationary pressures affecting utilities, maintenance and facilities management. While this reduction demonstrates continued progress on running costs reduction, costs remain highly concentrated within a small number of large portfolios, notably Health (£14.7 billion), Defence (£3.7 billion), Schools/academy premises (£2.9 billion) and Offices (£1.5 billion). These portfolios therefore represent the greatest source of long-term financial exposure.

In 2024-25, the government estate recorded continued progress against the Greening Government Commitments. Greenhouse gas emissions were 42.1% lower than the 2017-18 baseline, while overall energy consumption decreased by 17.9%, representing an estimated £323.6 million reduction in energy costs over the period. Total waste volumes fell by 15.6%, with 2.4% of waste sent to landfill, remaining below the 5% target. Water consumption also reduced by 6.5% compared with the baseline year. These results, presented in Chapter 3, provide an overview of environmental performance across the estate during the reporting period.

Estate transformation continues to deliver tangible outcomes. Overall floor area reduced marginally, surplus space declined to 695,900 m², and 320 disposals generated £367.3 million in receipts due to ongoing estates rationalisation across government. The most pronounced structural change occurred within the jobcentre estate, where floor area reduced by 13.0% and running costs fell by 19.1%, reflecting the exit from pandemic-era provision and changes in service delivery models. These changes illustrate how estate decisions are increasingly being shaped by service reform.

Condition of the built estate remains a critical issue. While data coverage has improved, condition and maintenance backlog are not evenly distributed across the estate. Risk is concentrated within large, operationally constrained portfolios, particularly prisons, health and schools, where assets are often ageing, and flexibility to rationalise or temporarily close facilities is limited. This report therefore treats the condition of the built estate as a material factor influencing long-term affordability, operational resilience and service continuity. Work is underway to improve the consistency and coverage of condition data, with a view to strengthening reporting from 2026–27 in line with the government’s commitment to the Public Accounts Committee.

A significant development in 2024–25 is the improvement in estate data quality and usability. Enhanced asset coverage, clearer definitions and improved digital registers are strengthening the evidence base for decision making. Portfolios such as infrastructure demonstrate how clearer asset definition supports better insight, while tools such as InSite, the Cabinet Office’s Digital National Asset Register which collects strategic property data, Strategic Asset Management Plans and emerging analysis are beginning to connect asset-level information with strategic planning.

Chapter 1: Government Estate 2024-25 Overview

This chapter provides an overview of the size, composition, value, cost and condition of the central government estate in 2024-25. It presents a summary of the estate as it stood at the end of the reporting period, drawing on the ‘Government Estate: Annual Data Publication, 2024-25’.^{[footnote 4]}

The estate is made up of a series of portfolios, some for the delivery of direct public services including schools, the health service, courts and tribunals, the probation service, prisons, jobcentres and cultural assets; others support additional government activity in the public interest, including the Defence estate, science, administrative offices, logistics and storage, and other land.

Further information on the methodology of data collection and analysis across portfolios and impacts on inter-portfolio comparison can be found in Section 3.1 of ‘Government Estate: Annual Data Publication, 2024-25’.

Table 1: Government Property Portfolios^{[footnote 5]}

Portfolio	Description
Courts and Tribunals	Operational courts and tribunal buildings including any associated space used as administrative buildings and/or storage sites.
Cultural Assets	Museums (including front-of-house and back-office estate where relevant), galleries, libraries, cinemas, including art/artefact storage, where relevant.
Defence	Property assets and land from which the Ministry of Defence lives, works, trains, operates and deploys military capability. The Defence portfolio also includes maritime, airfield, and rail to support and enable Defence operations and the overseas defence estate.
Health	NHS Trust hospitals (secondary care), health clinics and community hospitals (primary care) and residential and care facilities (other).
Infrastructure	Transport, energy, digital (telecommunications), waste, wastewater and sewage, and flood defences.
Jobcentres	Jobcentres and assessment centres.
Land	Land that is not directly associated with buildings, which includes (but is not limited to) training land, nature conservation, woodlands and lakes.   The land portfolio excludes land related to the defence estate, which is reported under the Defence portfolio.
Logistics and Storage	Includes but is not limited to document stores, fuel-testing barns, salt barns, vehicle depots, motorway service compounds.
Offices	Typically offices include front of house, headquarters, service-supporting and serviced offices and IT/data/call centres. It does not include public-facing office accommodation that is ancillary to the primary purpose of that building (e.g. at a school, prison, jobcentres etc).
Overseas	All assets outside the UK.
Prison	Prisons, prison officer’s quarters and other associated buildings.
Probation	Probation centres, contact centres and approved premises.
Schools	State-funded educational establishments providing nursery, primary, or secondary-phase education, and some further education establishments (but not privately owned and operated nursery schools that do not share their buildings with schools).    This report includes data on the number and floor area of all state-funded schools as reported through the Condition Data Collection (CDC); this is a five-yearly programme, and data sourced from the CDC is updated at that frequency, with the most recent update in 2021 and based on information collected in the period 2017-19.    Valuation and premises costs data relate to academies only. This data is reported on an academic year basis (1 September to 31 August) and not by financial year. The most recent update relates to data for the academic year to 31 August 2024.
Science	Laboratories, science sites and research facilities.
Remaining Estate	All assets which cannot be categorised into the above portfolios or where a breakdown of the estate is not available.

Scale and Composition of the Estate in 2024-25

In 2024-25, the central government estate comprised 203,400 assets, of which 181,100 were built assets, and 22,400 were land assets. Together, these assets supported a wide range of public services and operational functions across the United Kingdom.

This diversity of the central government estate reflects the breadth of government activity and means that asset characteristics, operational constraints and management challenges vary significantly across portfolios.

The total reported floor area of the built estate was 159.1 million m², representing a slight reduction compared with the previous year. This aggregate figure reflects a combination of asset exits, changes in service provision, reclassification and improvements in data coverage. Changes in floor area were not uniform across portfolios, with some portfolios remaining broadly stable while others experienced more pronounced change.

Figure 1: Difference in Floor Area From Previous Year by Portfolio, 2024-25

Figure 2: Estate Headline Data, 2024-25

Estate by Portfolio

Table 2: Size and Value of the Government Property Estate 2022-23 to 2024-25

Appendix F contains notes relevant to this data table

Some shorthand is used in this table: [z] = Not applicable

Value	Unit	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25	Change 2023‑24 to 2024‑25 [note 9]
Number of Assets	Number	206.1k	203.3k	203.4k	0.1%
Built Assets	Number	183.0k	180.9k	181.1k	0.1%
Land Assets	Number	23.1k	22.4k	22.4k	-0.1%
Total Floor Area [note 1]	m²	159.7m	159.5m	159.1m	-0.2%
Freehold	m²	129.9m	132.7m	132.3m	-0.3%
Leasehold	m²	11.6m	12.4m	11.4m	-7.8%
PFI [note 10]	m²	12.3m	12.0m	12.2m	1.4%
Other	m²	5.9m	2.4m	3.3m	[z]
Vacant Floor Area	m²	633.2k	545.3k	597.8k	9.6%
Surplus Floor Area [note 2]	m²	664.3k	739.7k	695.9k	-5.9%
Land Area	ha	628.9k	628.4k	640.4k	1.9%
Surplus Land Area [note 2]	ha	261	387	381	-1.4%
Freehold Value [note 3]	£	181.3bn	191.0bn	208.4bn	9.1%
Total Running Cost [note 4][note 8] [note 14]	£	25.0bn	26.8bn	26.6bn	-0.9%
Annual Rent for Leaseholds [note 4]	£	2.2bn	2.4bn	2.4bn	1.7%
Annual Rates	£	1.3bn	1.4bn	1.5bn	2.4%
Security Costs	£	479.5m	607.4m	598.0m	-1.5%
Soft FM	£	6.8bn	7.3bn	7.1bn	-2.2%
Hard FM [note 5]	£	4.3bn	4.6bn	4.8bn	2.4%
Other Costs	£	7.3bn	7.4bn	7.3bn	-1.7%
Academy Premises Costs [note 12]	£	2.6bn	3.0bn	2.9bn	[z]
Number of Buildings Requiring an EPC	Number	6,209	6,051	6,585	[z]
Number of Buildings EPC A–C	Number	2,728	21,388	27,099	26.7%
New Acquisitions [note 6]	Number	284	514	190	[z]
Number of Disposals [note 7]	Number	354	245	320	[z]
Disposal Proceeds [note 7]	£	1.2bn	455.0m	367.3m	[z]

A small number of portfolios account for the majority of the government estate by floor area and asset count. Schools, Health, Defence and Offices together represent a significant proportion of built assets and floor space.

• The Schools estate is the largest by floor area and is highly distributed, comprising a wide range of buildings.
• The Health estate includes a mix of clinical, administrative and support facilities and is characterised by high operational intensity.
• The Defence estate comprises both built assets and extensive land holdings, supporting a range of training and specialist operational functions.
• The Offices estate supports central government administrative activity and is concentrated in a smaller number of large sites and hubs.

Other portfolios, such as Jobcentres, Prison, Courts and Tribunals, Infrastructure and Land, serve different operational purposes and therefore experience different drivers of change, including variations in demand, investment requirements and flexibility to adapt or rationalise assets.

Figure 3: Total Floor Area by Portfolio, 2024-25, (m²)

Note: ‘Others’ includes Courts and Tribunals, Cultural Assets, Infrastructure, Jobcentres, Logistics and Storage, Overseas, Probations, Science, and Remaining Estate.

Value of the Estate

The reported freehold value of the central government estate increased 9.1% to £208.4 billion in 2024-25. This increase reflects a combination of revaluations and portfolio-specific movements, most notably within the Defence estate.

The distribution of the asset values differ across portfolios, reflecting differences in asset type, tenure, location and function. Large, complex estates like the Health estate, Schools and the Defence estate, with long-lived assets, account for a significant proportion of total value. The value of the freehold estate, as referenced in this report, excludes leasehold properties, with the exception of virtual freeholds. A virtual freehold is defined as an asset acquired via an upfront capital payment, where only a minimal peppercorn rent, ground rent or service charge is subsequently paid. Freehold property assets are valued using several different methodologies:

• Depreciation Replacement Cost (DRC)
• Existing Use Value (EUV)
• Market Value (MV)
• Other – UK Estate
• Other – Non-UK estate

The total value is presented as a high-level aggregate estimate, combining valuations derived from these various methods. It should be noted that this aggregate total is an approximation, reflecting the limitations of the aggregation approach, and does not directly indicate liquidity or potential for disposal, particularly concerning assets critical to operations.

The reported value relates primarily to the freehold estate, which represents the majority of long-term government property holdings. In 2024-25, freehold assets accounted for around 132.3 million m² of the estate’s 159.1 million m² total floor area, with remaining assets held through leasehold, PFI and other tenure types. As a result, estate value movements largely reflect changes in long-lived operational portfolios.

 Figure 4: Reported Freehold Value of the Estate, 2024-25

Note: All Jobcentres are leaseholds

Figure 5: Change in Recorded Freehold Value, by Portfolio, 2023-24 to 2024-25 (£)

Note: All Jobcentres are leaseholds

Running Costs

Total reported annual running costs for the estate were £26.6 billion in 2024-25, representing a 0.9% reduction compared with the previous year. This continues a downward trend observed since 2021-22, despite inflationary pressures affecting utilities, maintenance and facilities management. This is mainly due to offsetting movements across cost categories, with reductions in soft facilities management, security and other costs partially offset by increases in hard facilities management, business rates and leasehold rents.

Running costs are highly concentrated within a small number of portfolios:

• Health: £14.7 billion
• Defence: £3.7 billion
• Offices: £1.5 billion

Together, these portfolios account for the majority of estate expenditure (74.8% in 2024‑25). Running costs reflect a combination of factors, including asset scale, operational intensity, condition, security requirements and facilities management arrangements.

Changes in running costs over the year varied by portfolio. The most substantial reduction occurred within the jobcentre estate, reflecting the exit from temporary pandemic-era provision.

Figure 6: Total Inflation-Adjusted Running Costs by Portfolio, 2024-25

Note: ‘Others’ includes Courts and Tribunals, Cultural Assets, Infrastructure, Jobcentres, Land, Logistics and Storage, Overseas, Probations, Science and Remaining Estate.

