In August 2025, following the June reforms to the Building Safety Regulator, the new innovation unit began to expedite all new cases for building control approvals for new buildings, whilst still assuring the delivery of safe, high-quality homes.  The innovation unit has dramatically reduced decisions times by 20 or more weeks compared with the previous peak of 38 weeks for approved new build decisions.

Applications for new buildings already in the BSR system submitted before 4 August carried on via the existing model.  BSR has reduced the number of these existing new builds every month since August 25 and has significantly driven up the rate of approval. The latest published data shows that cases in the backlog reduced from 103 on 1^st September 2025 to 63 as of the 24^th November 2025, with 9 further applications being considered as being suitable for approval with requirements.

The BSR continues to prioritise these legacy applications and expects the majority to be determined by the new year. With operational performance improving, quality applications are essential to ensure projects can progress. The BSR will continue to support industry leaders as they publish guidance for applicants but will not compromise on safety.

We have recently published research to improve understanding of embodied carbon in new buildings and the data currently available. The aim of publishing is for this research is to help inform discussions about potential impacts, including on the viability of new developments. We continue to assess the evidence and engage with industry as we consider the best way forward for measuring and reducing embodied carbon emissions. The government remains committed to supporting progress in this area in a way that is both practical and sustainable.

The Building Regulations are set in performance terms, to provide developers with the flexibility to select the most appropriate solutions for their developments. Part O of the regulations ensures that new residential buildings are built to mitigate the risk of overheating. Mechanical cooling can be used to meet regulations, however, given the Government’s net zero commitment, our preferred means of mitigating overheating is through passive means. Developers must demonstrate that all possible passive means of cooling a dwelling have been implemented before adopting mechanical cooling,

As part of the Future Homes and Buildings Standard consultation, which closed in March 2024, we sought evidence on whether current overheating standards are appropriate or require amendment. The Government will set out the evidence it received on Part O during this consultation and its response to this in Autumn 2025, when the Future Homes and Buildings Standard consultation response will be published.

The department regularly engages with the Greater London Authority and will continue to do so as the Mayor of London prepares the next London Plan, including on building and fire safety.

MHCLG has provided for cladding removal and remediation:

(a) 2023-24, £647m (Actuals)

(b) 2024-25, £438m (Actuals)

(c) 2025-26 £1003m (Current financial year budget allocation)

Following the Spending Review which agreed the overall funding envelope for MHCLG, the department will undertake a detailed budget allocation process t for 2026-27 onwards. MHCLG funding for 2026-27 onwards is therefore not currently delegated to a programme level.

We estimate that we will need to raise £3.4billion pounds from the Building Safety Levy. The levy is due to come into operation in October 2026 and is likely to be in operation for ten years. The levy will be reviewed every three years.

The call for evidence undertaken by the previous government was targeted specifically at joint owners of leasehold properties, and did not find evidence that the position of those jointly owning properties is sufficiently different from those solely owning properties to justify changing our current policy. This Government is not currently considering any expansion of the leaseholder protections but is looking very closely at how to address the enduring question of the “in perpetuity” status on non-qualifying leases.

HMRC and VOA are working closely together on plans to bring VOA into HMRC by April 2026 which will deliver 5 to 10% of additional savings in VOA’s total administrative costs by 2028-29.

HMRC and VOA regularly review their locations planning to identify opportunities to deliver savings. VOA are already co-located with HMRC in 13 locations.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Design Guide asks for FCDO estates projects to provide sanitary provision in line with UK Building Regulations, including the Approved Document Part T: Toilets, with adaptations where required to suit more onerous local regulations or address cultural sensitivities.

No historic county flags have been flown over the Department’s headquarters in Marsham Street since 4 July 2024.

The decision was taken to give English counties more prominence and status by moving from the department offices to the Houses of Parliament, where they will be seen by more people, and closer to MPs, Lords, and visitors wishing to celebrate their own specific county day.

We are pleased to say that individual historic county days are now managed by the Speaker's Office, with flags flown in New Palace Yard. It is expected that the flying of flags in New Palace Yard will increase visibility and engagement, and reflects the importance the government places on historic county days.

We will continue the celebration of Historic County Flag Day around the 23 July this year by the flying of all registered historic county flags and the Union flag in Parliament Square, and encourage all MPs to celebrate the rich history of our counties.

As expressed at a recent Select Committee session the department is looking very closely at what can be done to sunset the “in perpetuity” status of leases which do not qualify for the leaseholder protections.

This can be found at Oral evidence: Grenfell and Building Safety (1 April 2025, Q55 https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/15662/pdf/).

A call for evidence on jointly owned residential leasehold properties was undertaken by the previous administration and we do not intend to publish it. However, the government is reviewing how to better protect leaseholders from costs relating to building safety.

All leaseholders, including those who hold leases which do not qualify for the leaseholder protections, (whether as joint or sole owners) benefit from qualifying lease status for their principal (main) residence.

The department does not hold the information requested on the total number of residential buildings requiring remediation of non-cladding defects. It collects related data for some buildings as part of wider surveys of developers and of registered providers of social housing.

The department does not hold information on the number of enforcement actions against (a) enfranchised and (b) leaseholder-owned buildings for non-cladding fire safety defects, and we have no requirement to maintain this information.

MHCLG occupies five floors of Fry Building at Marsham Street. There are no gender-neutral toilets in Fry Building.

There are no toilets designated as gender-neutral at either the Darlington or Wolverhampton offices. At Darlington, however, there are five single-person toilet rooms and Wolverhampton four single-person toilet rooms.

MHCLG is a minor tenant in all the buildings it occupies. It is for the landlord or lead tenant to decide on which toilets are provided.

The Building Safety Levy (levy) is one of a package of measures to make sure that the burden of paying for fixing historical building safety defects does not fall on leaseholders or further burden taxpayers.

Developers will pay the levy on new residential development, subject to certain exemptions. It will come into effect in Autumn 2026. Anyone submitting an application for building control approval with full plans, a building control approval application (made to the Building Safety Regulator), or an initial notice for construction of, or works to, one or more dwellings or purpose built student accommodation (PBSA), after the levy has come into effect, will be liable to pay the levy, except where an exemption applies. The levy will not apply to applications for new dwellings that were submitted before the coming-into-force date.

The design of the levy maintains viability of new developments as far as possible through variable levy rates at local authority level and a 50% discount on developments on previously developed land, reflecting the additional costs of building on these sites. Affordable housing and community facilities are exempt from the levy.

The rates for each local authority can be found at Annex A: Levy Rates of the Building Safety Levy: Technical consultation response.

The Building Safety Levy (levy) is one of a package of measures to make sure that the burden of paying for fixing historical building safety defects does not fall on leaseholders or further burden taxpayers.

Developers will pay the levy on new residential development, subject to certain exemptions. It will come into effect in Autumn 2026. Anyone submitting an application for building control approval with full plans, a building control approval application (made to the Building Safety Regulator), or an initial notice for construction of, or works to, one or more dwellings or purpose built student accommodation (PBSA), after the levy has come into effect, will be liable to pay the levy, except where an exemption applies