Figure 7: Cost Breakdown by Portfolio, 2024-25

Figure 8: Cost Breakdown by Portfolio over £500 million, 2024-25

Figure 9: Cost Breakdown by Portfolio under £500 million, 2024-25

Note: To provide a clear view of granular trends, portfolios have been organised into groups of similar magnitude. This prevents larger portfolios from distorting the scale, allowing for a detailed, side-by-side comparison of performance metrics within each specific size bracket.

Vacant and Surplus Space

Vacant and surplus space provide an indication of how closely the estate is aligned with current operational needs.

In 2024-25, the reported vacant floor area was 597,800 m², while surplus floor area was 695,900 m². Compared with the previous year, surplus space decreased, while vacancy increased.

Vacancy and surplus are distinct measures of estate performance and should be interpreted separately. Vacancy refers to space that is currently physically unoccupied but is being retained to meet anticipated operational needs. Surplus space, conversely, is no longer operationally required and has been identified for disposal, exit or alternative use.

The two measures differ because surplus space may remain temporarily occupied during the transition, consolidation or disposal process. Therefore, not all surplus space is necessarily vacant. The difference between the two measures reflects the timing of operational change and estate rationalisation activities, rather than inconsistent reporting.

Within the office estate, vacant space increased to 149,800 m². This reflects a combination of factors, including changes in utilisation, the onboarding of assets with existing vacancy, and the timing of exit and disposal activity. Vacancy therefore needs to be interpreted alongside wider estate change rather than in isolation.

Figure 10: Surplus and Vacant Floor Area, 2024-25

Notes:

Surplus Floor Area – ‘Other Portfolios’ includes Courts and Tribunals, Defence, Jobcentres, Overseas, Prison, Probation, Remaining Estate, Schools, and Science.

Vacant Floor Area – ‘Other Portfolios’ includes Courts and Tribunals, Defence, Infrastructure, Jobcentres, Logistics and Storage, Overseas, Probation, Schools, and Science.

Disposals and Acquisitions

During 2024-25, 320 assets were disposed of, generating £367.3 million in receipts. Disposals included a mix of built assets and land and contributed to wider government objectives, including efficiency, regeneration and housing delivery.

In the same period, 190 new assets were acquired, reflecting ongoing service requirements and changes in operational need. Acquisition activity varied by portfolio and was influenced by factors such as service expansion, consolidation and replacement of existing assets.

 Figure 11: Estate Disposal Receipts, Number of Assets Disposed of and Number of New Assets Acquired, 2024-25

 Condition of the Estate

Managing the government estate requires a long-term perspective. Many assets are long-lived, and decisions taken today influence future costs, operational resilience and service delivery outcomes. Building condition therefore represents a key factor in long-term affordability, particularly in large operational portfolios such as Health, Schools and Justice, where ageing assets and limited flexibility to rationalise space increase the importance of planned investment and maintenance.

In 2025, the National Audit Office findings highlighted inconsistent condition data, limited comparability across portfolios, and the risks associated with deferred maintenance. In response, the government has prioritised improving how estate condition is understood, managed and reported, recognising that effective decision making depends on clearer, more consistent information across departments. While coverage and maturity remain uneven, progress is underway to strengthen data, governance, and planning arrangements, supporting a more systematic approach to managing condition risk across the estate.

While data coverage has continued to improve, condition information is not yet uniformly available or consistent across all portfolios.

Condition challenges are more pronounced in large, operationally constrained estates such as prisons and schools, where assets are often ageing, and flexibility to close or replace buildings is limited. In these portfolios, changes in condition can have acute implications for safety, and operational continuity.

Condition information metrics currently exclude built assets of around 69,000 buildings within the Schools portfolio^{[footnote 6]} and the NHS England Secondary Care estate^{[footnote 7]} (who are moving towards adopting the definitions set out in the Government Property Data Standard, but currently collect data differently).

Unsatisfactory or poor condition ratings were associated with a range of common contributing factors, including older and heritage buildings, which require continued investment to comply with modern scientific and environmental standards. 

Addressing building condition and maintenance needs remains critical for the government as part of the commitment to transforming the estate to meet operational demands, improving the delivery of public services and supporting economic growth and environmental goals. 

The Office of Government Property acts as the functional lead across the Government Property Function and is coordinating cross-government work to improve the collective understanding of building condition, including the development of common definitions, guidance and supporting tools linking condition information to investment planning and maintenance backlog management. Consistent with commitments made to the Public Accounts Committee, work is progressing to enable more comparable reporting on estate condition within State of the Estate from 2026-27 onwards.

Key areas of delivery include:

• Standardising the definition and measurement of maintenance backlog, enabling a clearer and more consistent view of estate condition across government and supporting future condition reporting from 2026-27.
• Embedding long-term estate planning through Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs), requiring departments to set out ten-year plans to manage and reduce maintenance backlog risks.
• Strengthening risk management, with departments and their arm’s-length bodies assessing the impact of building condition on service delivery using common risk impact guidance and reflecting these risks within departmental risk registers.
• Improving professional capability and workforce planning, ensuring departments have the skills and data needed to manage estate condition proactively.
• Developing a coordinated cross-government approach to contain and reduce maintenance backlog pressures through sustained prioritisation and long-term investment planning.

Given the scale, diversity and operational importance of the government estate, improvements will necessarily be phased over time. Strengthening condition data and planning arrangements represents an important step towards managing risks more systematically, supporting service continuity while enabling better prioritisation of future investment.

Figure 12: Percentage of Built Assets by Building Condition, 2024-25

(Excluding Schools (35%) and Trust (3%))

Figure 13: Percentage of Built Assets by Building Condition Split by Portfolio, 2024-25 

(Excluding Schools (35%) and Trust (3%))

Chapter 2: Understanding the Government Estate

Strategic Context

The ‘Government Property Strategy 2022-2030 (PDF, 2.9MB)’ provides the long-term framework for stewarding the government estate so that it supports public services, contributes to places and communities, and delivers value for money over time. Within that context, the State of the Estate report provides an annual, evidence-based view of the physical footprint, cost and characteristics of the estate, drawing on the most recent data available.

In 2024-25, the government estate comprised over 159.1 million square metres of built floorspace, with an estimated freehold value exceeding £208.4 billion and annual running costs of more than £26.6 billion. These figures underline the materiality of the estate both to public finances and to the delivery of public services. They also frame the importance of understanding how the estate functions in practice, where pressures are concentrated, and what constraints shape decisions about its use and management.

Case Study: Redevelopment of Countess of Chester Women and Children’s Unit

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust delivered a £112m Women and Children’s redevelopment to replace a life-expired facility built between 1967 and 1969. The old building contained almost 2,000 reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) planks, creating an unacceptable long-term safety risk and driving the need for urgent investment

Approved through a full business case in February 2023, the scheme approved a new 13,282 m² purpose-built facility delivering maternity, neo-natal, paediatric and gynaecology services. The development includes 24 single en-suite maternity bedrooms, 22 paediatric beds, two obstetric theatres and a 16-cot neo-natal unit, all designed to modern Health Building Note standards. The scheme supports service integration, improves patient safety and experience, and is the first net zero building in the NHS portfolio.

Construction commenced in June 2023, with completion achieved in July 2025 and the building becoming operational in September 2025. The final construction value was £85.91m, i.e. £6,370 per square metre.

Scale, Cost and Right-Sizing Pressures

The scale of the government estate creates ongoing pressures to ensure it remains appropriately sized for how services are delivered, while remaining affordable to operate and maintain. Annual running costs of over £26.6 billion reflect not only the volume of space held, but also the cost of maintaining ageing assets, meeting statutory and safety requirements, and sustaining operational readiness across multiple portfolios.

Pressures arise where there is a misalignment between the space held and how services are delivered. In parts of the estate, particularly where administrative or support functions are concentrated, changes in workforce patterns and technology are continuing to reshape space requirements more visibly across parts of the estate. In other portfolios, space is driven primarily by service demand, statutory provision or operational resilience, meaning that adjustments to the estate footprint often require wider service or system change before they can be realised without affecting outcomes.

Running cost data highlights the implications of these differences. Portfolios with complex or ageing assets or where they are operational 24/7 tend to incur higher costs per square metre, even where their overall footprint is smaller than other parts of the estate. In these cases, cost pressures are more closely linked to asset condition, compliance and service criticality than to inefficient use of space.

Figure 14: Total Floor Area of Leased Built Assets vs Annual Rent, 2024-25

Figure 15: Total Floor Area vs Running Costs Excl. Rent, 2024-25

Government Property Utilisation

Utilisation targets are defined and set using metrics relevant to each portfolio. The metrics apply to the overall portfolio, recognising that the characteristics of individual properties within the portfolio will give rise to significant deviation (e.g due to listed building constraints, operational constraints).

Figure 16: Government Property Strategy Utilisation Metrics, 2024-25

Notes:

• Certain metrics utilise a baseline after 2019-20, where more recent data provides a more accurate or relevant point of comparison for specific operational shifts.
• Always refer to the specific metric definitions to confirm which baseline is being applied. *Only Crown Court utilisation included; data is not yet available for magistrates’ courts.  

**Baseline source: State of the Estate 2019-20 has been used as the primary baseline because 2020-21 represented the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, which introduced significant short-term changes to organisational operating models. This allows changes in utilisation to be compared with a stable, pre-pandemic environment.

Utilisation metrics provide insight into how different parts of the government estate are being used in practice, reflecting the operational demands placed on buildings and infrastructure. These metrics vary by portfolio, reflecting differences in service delivery models, operational constraints and estate configuration as per the pillars of the Government Property Strategy.^{[footnote 8]}

Office portfolio: Utilisation of the office estate is measured as average floor area per full-time equivalent (FTE) employee, providing an indication of how intensively office space is used. In 2024-25, average office space reduced to 7.2 m² per FTE, compared with a baseline of 8.9 m², representing a 19.1% reduction over the period. Utilisation levels continue to vary across the office estate, reflecting differences in building configuration, location and operational requirements. The long-term ambition remains to achieve an average of 6 m² per FTE by 2030, with future progress dependent on continued estate change and improvements in data coverage and consistency.

Courts and Tribunals portfolio: Utilisation of courts and tribunals is measured as the proportion of available sessions that are used. In 2024-25, utilisation increased to 82.0%, compared with a baseline of 77.5% in 2022-23. This indicates increased use of available court capacity over the period. Session utilisation is influenced by a range of factors, including demand, listing practices, staffing availability and operational constraints. Changes over time should therefore be interpreted in the context of wider criminal justice system pressures, rather than as a direct reflection of estate performance alone.

Probation portfolio: In 2024-25, probation staff numbers increased to 21,022, compared with a baseline of 17,785, representing an increase of 18.2% since December 2021 and meeting the agreed workforce target. Over the same period, the number of probation property holdings reduced to 562, from a baseline of 664, reflecting continued consolidation of the estate. Taken together, these changes illustrate how the estate is evolving in response to expanding frontline services and changing delivery models, rather than representing a direct measure of utilisation or estate efficiency in isolation.

Prison portfolio: Utilisation of the prison estate continues to reflect sustained operational pressure. In 2024-25, the number of occupied places increased to 86,956, compared with a baseline of 81,822 in 2022-23. Prison utilisation is driven primarily by population levels and operational capacity, taking account of staffing, infrastructure and security requirements. High utilisation levels underline the importance of interpreting estate data alongside operational constraints and longer-term capacity planning, rather than viewing utilisation in isolation.

Health portfolio: Utilisation within the health estate is reflected through changes in levels of vacant and non-clinical space across different parts of the portfolio. In primary care, vacant space within the NHS Property Services estate reduced to 107,099.6 m² in 2024-25, compared with a baseline of 124,963 m², representing a reduction of 14.3%. Over the longer term, this contributes to an overall reduction of more than 20% since the baseline.

Within community health partnerships, vacant space reduced to 19,503 m² in 2024-25, compared with a baseline of 33,104 m² recorded in March 2021, representing a reduction of 41.1%. These changes reflect ongoing efforts to reduce unused space while maintaining flexibility to support local service delivery.

In secondary care, the proportion of non-clinical space, including retail, reduced to 33% in 2024‑25, compared with a baseline of 44.1% in 2014‑15. This remains within the stated ambition that no more than 35% of the secondary care estate is used for non-clinical purposes. Changes over time reflect estate reconfiguration and service delivery requirements rather than uniform patterns across the portfolio.

Jobcentres portfolio: Utilisation of the jobcentre estate is measured through average floor area per individual supported under Universal Credit, reflecting the intensity of space use in frontline employment services. In 2024-25, average Jobcentre Plus space per individual reduced to 0.100 m², compared with a baseline of 0.227 m² recorded in March 2020, representing a reduction of 55.9%.

A similar reduction is observed in space used for corporate activity, where the average floor area per individual reduced to 0.250 m² in 2024-25, compared with a baseline of 0.385 m² in March 2020, representing a reduction of 35.1%.

Changes in utilisation reflect a combination of estate consolidation, changes in service delivery models, and fluctuations in claimant volumes. As with other operational portfolios, movements in these metrics should be interpreted alongside wider policy and demand pressures rather than as a standalone measure of estate efficiency.

Portfolio Transformation in Practice

While the Government Property Strategy provides a single framework for estate transformation, the path and pace of change differ significantly across portfolios, The following sections set out how transformation is taking shape across some key portfolios, illustrating how estate decisions are increasingly aligned with service delivery, workforce strategy, data maturity and long-term planning.

Prisons: Managing Capacity Through Long-Term Investment and Reform

The prison estate continues to operate at or near full operational capacity, reflecting sustained growth in the prison population alongside the age and condition of much of the existing estate. High utilisation has limited operational flexibility and increased pressure on older assets, where historic underinvestment has contributed to deterioration and the loss of usable capacity over time.

In response, the Ministry of Justice has set out a 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy,^{[footnote 9]} providing a long-term framework to stabilise and expand capacity while improving safety, decency and resilience. The strategy commits to delivering around 14,000 additional prison places by 2031 through a combination of new prisons, new houseblocks, rapid deployment cells, and targeted refurbishments. Alongside new supply, increased investment in maintenance and condition improvement is helping to protect existing capacity, reduce unplanned closures and support more reliable operation of the estate.

The strategy recognises that new build alone cannot address long-term pressures, given delivery timescales and projected future demand. Estate planning is therefore being aligned more closely with sentencing reform, workforce capacity and wider criminal justice policy, supported by improved use of data and condition insight. This represents a shift from reactive capacity management towards a more strategic, infrastructure-led approach, strengthening the foundation for managing risk and resilience in the prison estate over the long term.

Case Study: HMP Millsike 

HMP Millsike is a new category C resettlement prison for around 1,500 prisoners built next to the existing HMP Full Sutton near York. It is the third in a series of projects delivering six new prisons; its completion marks a significant step in the UK Government’s plan to provide an additional 14,000 prison places by 2031. 

HMP Millsike was built using the latest technology and building methods to create a high-specification, safe and secure facility focused on reducing reoffending. It has been designed with rehabilitation at its core, aiming to equip individuals with the skills and training needed to secure employment upon release.

It is also the UK’s first all-electric prison. The design integrates biophilic principles and low-carbon technologies, including air-source heat pumps, solar panels, and energy-efficient lighting systems. The prison’s design allows it to operate on approximately 70% less energy compared with the most recently built prisons, supplemented by the on-site generation of over 645 MWh of renewable energy. 

This innovative approach reflects the Ministry of Justice’s commitment to creating a more sustainable and rehabilitative justice system, setting a new standard for prison design in England and Wales.

During construction, almost 800 jobs were created within 50 miles of the site, and 92 apprentices and trainees were employed, in addition to 73 ex-offenders and prisoners released on temporary licence. The build invested significantly in the local economy, with a local spend of 45% (equating to £150 million) within 50 miles of the site.

Offices: Enabling Workforce Change Rather Than Footprint Reduction

Changes in the Offices portfolio illustrate support for changing workforce patterns and place-based working. While the overall size of the office estate has remained broadly stable, patterns of utilisation have changed markedly, as shown in their utilisation metric.

Programmes such as Places for Growth^{[footnote 10]} have reshaped demand for office space by redistributing roles across regions. This has implications not only for where space is needed, but also for its quality, configuration and accessibility. As a result, office transformation is increasingly focused on how space supports productivity, collaboration and inclusion, rather than solely on reducing square metres.

This approach marks a clear evolution from earlier approaches, positioning the office estate as an enabler of workforce strategy and organisational change.

Whitehall Campus

The Government Property Agency’s (GPA) Whitehall Campus Programme is consolidating the government’s central London office portfolio, to meet the commitment of “no more than 20 core buildings”,^{[footnote 11]} with a current target of 17 buildings, to accommodate a maximum of 40,000 civil servants by 2030. 

Table 3: Government Property Strategy Key Performance Indicators 2024-25: Whitehall Campus

Key Performance Indicator	Baseline  [2018-19]	2024-25	Change	Target
# Smaller
Progress in exiting from central London offices through the Whitehall Campus Programme – buildings	79	32	47	Reduction to 17 from 20 buildings by 2030
Progress in exiting from central London offices through the Whitehall Campus Programme – accommodation	Accommodation for 92,000 civil servants	61,000	31,000	Accommodation for a maximum of 40,000 civil servants by 2030
Central London offices floor area	614,000 m²	348,400 m²	265,600 m²	Reduction to 243,000 m²

Case Study: Windsor House Exit: A Major Step for London Estate Rationalisation

September 2024 saw the Government Property Agency (GPA) close the doors of Windsor House, 45–50 Victoria Street, Westminster, as part of GPA’s estates rationalisation programme. 

This latest building closure is part of the Whitehall Campus Programme, which aims to reduce the central London estate by 55%. It will see the government move towards the target of £42.7 million cost savings this financial year. 

Windsor House follows the landmark closure of 1 Victoria Street, in January 2024. The closure of Victoria Street, an approximately 30,000 square metre building, has started to generate substantial savings of approximately £30 million in annual running costs and around £300 million 20-year Net Present Value (NPV).

The teams worked together to relocate 1,200 civil servants from Homes England, Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service, National Savings and Investments, and the Office of Manpower Economics to other locations across the government estate. 

The exit from Windsor House is part of the programme to move civil servants to upgraded properties in London to create high-quality, shared workspaces that enable smarter working. These buildings will form a dynamic flexible campus, able to adapt to service the future needs of 40,000 Civil Service roles within the heart of Whitehall.

The Whitehall Campus Programme will provide better value for money and be kinder to the environment as the refurbished, more energy-efficient buildings will be more sustainable, helping the government meet net zero targets. 

The Civil Service has realised substantial savings by exiting the lease on Windsor House. This is a key part of the Whitehall Campus Programme, which aims to reduce the current London estate from 79 to approximately 20 buildings by 2030. This consolidated estate is planned to accommodate 40,000 civil servants. The programme will also release over 312,00 m² of space, equivalent to about 44 football pitches, for alternative use. This success is a result of a strong, collaborative effort from colleagues across the GPA.

Efficiency, Value for Money and the Limits of Short-Term Savings

Efficiency remains a core objective of estate management, and progress in reducing overall running costs demonstrates the continued importance of rationalisation, disposals, and changes in operating models. However, 2024-25 also highlights the limits of short-term efficiency measures when set against the scale and complexity of the estate.

The management of the government estate forms part of a wider context of long-term infrastructure reform. This sits alongside the wider HM Treasury balance sheet framework^{[footnote 12]}, which emphasises managing public assets in the round to support long-term value, resilience, and sustainable public services. The publication of ‘UK Infrastructure: A 10 Year Strategy’^{[footnote 13]} reinforces the importance of coordinated planning, resilience and data-driven decision making across social and economic infrastructure.

While the State of the Estate report does not restate infrastructure policy, the improvements described in this report, particularly in data quality, planning discipline and condition insight, provide a critical foundation for alignment with longer-term infrastructure objectives. Social infrastructure assets such as schools, hospitals and justice facilities are central to both estate management and wider infrastructure planning, and improved coherence between these domains supports better outcomes over time.

While disposals and footprint reductions can deliver immediate savings and receipts, they do not in themselves resolve longer-term challenges such as ageing assets, maintenance backlogs or lack of resilience. Many of the largest and most costly parts of the estate, including health, prison, schools and Defence, are operationally constrained. In these portfolios, the scope for rapid rationalisation is limited, and efficiency gains must often be realised through longer-term planning, investment, and changes in how assets are used.

This reinforces the importance of distinguishing between one-off efficiencies and structural affordability. The latter depends on sustained attention to condition, utilisation, and the alignment of estate provision with long-term service demand. As a result, estate transformation increasingly requires a multi-year perspective rather than a focus on annual movements alone.

Disposals

The Government Property Strategy (GPS) made a commitment to develop an annual pipeline of at least £500 million of disposals each year between 2022-23 and 2024-25, a total of £1.5 billion. In 2024-25, there were 320 disposals from nine departments, amounting to total gross disposal receipts from confirmed unconditional sales of £367 million. Over the three-year period to 2024‑25, a total of £2.0 billion was generated from disposals. 

Table 4: Disposal Receipts by Portfolio, 2024-25

Portfolio	Disposal Receipts (£)	Total Number of Sold Sites	Total Site Area (ha) for Sold Sites
# Total Disposals	367,253,093	320	372
Defence	120,516,488	58	110
Health	41,191,711	21	18
Infrastructure	9,357,793	15	28
Land	138,712,355	176	208
Overseas	8,316,586	6	1
Prison	6,379,482	7	0
Probation	445,148	1	0
Remaining Estate	12,788,540	27	4
Logistics and Storage	0	0	0
Offices	29,544,990	9	3

Land and Defence together account for around 70% of total receipts for 2024-25. Six government organisations made 176 land disposals in the UK, generating £138.7 million. The Department for Transport was responsible for the majority of these, selling 89 land assets totalling approximately 35 ha. Homes England also made a significant number of land disposals, with 52 sales accounting for £119 million and 114 ha. The land sold by Homes England is primarily used to facilitate housing construction and urban regeneration projects.

There were 58 Defence disposals, which raised £120 million. All Defence disposals were made by the Ministry of Defence, and totalled approximately 110 ha. These disposals will help fund Defence estate transformation and modernisation. There were 15 infrastructure disposals which were made in the reporting period, raising £9.4 million. These disposals were primarily made by Network Rail and totalled approximately 28 ha. Nine office disposals generated £29.5 million. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government was responsible for the majority of this value through a single disposal.

The sale of surplus health care facilities generated £41 million, which will help fund the re‑provision of modern facilities. All of the primary care and community disposals were delivered by NHS Property Services, with 14 sites sold, which raised £15 million. Secondary care disposals raised £25 million; these were all delivered by NHS Trusts/Foundation Trusts. Secondary care disposals had the highest average receipts, with £4.2 million per site.

Table 5: Government Property Strategy Key Performance Indicators 2024-25: Capital Receipts

Period	Disposal Receipts
2022-23	1,173,637,850
2023-24	454,984,908
2024-25	367,253,093
Cumulative Receipts 2022-23 to 2024-25	1,995,875,851
Cumulative Disposal Receipts Target by 2024-25	1,500,000,000

Case Study: Aberdeen Goods Vehicle Testing Station

The Aberdeen Goods Vehicle Testing Station was closed as a strategic move aligning with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s service transformation to privately operated authorised testing facilities. The decision was driven by the site’s unviability, citing underuse, oversized capacity, and the critical presence of RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete).

This action supports the “smaller, better, and greener” commitment of the Government Property Strategy, by addressing estate inefficiencies, reducing footprint, and eliminating the RAAC risk. All services, including driving tests and enforcement, were successfully relocated to two smaller, modern leasehold sites through a collaborative execution.

The closure delivers significant public value through its positive impact: lowering running costs, supporting decarbonisation efforts, and enabling potential capital receipts and local regeneration from the released land.

Running Cost Efficiency Savings

The GPS commits to deliver £500 million operating cost savings from the estate, as part of the 5.0% savings that departments had been asked to make against their operational budgets by 2024-25. To measure achievement against the target, the Office of Government Property (OGP) captures ‘total property running cost efficiency savings’ in alignment with HM Treasury’s Government Efficiency Framework (GEF).

OGP has continued to assist departmental property and finance teams to develop their response to this new question as they align themselves to the parameters of the GEF reporting methodology, and as it has been progressively expanded to cover arm’s-length bodies activity. As such, an increasing number of efficiency savings are being captured as the maturity and coverage of reporting increase.

Efficiency savings should not push costs elsewhere in the public sector, nor should they have adverse impacts on outputs or outcomes. They must be net of costs. This is distinct from the use of the term ‘saving’, which could include a reduction in outputs and outcomes for a lesser spend.

In 2024-25, 22 central government organisations reported a total of £449.5 million property running cost efficiency savings. Together with 2022-23 and 2023-24 reporting periods, this represents £750.1 million of property running cost efficiency savings made against the commitment.

Table 6: Government Property Strategy Key Performance Indicators 2024-25: Property Running Cost Efficiency Savings

Period	Property Running Cost Efficiency Savings (£)
2022-23	105,790,299
2023-24	194,818,890
2024-25	449,480,333
Total (for the 3 years)	750,089,522
Additional NHS Trusts estates savings (all 3 years)	558,678,262
Property efficiency savings target by 2024-25	500,000,000

Table 7: Property Running Cost Efficiency Savings by portfolio, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024‑25

Portfolio	Property Running Cost Efficiency Savings (£) 2022‑23	Property Running Cost Efficiency Savings (£) 2023‑24	Property Running Cost Efficiency Savings (£) 2024‑25
# Total Property Running Cost Efficiency Savings	105,790,299	194,818,890	449,480,333
Courts and Tribunals	0	0	477,000
Cultural Assets	1,326,725	1,005,773	2,217,361
Defence	0	0	217,300,000
Health	28,463,622	47,661,087	26,426,135
Infrastructure	62,035	108,082	45,640
Jobcentres	10,167,264	59,303,378	103,751,146
Land	219,961	34,690	320,229
Logistics and Storage	3,247,246	398,277	141,005
Offices	61,759,294	85,723,630	91,645,581
Overseas	0	50,000	0
Prison	0	47,000	5,616,447
Probation	0	0	977,159
Schools	n/a	n/a	n/a
Science	300,000	427,520	369,672
Remaining Estate	244,152	59,453	192,957

Efficiency savings have been delivered through a wide range of estate productivity and efficiency measures, including co-locating government organisations and the move to cross-government hubs; releasing surplus operational property back to the market; smarter leasing, facilities management (FM), and utility contracting; challenging landlord costs and charges; buying out expensive contracts; and undertaking proactive maintenance programmes. Please note Schools are excluded from this analysis.

In addition to the property running cost efficiency savings reported by departments in Table 7 above, in 2024-25, £195.1 million of estates-related savings were reported by NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts to NHS England as part of the NHS Estates Productivity & Efficiency programme. Differences in the methodology and scope of that programme mean those savings are not directly comparable or reportable as property running cost efficiency savings, and as such do not appear in the table above.

Case Study: The Soldiers’ Centre, Alexander Barracks, Pirbright 

The Soldiers’ Centre, Alexander Barracks, Pirbright exemplifies a modern facility that enhances recruits’ wellbeing by providing a centralised catering, retail, leisure, social and welfare facility.

Pivotal to the delivery was collaboration between Defence Infrastructure Organisation, Henry Brothers, WSP, the British Army and the Army Central Fund. The team worked towards delivery of a sustainable facility by meeting the following targets: 

• Carbon emissions: Significant reduction in carbon emissions through the installation of air-source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels, and high-performance insulation. These measures reduce both embodied and operational carbon emissions, making the building’s carbon footprint much lower than conventional practices.
• Environmental impact evaluation: The project achieved the highest rating of ‘Excellent’ under the Defence Related Environmental Assessment Methodology and sustainability standards.
• Climate change adaptation: The building incorporates sustainable drainage systems to manage water runoff, therefore increasing resilience to climate change.
• Resource efficiency and circular economy: Resource use was minimised through the use of FSC-certified timber, off-site prefabrication, and low-carbon construction techniques. The building was also designed with deconstruction in mind, enabling materials to be reused or recycled at the end of the building’s lifecycle, supporting a circular economy.
• Pollution control: Efforts were made to minimise pollution through low-emission construction methods and by ensuring that no ozone depletion potential insulants were used. The installed rainwater harvesting systems and leak detection technologies help reduce water wastage and control water pollution.
• Water use: Reduced through the installation of rainwater harvesting systems and smart water metering systems.

Innovation was central to the success of the project, with a focus on sustainable building techniques, use of eco-friendly materials and off-site prefabrication technology.

Data Quality, Digital Capability and Data Maturity

A defining feature of estate transformation in 2024-25 is the improvement in the quality, coverage and usability of property data. This marks a shift towards unlocking strategic insights and enriching the data we collect, which provides the foundation on which decisions about the government estate are made.

The continued implementation of the Government Property Data Standard and the expansion of InSite as the Cabinet Office’s Digital National Asset Register for strategic government estate data are improving how departments record and report information about their assets. Clearer data definitions, improved asset identification and stronger alignment between datasets are helping highlight inconsistencies and supporting more comparable reporting across portfolios, as we have seen in the 2024-25 reporting cycle.

Alongside improvements in core datasets, the role of Strategic Asset Management Plans (SAMPs) is becoming more prominent. SAMPs provide a mechanism for linking asset-level information (including condition, utilisation and risk) to longer-term planning and investment decisions. Their increasing use reflects a move towards more structured, evidence-based estate planning across government.

Emerging analysis assisted by artificial intelligence is also being tested to support assurance and scalability. These tools are being used within an assurance framework, with human-in-the-loop approaches to identify inconsistencies, highlight patterns and support professional judgement, rather than replace it. Their value lies in helping to manage the scale of the estate and improving digital readiness, particularly where manual assurance would be impractical.

Together, these developments represent a transition towards improved data, enabling the government to prioritise action more effectively, manage risk, and plan over longer time horizons.

Case Study: HIVE

Gov Facility Services Ltd (GFSL) won the Excellence in Customer Service category at the 2025 IWFM Impact Awards for its innovative HIVE reporting portal.

Developed in partnership with His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) using Microsoft Power BI, HIVE addresses the critical post-pandemic challenge of prison capacity by providing accurate, timely data on cells out of use. The low-cost, in-house solution offers a highly visual daily snapshot of cell status, enabling HMPPS to make more informed placement decisions and galvanising GFSL teams to prioritise repairs.

Within six months of its May 2023 launch, HIVE drove the number of cells out of use down by over 60%, from 266 to below 100, demonstrating significant customer value.

GFSL also received nominations in the Social Value category for its CRED (Purposeful Prisoner Working) programme, which provides prisoners with real workplace experience, and the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion category for achieving Disability Confident Level 2 status and embedding inclusive practices. These achievements highlight GFSL’s vital role in supporting public services and creating positive social impact.

Long-Term Affordability, Resilience and Adaptation

Managing the government estate requires a long-term perspective. Many assets are long-lived, and decisions taken today can lock in costs, risks and constraints for decades. As a result, estate management increasingly intersects with questions of resilience and adaptation, including how assets perform under pressure, respond to changing demand, and withstand environmental and operational shocks.

Estate challenges are increasingly driven by the interaction between asset condition and broader systemic pressures. External factors, such as climate change, shifting service demands, new technological needs, and evolving user expectations, exacerbate existing vulnerabilities in assets that are already in poor or constrained condition. This convergence results in ‘estate fragility’, where the threat to service continuity arises not from a single asset failure, but from the complex interplay of condition, operational reliance, and wider environmental and societal change. Effective risk management therefore demands an integrated, long-term strategy that incorporates resilience and adaptation alongside traditional maintenance and investment planning.

Improvements in data quality and estate planning are beginning to address weaknesses in how condition risk is identified and managed across the government estate. In response to commitments made to the Public Accounts Committee, work is underway to strengthen condition data, with a view to introducing more consistent reporting from 2026-27. While coverage and maturity remain uneven, progress is being made in some portfolios, supporting clearer visibility of risk and more informed prioritisation of maintenance and investment. Given the scale, age and operational importance of the estate, improvements will necessarily be phased, requiring sustained oversight to ensure that condition risks are managed systematically rather than deferred.

The government estate is vital for achieving the UK’s 2050 net zero target and the Paris Agreement commitments by reducing greenhouse gas emissions (direct and grid electricity-related). Additionally, the estate must improve resource efficiency, focusing on reduced water consumption, waste generation, and increased energy efficiency. Progress is measured by the ‘Greener’ key performance indicators of the Government Property Strategy, aligning with the Greening Government Commitments and ensuring new properties meet top-quartile energy performance. The figures below show the performance by the end of reporting year 2024-25.

Table 8: Government Property Strategy Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) 2024-25: Greening Government Commitments (GGCs)

KPI: Progress against the GGCs	Baseline (2017-18)	2024-25	Reduction
# Greener
Reduction in direct emissions from government buildings compared with the 2017-18 baseline	1,019,972 (tCO2e) [footnote 14]	832,643 (tCO2e)	18.4%
Reduction in overall emissions including from grid electricity consumption compared with the 2017‑18 baseline	3,019,502 (tCO2e)	1,749,006 (tCO2e)	42.1%
Reduction in waste 2017-18 baseline	187,218 (tonnes)	158,041 (tonnes)	15.6%
Reduction in water consumption compared with the 2017-18 baseline	32,411,991  (m3)	30,308,237  (m3)	6.5%

KPI: New acquisitions to target a top quartile EPC rating	Acquired properties requiring an EPC	Number achieving EPC rating in upper quartile	Proportion meeting KPI target
New acquisitions in the top quartile of energy performance. EPC Upper quartile range: [0-41]	117	27	23.1%

Note:

*The data in the first four lines of this table (along with the data reported in the Greener Government Estate Chapter of this report) is collected by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to the scope of the GGCs. This is distinct from the scope of reporting across the rest of this report. For example, Health and Schools are not included in GGC reporting; therefore, the data cannot be used to assess public sector estate performance on the whole.

Case Study: National Railway Museum

The National Railway Museum, part of the Science Museum Group, tells the story of rail transport in Britain and its impact on society, and houses the national collection of historically significant railway vehicles, including Mallard, Stirling Single, Duchess of Hamilton and a Japanese bullet train.

The refurbishment of Station Hall forms a key component of the museum’s £10.5 million Vision 2025 programme, supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Constructed between 1875 and 1877 as York’s main goods station, the Grade II-listed hall has been part of the museum since 1975 and contains nationally significant and irreplaceable heritage assets. Deterioration of the historic roof had led to water ingress, creating increasing risks to both the collection and the long-term condition of the building.

The project therefore represents more than a like-for-like replacement. The roof renewal provides a thermally efficient and weather-tight structure that safeguards the national collection while improving the resilience and sustainability of the asset. Works include installation of solar photovoltaic panels expected to generate approximately 160,000 kWh annually, thermally efficient glazing, and structural and decorative repairs carried out in a manner sympathetic to the building’s Victorian railway heritage.

This investment demonstrates how estate interventions can simultaneously protect heritage assets, reduce environmental impact and improve long-term operational resilience. By integrating conservation with energy efficiency and modernisation, the project supports both estate stewardship and wider net zero objectives while ensuring the continued public use of a nationally important cultural asset.

Chapter 3: A Greener Government Estate

Introduction

The public estate operates on a scale that makes it a powerful agent of change, directly underpinning and influencing the quality of public services and the vitality of the communities they serve. It is essential that its assets are resilient, efficient and sustainable in order to help provide a secure and effective infrastructure for delivery and growth, and the Government Property Strategy is focused on realising the vision of a “smaller, better, and greener” estate. 

Directed by the ‘Government Property Sustainability Strategy 2022-2030’, the Property Function is embedding emissions reduction, resource efficiency and climate adaptation into the routine management of the national estate. By aligning these environmental pillars with broader property objectives, we aim to develop a high-quality portfolio that moves beyond simple carbon mitigation. Our goal is to ensure the estate delivers genuine value for money and supports effective public services, all while fulfilling our legal and ethical duties to preserve a thriving environment for future generations. The Greening Government Commitments provide the essential framework for measuring our progress against these strategic goals.

Delivering the Greening Government Commitments

Figure 17: Greening Government Commitments 2024-25 summary

A: Mitigating climate change: working towards net zero by 2050

Headline target:

Reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions from a 2017-18 baseline and also reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions from estate and operations from a 2017-18 baseline.

In 2024-25, the central government’s overall greenhouse gas emissions had reduced by 42.1% from the 2017-18 baseline. Approximately 1.75 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (tCO2e) were produced in 2024-25 compared with 3.02 million tCO2e in 2017-18.

Direct emissions from government buildings reduced by 18.4% from the 2017-18 baseline. Approximately 833,000 tCO2e of direct greenhouse gas emissions were produced in 2024-25 compared with 1.02 million tCO2e in 2017-18.

Total energy consumption was 17.9% lower in 2024-25 than in the 2017-18 baseline, saving an estimated £323.6 million^{[footnote 15]}.

B: Minimising waste and promoting resource efficiency

Headline target:

Reduce the overall amount of waste generated by 15% from the 2017-18 baseline.

In 2024-25, the central government reduced overall waste by 15.6% from the 2017-18 baseline.

Of the 21 reporting departments, 15 reduced their waste by 15% or more from the 2017-18 baseline.

Sub-targets:

• Reduce the amount of waste going to landfill to less than 5% of overall waste.

In 2024-25, 2.4% of central government waste was sent to landfill.

• Increase the proportion of waste which is recycled to at least 70% of overall waste.

In 2024-25, 55.9% of central government waste was recycled^{[footnote 16]}.

C: Reducing our water use

Headline target:

Reduce water consumption by at least 8% from the 2017-18 baseline.

In 2024-25, the central government’s water consumption was reduced by 6.5% compared with the 2017-18 baseline.

In 2024-25, 16 of 21 reporting departments reduced their water consumption by 8% or more compared with the 2017-18 baseline.

In 2024-25, reductions in water consumption saved the government an estimated £5.9 million compared with the 2017-18 baseline cost.

Delivering a Sustainable Estate

The government estate is a foundational asset for achieving the nation’s most critical missions, serving as a direct driver of sustainable economic growth and long-term fiscal affordability. By embedding sustainability into the heart of integrated strategic property management through efficiency, climate resilience and nature recovery, we are creating a more secure and effective platform for public service delivery. This approach ensures that property decisions actively contribute to the transition toward a clean energy future, while simultaneously reducing operational costs and enhancing the natural environment for communities across the United Kingdom. By viewing stewardship as a prerequisite for growth, we are transforming the estate into a high-performing, resilient asset that is fit for both the challenges of today and the needs of future generations.

 Strategic Consolidation: Driving Efficiency and Decarbonisation

Modernising the estate requires a move away from fragmented, legacy holdings toward high-performance, consolidated hubs that serve multiple functions. Strategic consolidation is a powerful tool for achieving fiscal efficiency, as it allows for the exit of inefficient leaseholds and the reduction of the overall estate footprint. This process does more than just lower rent and maintenance costs; it enables the relocation of staff into energy-efficient buildings designed for smarter working, and reduced energy and carbon intensity. By optimising space utilisation, the government can achieve deeper emissions reductions while providing modern, inclusive environments that foster productivity and support the wellbeing of the workforce and members of the public who might access them.

Case Study: The Lumen Building: Realising a Smaller, Better, Greener Estate – Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)

The Government Property Strategy aims to rationalise office estate, increase its utilisation and implement smarter working. By consolidating two administrative offices of the DVSA in Newcastle Upon Tyne, it was possible to reduce current accommodation from 20,000 sq ft to 14,000 sq ft and therefore achieve greater efficiencies.

• Why it was done: An opportunity was presented to modernise regional office estate and reunite colleagues who were historically based at a single location. Previous buildings were older, less efficient, and not equipped to facilitate smarter working. Both offices were located away from the city centre, with fewer local amenities and limited transport links. Relocating from two buildings into one enabled DVSA to reduce the size of its office estate by 30%, lower its carbon footprint, achieve greater energy efficiency, and provide colleagues with modern facilities.
• How it was done: An initial property search was undertaken to identify suitable accommodation based on key criteria. Following the approval process, plans for the preferred site were taken forward with DVSA’s professional advisors to lease completion. Fit-out works were then undertaken. Change management was an important aspect of the end-to-end process.
• Why it matters: It is essential colleagues have the right tools and facilities to excel. New smarter working areas enable users to choose the most appropriate setting for each task. Colleagues are increasingly aware of environmental impacts and eager to see sustainability improvements. The Lumen is a Grade A office which boasts a BREEAM rating of ‘excellent’ and EPC rating of A. Reuniting dispersed colleagues has positively impacted staff morale and strengthened working relationships.

 Leveraging Partnerships for Resilient Infrastructure

The scale of the climate challenge necessitates a collaborative approach that extends beyond departmental boundaries. By partnering with utility providers, local authorities and national mission-led bodies such as GB Energy, the Government Property Function can unlock innovative funding models and technical expertise to accelerate estate-wide upgrades. These partnerships are particularly effective in delivering complex resilience and clean energy projects that might otherwise be unfeasible. Through such synergies, the public estate acts as a vital testbed for flagship government initiatives, demonstrating how integrated infrastructure planning can deliver broad environmental and social value at a lower cost to the taxpayer.

Case Study: St Boniface’s Catholic College (Plymouth CAST Multi Academy Trust) – Department for the Environment (DfE)

St Boniface’s Catholic College, was selected to be part of GB Energy Solar Partnerships, delivered by the DfE and LocatED. The innovative programme is delivering solar installations to around 200 schools this year, as well as finding ways to reduce energy use, carbon emissions, and costs. 

As part of its work with school, the team has delivered:

• A new solar photovoltaic (PV) system, expected to generate 84,620 kWh annually, about 32% of the school’s consumption, anticipated to save 100 tonnes of CO2 and £350,000 over the lifetime of the project.
• LED lighting, anticipated to save over £15,000 each year in energy bills.
• Six EV charging stations, jointly funded by the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles to accelerate accessibility of EV infrastructure for staff and visitors.

In addition, the team has provided:

• A heat decarbonisation plan identifying 20 decarbonisation and energy generation actions.
• Controls optimisation, resulting in a 21% gas use reduction over winter 2024-25.
• Behavioural change initiatives, as well as a Climate Action Plan which has been completed for the school, with actions actively pursued by the Sustainability Lead and the Senior Leadership Team.

As of July 2025, the solar PV system has generated 12.1 MWh, and the EV chargers and LED lighting are up and running. Back-office setup training was completed in May 2025. These interventions have supported the school’s broader sustainability goals, despite financial limitations. The estate has also successfully converted to a central digital dataset which provides a dynamic management tool to inform improved decision making, spatial optimisation and estates management.

Preserving the Past, Protecting the Future

The government’s historic estate presents a unique set of challenges in the race to net zero, as heritage assets often require specialised, non-intrusive interventions to improve their environmental performance. Preserving the architectural integrity of these buildings is essential, yet they must also be adapted to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and mitigate the rising costs of energy. This requires a bespoke approach to conservation, one that integrates low-profile renewable technologies, thermal efficiency measures, and innovative nature-based solutions, all without compromising special architectural merit. Successfully future-proofing these landmarks ensures they remain operational assets that showcase the compatibility of heritage preservation with modern sustainability goals.

Case Study: The British Library

Solar

The British Library has installed solar technology across the roof of its main building in St Pancras, which is reducing CO2 emissions.

The energy generated is being used for heating and hot water as well as to maintain the precise temperature and humidity conditions needed to preserve its national collection. The installation, which comprises 950 solar collectors across the library’s roof, was “the UK’s largest solar heat project”. This £1.5 million project is part of the organisation’s commitment to environmental action. The project is expected to reduce the building’s CO2 emissions by 55 tonnes a year. The technology supplied was funded by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

The solar collectors cover 712 m² (7,663 sq ft) of the roof at the St Pancras building. The solar collectors are “revolutionary” as they convert the sun’s energy into heat and power – normally solar collectors only generate heat. Solar collectors differ from solar panels, which only generate electricity. The low-profile solar collectors are not visible from street level, which is particularly important as the building is Grade I listed and the project came with unique challenges.

The project is expected to generate 216 MWh of energy annually – the equivalent to powering and heating a community centre or swimming pool for a year. The Library hopes that the project can serve as a catalyst to inspire others in the public sector to join the energy transition and move away from fossil fuels once and for all.

Introducing falconry for pest control

The Library has had an ongoing problem with pests, and particularly pigeons, damaging the exterior of the main Library building. Pigeons nest almost all year round and cause damage to the British Library’s Grade I listed building, which leaves unsightly dirt on the building and outside spaces. This causes damage to the fabric of the building over time and, in the outside spaces, creates a serious slip hazard. The debris, when dropping on the terrace and piazza, also cause a hygiene problem, which is a concern to the Library as it endeavours to enable the public to enjoy visiting and using the building without hindrance.

The Library investigated different solutions and decided not to proceed with options such as netting and/or spikes as they do not last very long and would be visible, and the aim is to be as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible, hence the choice of a natural predator. Falcons are used throughout London as they are found to be environmentally friendly, effective very quickly, and rather beautiful to watch. Many of the visitors are pleased to see the Library using them, and the handlers are keen to educate anyone interested about the birds.

Falconry pest control is cruelty-free and works by making use of natural predator–prey relationships. The falcon travels around the designated area to demonstrate to pest birds such as pigeons that a bird of prey has moved into the area. The falcon establishes its territory and, over the course of a few weeks, the pest birds learn that it is too dangerous to return to the location and nest. The falcons are able to reach difficult-to-access areas, and their easy-going nature means that they adapt well to flying in busy city areas.

The use of a falcon is environmentally friendly, has reduced the damage to the building, and the costs of cleaning, and provides an educational opportunity for staff and visitors.

Nature-Positive Estates and Climate Adaptation

Building a resilient estate means preparing for the physical impacts of a changing climate while simultaneously taking proactive steps to restore and enhance our natural environment. Proactive adaptation such as the integration of nature-based drainage solutions is essential for protecting critical infrastructure from extreme weather and reducing service disruptions. At the same time, we are committed to increasing natural capital across our holdings, moving toward a model where the built environment actively supports biodiversity recovery. By enhancing wildflower habitats, wetlands, and tree cover, the estate provides tangible benefits to local ecosystems while creating restorative outdoor spaces that improve public health and institutional wellbeing.

Case Study: Nature Recovery at Medical Research Council (MRC) Harwell – Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)

In 2024-25, MRC Harwell implemented a series of targeted interventions to support nature recovery across its site, guided by an initial baseline survey and the development of a Nature Recovery Plan.

Key actions included revised mowing regimes to encourage wildflower growth, extensive spring bulb and native hedgerow planting, and the installation of bird, bee and bat boxes. A new pond was also created to enhance local biodiversity and provide a space for quiet reflection.

These interventions are already showing tangible results. Bird boxes have seen active nesting, while frogs and dragonflies have been observed breeding in the newly formed pond. Baseline comparisons show a broader range of plant species, with staff noting the appearance of orchids in areas where mowing has been reduced.

To balance biodiversity with staff wellbeing, cut paths through longer grass areas have been introduced to maintain amenity use. Seating will be added around the pond to encourage engagement with nature and provide a restorative environment for staff.

MRC Harwell’s approach demonstrates how small-scale, evidence-led interventions can deliver significant ecological and wellbeing benefits, supporting both environmental and institutional sustainability goals.

Innovation in Delivery: Clean Energy and Modern Methods

The next generation of public buildings must adopt the latest building methods and low-carbon technologies across all new-build and major refurbishment projects. This includes the move toward the electrification of heat, the installation of on-site renewable energy generation, and the use of modern methods of construction to reduce embodied carbon. By setting high standards through frameworks such as BREEAM and NABERS UK, we are ensuring that the next generation of public buildings leads the way in energy efficiency and environmental performance. These efforts ensure our facilities are fit for purpose, and resilient to future energy market volatility, and provide a robust foundation for the effective delivery of public services.

Case Study: New Government Property Agency hub opens in Croydon

The Government Property Agency (GPA) opened its new ten-storey government hub and Home Office headquarters at 2 Ruskin Square, Croydon, in October 2024. Situated next to East Croydon station and replacing Lunar and Apollo Houses, the building is phasing in 800 staff and will become the largest GPA hub delivered to date.

The modern, inclusive workspace supports the full range of Home Office operations, featuring a significant customer-facing suite, specialist rooms, and flexible, hybrid workspaces designed to support neurodiversity, collaboration, and wellbeing.

Part of the wider Ruskin Square development alongside the HM Revenue and Customs hub, the newly refurbished building includes diverse facilities like retail space, cycle storage, custody suites, public interview suites, and a future catering facility.

Designed to BREEAM “Outstanding” rating (93.7%) and and among the first to adopt the NABERS UK energy-performance standard, the steel-framed building is gas-free, using chillers and air-source heat pumps for heating/cooling. It incorporates sustainable features like a 100 kW-peak solar photovoltaic array, a rainwater harvesting system, and a green roof. Its highly efficient façade focuses on improving occupier health and industry-leading energy efficiency.

Energy Performance Certificates and New Acquisitions 

The legislative requirement for an energy performance certificate (EPC) applies to the sale, rent or construction of buildings (other than dwellings) with a floor area greater than 500 m² that contain fixed services that condition the interior environment. An EPC is not required in certain limited circumstances; further details can be found in Appendix C.

The UK Government has made a commitment that any newly acquired buildings coming onto the central government estate will target a top quartile EPC rating; this objective was incorporated into the 2022 Government Property Strategy, which requires departments to challenge acquisition of new buildings that are not within the top quartile. The Government Functional Standard for Property recommends that “decision-makers should decline a proposal for a building to become part of their estate that is not within the top quartile of energy performance or that would adversely affect their organisation’s energy efficiency performance”.

The top quartile threshold is updated each year, based on national data from EPC ratings issued; as improvements are seen in the energy efficiency of the UK non-domestic building stock, the threshold for achieving top quartile performance becomes more stringent. For the financial year 2024-25, an EPC rating of 0–41 meets the top quartile of energy performance; a rating greater than 41 means the building falls outside the upper quartile.

In total, there were 190 new acquisitions (all tenure types) across the central government estate during 2024‑25. Of the newly acquired buildings in-scope for an EPC, 27 (23%) were rated as within the top quartile for energy performance. Appendix D provides further information on the new acquisitions outside of the upper quartile of energy performance. 

Sustainability: The Engine of a Modern, Resilient and Productive Estate

The strategic evolution of the government estate demonstrates that sustainability is no longer a standalone objective, but a core driver of a more efficient and effective public sector. By integrating strategic consolidation with high-impact partnerships and innovative delivery methods, the Government Property Function is creating an estate that is both fiscally affordable and environmentally restorative. High-performing, gas-free buildings and future-proofed historic landmarks are reducing our carbon footprint while simultaneously lowering operational costs and enhancing the wellbeing of our workforce. Furthermore, by embedding nature-positive recovery and climate adaptation into our infrastructure planning, we are ensuring that public services remain resilient to future disruptions while delivering tangible social and economic value to local communities. Ultimately, these integrated efforts provide the robust foundation for a public estate that not only meets the demands of the present but actively pioneers the transition toward a secure, prosperous and clean energy future.

Appendices

Appendix A: Climate Change Act 2008 (extract)

Section 86: Report on the civil estate

It is the duty of the Minister for the Cabinet Office to lay before Parliament in respect of each year, beginning with the year 2008, a report containing an assessment of the progress made in the year towards improving the efficiency and contribution to sustainability of buildings that are part of the civil estate.

The report must, in particular, include an assessment of the progress made in the year to which it relates towards—

• reducing the size of the civil estate, and 
• ensuring that buildings that become part of the civil estate fall within the top quartile of energy performance.

If a building that does not fall within the top quartile of energy performance becomes part of the civil estate in the year to which the report relates, the report must state the reasons why the building has nevertheless become part of the civil estate. 

A report under this section must be laid before Parliament not later than 1st June in the year following the year to which it relates.

In this section “building” means a building that uses energy for heating or cooling the whole or any part of its interior. 

For the purposes of this section, a building is part of the civil estate if it is—

• used for the purposes of central government administration, and 
• of a description of buildings for which, at the passing of this Act, the Minister for the Cabinet Office has responsibilities in relation to efficiency and sustainability. 

The Minister for the Cabinet Office may by order provide for buildings of a specified description to be treated as being, or as not being, part of the civil estate for the purposes of this section.

Any such order is subject to affirmative resolution procedure.

Appendix B: Data Collection and Analysis Methodology

Data collection on the composition, size and running of the estate is commissioned by the Office of Government Property (OGP), at an aggregated portfolio level on the government estate. Data is commissioned from central government departments, executive agencies, executive non-departmental public bodies, and government companies. Further information on the collection, assurance and analysis of this information can be found within the Government Portfolio Data Collection and Analysis Methodology section of the ‘Government Estate: Annual Data Publication, 2024-25’ on Gov.uk.

Appendix C: Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Certification Exemptions

EPC certificates are not required under the following circumstances.

• Buildings due to be demolished, provided the seller or landlord can demonstrate that: 
• the building is to be sold or rented out with vacant possession 
• the building is suitable for demolition and 
• the resulting site is suitable for redevelopment 
• all relevant planning permissions, listed building consents and conservation area consents exist in relation to the demolition, and 
• they believe, on reasonable grounds, that a prospective buyer or tenant intends to demolish the building (e.g. on evidence of an application for planning permission).
• Buildings used as places of worship and for religious activities.
• Temporary buildings with a planned time of use of two years or less, industrial sites, workshops and residential agricultural buildings with low energy demand and residential agricultural buildings which are in use by a sector covered by a national sectoral agreement on energy performance. Buildings that are industrial sites and workshops with low energy demand. These include buildings, or parts of buildings designed to be used separately, whose purpose is to accommodate industrial activities in spaces where the air is not conditioned. Activities that would be covered include foundries, forging and other hot processes, chemical process, food and drinks packaging, heavy engineering and storage and warehouses where, in each case, the air in the space is not fully heated or cooled. Whilst not fully heated or cooled these cases may have some local conditioning appliances such as plaque or air heaters or air conditioners to serve people at work stations or refuges dispersed amongst and not separated from the industrial activities.
• Stand-alone buildings with a total useful floor area of less than 50 m².
• Buildings protected as part of a designated environment or because of their special architectural or historical merit are exempt from the requirements to have an energy performance certificate insofar as compliance with minimum energy performance requirements would unacceptably alter their character or appearance.

Appendix D: New Acquisitions Outside the Upper Quartile 

Rating number: Each EPC letter rating band spans an associated numerical range, e.g. a score in the range of 0–25 is an A rating for non-domestic buildings.

Department	Building Name/ Location	EPC Rating	Rating Number	Reason for Acquisition
Cabinet Office (CO) – Equality and Human Rights Commission	Tintagel House	E	105	Exit from Windsor House and no suitable vacant space available in Gov estate at the time
CO – Government Property Agency	Loxley House	D	80	Move from Apex Court, Nottingham
CO – Government Property Agency	London, Queen Elizabeth Building	F	133	Inquiry space
CO – Government Property Agency	London, Exchange Tower 1 & 2	C	64	FRC relocation from London Wall at Lease expiry
CO – Government Property Agency	London, Riverside House	B	46	Relocating NS&I from Sanctuary buildings as part of Project Albion
CO – Government Property Agency	Leeds, One City Walk	D	95	Short term hold for INSS until they move to Quarry House in Leeds
CO – Government Property Agency	Bristol, The Quorum	B	46	Short term space for CPS whilst waiting for TQH, Bristol to reach PC
CO – Government Property Agency	Cheltenham, Municipal Offices	E	123	Aquisition for LAA who moved from Regent Hse, Cheltenham
CO – Government Property Agency	Ipswich, Franciscan House	B	48	Not a new aquisition. Recently onboarded to GPA.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Group	Harwich – Trinity House Depot, The Quay	C	56	Replacement for Harwich – Miranda House. MMO site.
Defra Group	Cornwall – Newlyn Harbour Offices Unit 1	C	68	MMO site at Harbour, short term lease until 09/01/2026, while Harbor Facilities are redeveloped
Defra Group	Truro – Truro Milestone House	B	47	Site in Truro, Polwhele had RAAC, this is a temporary replacement for this site while options on Polwhele are considered
Defra Group	Spalding – Spalding Council Offices	D	92	Inspection Facility for APHA replacement for site: Spalding Priory Lane
Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) – Civil Nuclear Police Authority	Lord Robert Centre, Bisley	B	47	This is for Firearms (Tactical) training and to replace former MOD barracks that being closed due to redevelopment.
DENSZ – Coal Authority	4 Hemlock Avenue	C	71	Coal mining subsidence
DENSZ – Coal Authority	6 North View	C	69	Coal mining subsidence
DENSZ – Coal Authority	27 Broomlea	C	76	Coal mining subsidence
DENSZ – Coal Authority	5 North View	C	72	Coal mining subsidence
DENSZ – Coal Authority	15 Hodge Street	D	58	Coal mining subsidence
DENSZ – Coal Authority	4 Camberwell Drive	D	63	Coal mining subsidence
DENSZ – Nuclear Decommissioning Authority	Stobarts/Great Bear Unit	C	56	Off-site operations
Department for Transport (DfT) – British Transport Police	Croydon AMP House	B	49	Replacement site
DfT – Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency	Aberdeen (Davidson House) Driving Test Centre (DTC)	B	47	Replacement for old DTC at Aberdeen Goods Vehicle Testing Station (GVTS)
DfT – Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency	Banbury DTC	C	61	Replacement for old Banbury DTC
DfT – Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency	Leeds (Colton Mill) DTC	C	65	Replacement for former Leeds DTC at Hillcrest House
DfT – Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency	Nottingham – Driving Test Centre Watnall LGV	D	96	Replacement for old LGV at Nottingham (Watnall) Goods Vehicle Testing Station (GVTS)
DfT – Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency	Paisley DTC	C	54	Replacement for old Paisley DTC
DfT – High Speed 2	Elm Tree Cottage	C	78	Atypical
DfT – High Speed 2	Hornbeam Cottage	D	65	Atypical
DfT – High Speed 2	211 Bawtry Road	D	63	Need to Sell
DfT – High Speed 2	White Piers	C	70	Statutory Blight
DfT – High Speed 2	53 Watton Lane	C	72	Need to Sell
DfT – High Speed 2	Lower Thornsgreen Farm	E	45	Atypical
DfT – High Speed 2	Villa Farm	C	69	Statutory Blight
DfT – High Speed 2	96 Comelybank Drive	C	79	Statutory Blight
DfT – High Speed 2	99 Bessell Lane	E	49	Statutory Blight
DfT – High Speed 2	Newfield Cottage	E	46	Need to Sell
DfT – High Speed 2	The Levels	E	48	Need to Sell
DfT – High Speed 2	6 Gilson drive	D	57	Atypical
DfT – Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)	Inverness Coastguard Rescue Service (CRS)	E		Lack of available properties at a time that MCA were being asked to leave previous premises. MCA have carried out improvement/fit out works
DfT – Maritime and Coastguard Agency	Yalberton CRS (unit 3)	C		Additional space in a neighbouring unit
DfT – Maritime and Coastguard Agency	Stranraer CRS (temp)	D		Temporary location whilst the landlord redevelops the old office
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) – NHS Property Services	Gill Rise, Ulverston	C	71	Strategic acquisition to support furture health requirements
DHSC – NHS Property Services	Sleaford St, Nine Elms, Vauxhall	B		New health centre shell bought on 250 year long lease and fitted out at request of SW London ICB to cater for Nine Elm Vauxhall population growth. Purchase & fitout funded by S106 .BREEAM excellent targeted
DHSC – NHS Property Services	Brundall Medical Centre	D	94	To protect Primary Care services on disolution of partnership
DHSC – NHS Property Services	Heaton Road	D	83	Acquired freehold interest to avoid future dilaps and to provide expansion space for existing practice
DHSC – NHS Property Services	Haxby	C	69	Acquired as tenant vacating and additional clinical space required in adj medical practice.
DHSC – NHS Property Services	Westgate House	D	83	To facilitate continuity
DHSC – NHS Property Services	Rouen House	C	66	Service continuity. ICB requested NHSPS take assignment as the current tenant went into liquidation.
DHSC – NHS Property Services	South Ribble Health Centre	D	89	Replacement for Leyland Clinic.
DHSC – NHS Property Services	St James Business Park, Unit 2	B	47	For use by FT as a reearch facility
DHSC – UK Health Security Agency	Kent House	C	72
DHSC – UK Health Security Agency	Kent House	C	72
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) – Regulator of Social Housing	3 Picadilly Place	C	56	After GPA building closed we moved into tempoarary accomodation in private sector as no public sector space available
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) – UK Space Agency	Space Park – Leicester	C	70	New locations strategy
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Core	Hackney Hillman Street	C	68	Ex. REEP site required after disposal to undertake swap with BAU Jobcentre
DWP Core	Kings Lynn Broad Street	C	70	Ex. REEP site required after disposal to undertake swap with BAU Jobcentre
DWP Core	Runcorn Unit L & M Trident Retail Park	C	59	New site acquired to moving existing Jobcentre into. Existing site will be terminated
DWP Core	Bristol City Council	D	76	Needed to vacate previous site in Bristol
HO – Home Office	The Citadel, Sports Building	B	45	The building has been acquired on a short-term basis for personal safety training. It is difficult to find a replacement for this type of activity but new premises have been identified and will be aquired shortly.
MoJ – Ministry of Justice	2–8 Market Street	C	60	Blackpool.SSCS previously occupied part of the third floor at Prudential House in Blackpool however the landlord wanted to redevelop the building so we needed to relocate to continue providing the service within the town. A short term lease was recently signed to occupy 2-8 Market Street on a temporary basis until our new multi-million pound court building is built within the town.
MOD – Ministry of Defence	High Wycombe – Serviced Office Suite C – Stokenchurch Business Parks	C	58	Allows collaboration with wider defence industry
MOD – Ministry of Defence	London – Tech Bridge – Public Hall	D	77	RN requirement for flexible offic space on short term agreement to support NavalX Tech Bridges
MOD – Ministry of Defence	Norwich – Armed Forces Careers Office (AFCO) 1 Prince of Wales Road NR1 1BD	E	119	Relocation of AFCO in Norwich
MOD – Ministry of Defence	MOD Hospital Unit	E	120	Renewal of existing agreement
MOD – Ministry of Defence	Plymouth – DAS Warehouse	D	92	Defence Accommodation Stores (DAS) Warehouse
MOD – Ministry of Defence	London – SCOAF Office	E	118	Offices for the Services Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces (SCOAF)

Appendix E: Government Property Agency Whitehall Campus Programme Office Closures 2024-25

Grosvenor Gardens, SW1W 0BD

Nobel House, SW1P 3JR

Dawson Hall, EC1M 6BQ

Windsor House, SW1H 0TL

Albany House, WC1H 9QS

125 London Wall, EC2Y 5AS

Appendix F: Notes on Data Tables

Note Number	Text
note 1	Floor area measurements are presented according to the portfolio they belong to; Office and Jobcentre portfolios measurements are in square metres (m²), Net Internal Area (NIA); Defence portfolio: in m², Gross External Area (GEA); Schools portfolio in the Condition Data Collection (CDC) programme, Gross Internal Floor Area (GIFA); all other portfolios: in m², Gross Internal Area (GIA).
note 2	Surplus area is collected from 2021-22.
note 3	Freehold value includes values that have been recorded for freehold properties and virtual freeholds which have been acquired through an upfront capital payment and where only a minimal peppercorn rent/ground rent/service charge is paid.
note 4	To ensure accurate real-term cost comparison, this report utilises a revised inflation methodology aligned with specific Property Data Management definitions. Following the Office for National Statistics (ONS) corrections to the Services Producer Price Index (SPPI) methodology, we transitioned from aggregate SPPI headline inflation measures to a Granular Deflator Approach. This method maps distinct ONS indices to their corresponding cost drivers: using specific service lines (e.g. SPPI Cleaning Services) for Soft FM, Construction Output Price Indices for Hard FM, and SPPI Market Rental Value indices for Rent. Business Rates are adjusted via actual tax multipliers to reflect historical freezes. Inflation multipliers used are referencing quarterly index values as at March each year [note 13].
note 5	Where costs cannot be easily separated into Soft and Hard FM, FM costs are reported under Hard FM.
note 6	The number of new acquisitions is collected from 2022-23.
note 7	Disposal information from 2022-23 onwards is collected through the Office of Government Property’s (OGP’s) Efficiency and Disposal programme. These reflect gross capital receipts from the sale of property at the point where the sale is considered unconditional. A wider definition for recording receipts from disposals was used in 2020-21 and 2021-2022 when the Efficiency & Disposals programme was not active. This wider definition permitted exits from leasehold properties, and as such the 2024-25 data on government disposals is not directly comparable with those two previous years. Data from those two previous years is therefore not presented.
note 8	The premises cost data covers academies only, using information from their annual accounts for the academic year (September to August). The most current data is up to 31 August 2024. Figures for 2022/23 and 2023/24 have been adjusted for inflation using the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) index to accurately reflect running costs and align with Department of Education’s (DfE’s) methodology. This data is provided by the DfE before consolidation, at the highest level of granularity possible.
note 9	Year-on-year changes are not displayed where comparisons are not like for like, for example due to improvements in data quality or reporting.
note 10	Changes in Private Finance Initiative (PFI) are not displayed. Within the Health portfolio, data for sites including those which are part‑PFI cannot be broken down. Increases in part PFI sites suggest changes occurring in relation to non‑PFI buildings on the site as no new PFI schemes have gone live.
note 11	The Land portfolio, as reported since 2021-22, excludes land associated with buildings where that land could not be developed.
note 12	The premises costs relate to academies only and are reported on an academic year basis.The previous years’ costs have been adjusted for inflation in line with GDP deflators as at March each year. There has been a year-on-year increase in the number of schools classified as academies. Academy valuation data and premises costs are therefore not directly comparable over time due to year-on-year increases in the number of schools included.
note 13	Links to inflation indices:
	Soft FM - Cleaning services - SPPI CPA 81.2 – I2AG - 202509 - Services producer price inflation time series – Office for National Statistics
	Hard FM - Repair & Maintenance: Public Non-Housing - Construction OPI, Repair & Maintenance Index, Non-domestic - 13/11/2025 - Construction output price indices – Office for National Statistics
	Security - Security and investigation services - SPPI CPA 80 – I29V - 202509 - Services producer price inflation time series – Office for National Statistics
	Other - Cleaning services - SPPI CPA 81.2 – I2AG - 202509 - Services producer price inflation time series – Office for National Statistics
	Annual Rent - Rental and operating services of own or leased real estate - SPPI CPA 68.2 – HSFP - 202509 - Services producer price inflation time series – Office for National Statistics
	Annual Rates - Business Rates Multiplier - Business premises and business rates / Business rates - Multipliers for previous tax years, Latest Year 2025 to 2026
	Academy Costs - GDP deflators at market prices, and money GDP - Standard multiplier - September 2025
note 14	Running costs for the secondary health sector under the Health portfolio include both Pay and Non-Pay items. Cost information for this sector is collected through the Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC), and it is not possible to separate Pay costs from Non-Pay items. The ERIC collection aims to reflect how the estates service is managed. While ERIC captures the pay costs of estates staff, it does not capture the pay costs of clinical staff providing clinical services.
note 15	The baseline year for the Running Cost KPI has been updated to 2022-23 (previously 2021-22). This change aligns the baseline with the first year of detailed cost element collection, ensuring compatibility with the revised inflation methodology used in this report. Consequently, direct comparisons with Running Cost figures published in reports prior to the 2024-25 cycle should be treated with caution due to these methodological enhancements.
note 16	‘Other’ includes any tenure type that is not Leasehold/Licence, PFI, or Freehold/Feuhold/Fee Simple, such as Ground Leases, Fee Farm Grants, Serviced Offices, etc.
note 17	New acquisitions may be out of scope of EPC certification in the following instances: Transaction not considered to be a sale or rent (lease renewal-extension, purchase orders, sales of shares, lease surrender); Outside UK legislation; Industrial site, workshop or residential agricultural building; No energy used to condition indoor climate (heating or cooling); Temporary Building with less than 2 years planned use; Stand alone building smaller than 50m²; Inter-departmental transfer; Listed or officially protected; Acquired before October 2008; Building not in the process of selling or sub-letting; Building does not have roof and walls; Building due to be demolished; Place of worship or religious activities; Lease start pre Oct 2008; Pre 2013 EPC – no comparative England and Wales assessment-rating.
note 18	The upper quartile range for EPC rating in 2024-25 was 0-41 increasing from 0-43 in 2023‑24.
note 19	Condition data excludes schools and NHS-Secondary Care.
note 20	Condition data excludes unclassified built assets ,schools and NHS-Secondary Care.
note 21	Floor area by region is collected at an organisational level. Floor area measurements are presented according to the portfolio they belong to, As regional information is not further broken down by portfolio, floor area measurement type is not available for regions. To convert the regional floor area breakdown to an appropriate floor area basis, converted floor areas for each organisation by portfolio are used and apportioned between regions based on the proportional split.
note 22	Rating Number: Each EPC letter rating band spans an associated numerical range e.g. a score in the range of 0-25 is an A rating for non-domestic buildings.

Appendix G: Definitions and Abbreviations

Term	Report Definition
Building condition	A – Good: Operating efficiently as intended, elements sufficiently maintained (to date).     B – Satisfactory: Operationally safe, minor deterioration to some elements that require attention.     C – Unsatisfactory: Elements showing major defects that require attention to prevent a risk of reduced operational life.     D – Poor: Requires urgent attention, elements carrying a risk of imminent breakdown and a loss of business services if action not taken to address.
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)	Provides industry-recognised certification levels and standards to ensure projects are delivered to high performing and sustainable standards, whilst creating positive environmental and social impact. These standards include sustainable building methods such as utilising natural air flow, building orientation and shading to naturally regulate temperatures and air quality, as well as installation of Building Management Systems (BMS) to intelligently control building conditions based on space utilisation.
Built asset	The definition of a built asset can vary between reporting organisations. A built asset might refer to a building or a group of buildings (but not to infrastructure or land with no buildings). The number of built assets in one portfolio might represent the number of buildings, but in another the approach might be different: for example a prison may comprise one building or multiple buildings, whereas defence establishments have enumerated individual buildings. With the introduction of the Property Data Standard, work continues to improve reporting and bring greater consistency.
Disposals data collection	Disposal information from 2022-23 onwards has been collected by the Office of Government Property, within the Cabinet Office through the Efficiency & Disposals programme. This reflects gross capital receipts from the sale of land and property at the point where the sale is considered unconditional. An unconditional sale receipt is one received at the point of exchange of an unconditional contract, or at the date when all conditions in a conditional contract have been met – for example the grant of planning permission. This method aligns with that used for the previous Disposals and Public Sector Land Programme that ran between 2015 and 2020. A wider definition for recording receipts from disposals was used in 2021 and 2022 when the Disposals programme was not active. This wider definition included exits from leasehold properties, and as such the data on government disposals is not directly comparable between 2022-23 onwards and the previous two years. Previous years’ data are therefore not presented in this report.
Depreciation Replacement Cost (DRC)	The current cost of replacing an asset with its modern equivalent asset less deductions for physical deterioration and all relevant forms of obsolescence and optimisation.
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)	Required as part of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), EPCs are required for domestic and non-domestic buildings over 50 m² of floor space when constructed, sold or rented. There are exemptions (e.g. an industrial site, workshop or non-residential agricultural building that doesn’t use much energy). EPCs are valid for ten years. The EPC records the energy efficiency of a property using an A–G rating scale (A most efficient, G least efficient).
Existing Use Value (EUV)	The estimated amount for which a property should exchange on the valuation date between a willing buyer and a willing seller in an arm’s-length transaction after proper marketing and where the parties had acted knowledgeably, prudently and without compulsion, assuming that the buyer is granted vacant possession of all parts of the asset required by the business, and disregarding potential alternative uses and any other characteristics of the asset that would cause its market value to differ from that needed to replace the remaining service potential at least cost.
Freehold	The freeholder of a property owns it for an unlimited amount of time, including the land it is built on.
Government hubs	A regional network of government offices offering shared facilities and services within an interoperable estate, which are acting as a catalyst to transform the Civil Service and create great places to work.
Government Property Portfolio	A collection of property assets in the same or similar use held by the government in connection with delivery of public services.
Greening Government Commitments (GGCs)	The GGCs set out high level targets for central government and its agencies to improve the environmental impact of government operations and its estate, whilst promoting greater efficiency and best use of taxpayer money. The current framework spans the period from 2021 to 2025; the government aims to have met, or exceeded, the GGCs by the end of the financial year 2024‑25.
Hard facilities management (FM)	These costs are fixed in service contracts and would include internal repair and maintenance cost, mechanical & electrical repair and maintenance cost, and external and structural repair costs
Land	Land that is either not developed or, if previously developed, is no longer substantially occupied by buildings. Land assets vary from land for development to agricultural land, woodland, nature conservation, sand dunes, lakes and flood mitigation. The land portfolio excludes Defence training land which is reported under the Defence portfolio.
Leasehold	A temporary ownership linked to a length of time (e.g. 99 years), but still giving ‘exclusive possession’ to a tenant for that period.
Maintenance backlog	Maintenance backlog is the identified maintenance works required to restore the condition of a built asset to a defined,agreed standard at a specific point in time, but has not yet been carried out.   Government Function: Property
Market value	The estimated amount for which an asset or liability should exchange on the valuation date between a willing buyer and a willing seller in an arm’s-length transaction, after proper marketing and where the parties had each acted knowledgeably, prudently and without compulsion.
National Australian Built Environment Rating System UK (NABERS UK)	NABERS UK is a voluntary, star-based rating system that helps building owners, operators and tenants by measuring the actual operational energy efficiency of commercial office buildings on a scale from 1–6. It identifies improvements and helps achieve net zero goals.
New Acquisition	Only assets that are new to the Government estate in that financial year should be reported, this does not include inter-departmental transfers.
One Public Estate	One Public Estate is a national programme jointly run by the Cabinet Office Office of Government Property and the Local Government Association (LGA). It supports joint working across central and local government to release land and property and boost economic growth, regeneration and integrated public services. It encourages public sector partners to share buildings, transform services, reduce running costs, and release surplus and underused land for development.
Other costs	These are other service provision costs such as utilities, service charges, waste management etc which do not form part of FM Costs and Security Costs.
Places for Growth	The Places for Growth (PfG) programme is working to deliver a Civil Service that is representative of the communities it serves with more government roles, including senior leaders, being based outside London, joining the many dedicated ‘frontline’ [attached] staff already based in towns and cities across the UK. PfG works closely with government departments in three key areas, helping them to relocate roles, build Civil Service communities, and rightsize the London estate.
Private Finance Initiative (PFI)	A PFI is a long-term contract between a private party and a government entity where the private sector designs, builds, finances and operates a public asset and related services. In a PFI contract, the private party bears the risks associated with construction and maintenance and management responsibility, and remuneration is linked to performance.
Property	Real estate in a known ownership, with legal title. In this report ‘a property’ is a unit of real estate identifiable by boundaries and a geographical location.
(Total) Property running cost efficiency savings	Total property running cost efficiency savings can be, but are not necessarily, the difference in total property running costs between the baseline year 2023-24 and the reporting year 2024-25. All savings recorded should be net of costs and aligned to HM Treasury’s Government Efficiency Framework. Efficiency savings are made when less is spent to achieve the same or greater output, or higher outputs are made while spending the same amount. An efficiency saving should not push costs elsewhere in the public sector and not have adverse impacts on outputs or outcomes. This is distinct from the use of the term ‘saving’, which could include a reduction in outputs and outcomes for a lesser spend.
Rates	The annual payment for Business Rates also known as Non-Domestic Rates in the UK or other annual payment to a local or regional authority. Environmental taxes and charges such as parking should be included, while any business and sales taxes that are levied on business profits and sales as distinct from the occupation of the building should be excluded.
Rating number	Each EPC letter rating band spans an associated numerical range e.g. a score in the range of 0–25 is an A rating for non-domestic buildings.
Rent for leaseholds	The total annual monetary amount paid by the tenant to the landlord, as defined within the terms of the lease or occupancy agreement.
Security costs	Annual cost of securing the premises. Includes the costs of security contractors and employed staff, as well as the regular costs associated with the maintenance of security systems (usually in the form of a maintenance contract).
Smarter working	An approach to organising work that aims for efficiency and effectiveness in achieving desired outcomes through a combination of flexibility, autonomy and collaboration, optimising tools and working environments for employees.
Soft facilities management (FM)	This covers all non-maintenance costs, such as cleaning, reception, grounds maintenance, catering and reprographics, and may include utilities (electricity, gas, water and sewage) and waste management costs.
Surplus space	Areas which are no longer required by the organisation and are considered surplus and available for disposal.
The Government Property Strategy 2022-2030 (GPS)	The GPS sets out how the government will transform the public estate, delivering savings and achieving better value for money.
Top quartile commitment	A commitment to procure buildings in the upper quartile of energy performance. Originally announced in the Energy Efficiency Action Plan 2004, it is now a requirement of the Climate Change Act 2008.
Total annual operating cost	The total net cost of operating property per year. Income from subletting and charged use of facilities is subtracted from the total expenditure to give the total annual operating cost. Includes occupation costs, building operation costs, business support costs, property management costs, utilities and capital charges.
Vacant space	Space within a property that is not currently required by the occupying organisation.
Value	In this report, this refers to the value of the freehold estate excluding any leasehold (except where an asset is a virtual freehold and has been acquired through an upfront [all attached] capital payment and where only a minimal peppercorn rent/ground rent/service charge is paid). Freehold property assets are valued on different bases, outlined below.

Appendix H: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The size, running cost and value of each portfolio are monitored here in support of the Government Property Strategy.

Appendix H Table 1: Government Property Strategy KPIs 2024-25: Floor Area

Some shorthand is used in this table: [z] = Not applicable

Measurement in m² unless stated

Portfolio	2021-22 Baseline	2024-25	Change 2021-22 Baseline to 2024-25
Courts and Tribunals	1.7m	1.8m	4.2%
Cultural Assets	1.6m	1.7m	0.8%
Defence (Floor Area m²)	35.7m	31.2m	-12.6%
Defence (Land Area ha)	0.3m	0.3m	-0.6%
Health	29.2m	30.2m	3.5%
Infrastructure	0.3m	3.0m	[z]
Jobcentres	1.0m	0.8m	-20.5%
Land (ha)	0.3m	0.3m	5.7%
Logistics and Storage	0.7m	0.7m	3.7%
Offices	3.0m	2.7m	-8.7%
Overseas	1.6m	1.6m	-2.0%
Prison	4.0m	4.2m	3.5%
Probation	0.3m	0.3m	-10.5%
Schools	78.7m	78.7m	[z]
Science	1.3m	1.3m	3.4%
Remaining Estate	1.0m	1.0m	1.8%

Data on the number of built assets and total floor area of state-funded schools is drawn from the Condition Data Collection (CDC). The CDC is a five-yearly programme, and data sourced from the CDC is updated at that frequency, with the most recent update in 2021 and based on information collected in the period 2017–2019.

Appendix H Table 2: Government Property Strategy KPIs 2024-25: Running Cost

Some shorthand is used in this table: [z] = Not applicable

Portfolio	2022-23 Baseline [note 15]	2024-25	Change 2022-23 Baseline to 2024-25
Courts and Tribunals	397.7m	474.7m	19.3%
Cultural Assets	168.4m	170.0m	1.0%
Defence	3,351.5m	3,678.3m	9.8%
Health	14,154.6m	14,681.0m	3.7%
Infrastructure	35.0m	281.0m	[z]
Jobcentres	532.7m	380.7m	-28.5%
Land	27.7m	31.0m	11.8%
Logistics and Storage	62.0m	64.5m	4.2%
Offices	1,517.5m	1,539.8m	1.5%
Overseas	382.6m	433.2m	13.2%
Prison	1,156.4m	1,285.4m	11.2%
Probation	133.6m	137.2m	2.7%
Schools*	2,619.5m	2,900.0m	[z]
Science	228.0m	281.4m	23.4%
Remaining Estate	225.0m	261.7m	16.3%

*Valuation and premises costs data relate to academies only. This data is reported on an academic year basis (1 September to 31 August) and not by financial year. The most recent update relates to data for the academic year to 31 August 2024.

Appendix H Table 3: Government Property Strategy KPIs 2024-25: Reported Freehold Value (£)

Some shorthand is used in this table: [z] = Not applicable

Portfolio	2021-22 Baseline	2024-25	Change 2021-22 Baseline to 2024-25
Courts and Tribunals	3.4bn	3.6bn	7.1%
Cultural Assets	5.7bn	6.3bn	9.8%
Defence	32.1bn	45.1bn	40.6%
Health	59.7bn	65.6bn	10.0%
Infrastructure	0.4bn	0.5bn	22.2%
Jobcentres	[No freehold assets]		[z]
Land	4.6bn	5.2bn	12.1%
Logistics and Storage	0.1bn	0.1bn	20.2%
Offices	2.2bn	1.9bn	-15.5%
Overseas	2.5bn	2.8bn	13.9%
Prison	7.9bn	9.3bn	18.1%
Probation	0.2bn	0.2bn	-2.2%
Schools*	56.1bn	63.0bn	[z]
Science	2.3bn	2.8bn	23.8%
Remaining Estate	0.8bn	2.1bn	164.3%

*Valuation and premises costs data relate to academies only. This data is reported on an academic year basis (1 September to 31 August) and not by financial year. The most recent update relates to data for the academic year to 31 August 2024.

Appendix H Table 4: Government Property Strategy KPIs 2024-25: Whitehall Campus

KPI	Baseline [2018-19]	2024-25	Change	Target
# Smaller
Progress in exiting from central London offices through the Whitehall Campus Programme – buildings	79	32	47	Reduction to 17 from 20 buildings by 2030
Progress in exiting from central London offices through the Whitehall Campus Programme – accommodation	Accommodation for 92,000 civil servants	61,000	31,000	Accommodation for maximum of 40,000 civil servants by 2030
Central London offices floor area	614,000 m²	348,400 m²	265,600 m²	Reduction to 243,000 m²

1. Appendix A of this report gives an extract of requirements under the Act. The full Climate Change Act 2008 can be found at legislation.gov.uk ↩

2. Government Estate: Annual Data Publication, 2024-25 (PDF, 4.3MB) ↩

3. Greening Government Commitments ↩

4. Government Estate: Annual Data Publication, 2024-25 (PDF, 4.3MB) ↩

5. The Infrastructure and Overseas portfolios were newly introduced in the 2021-22 State of the Estate report. The Infrastructure portfolio was previously reported as part of the Land and Remaining Estate portfolios. The Overseas portfolio was not previously reported as part of any other portfolio. These changes represent continuous improvement in measuring the estate. ↩

6. Data on the condition of school buildings is collected through the Condition Data Collection (CDC) programme. CDC1 visited around 64,000 buildings, collecting detailed condition data on the individual components of buildings. CDC1 did not collect an overall building condition grade alongside this more detailed information; therefore, an overall building grade is not presented in this report. However, summary findings from the programme on all government-funded school buildings in England can be found in the CDC1 key findings report on Gov.uk: Condition Data Collection. ↩

7. Although the NHS secondary care sector does not collect building conditions identified in the Government Property Data Standard, at a trust level it does assess building conditions through a range of tools and methodologies, including the following: the Six-Facet Survey, Premises Assurance Model (PAM), Building Information Modelling (BIM), regular inspections, backlog maintenance analysis, data collection via the Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC) system, and third-party audits, to ensure that facilities are safe, functional, and fit for purpose. ↩

8. Government Property Strategy 2022-2030 ↩

9. 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy (PDF, 1,042KB) ↩

10. Places for Growth 2030 ↩

11. Government Estate Strategy: Better Estate, Better Services, Better Government, July 2018 (PDF, 2.6MB) ↩

12. HM Treasury Balance Sheet Framework: Managing government’s assets and liabilities (PDF, 1,009KB) ↩

13. UK Infrastructure: 10 Year Strategy (PDF, 3.9MB) ↩

14. Tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions ↩

15. Some baselines have been reconciled and updated by department to reflect an improved data and methodologies, which has led to a revised overall baseline. ↩

16. The Greening Government Commitments data published in this report is provisional and may be subject to revision. ↩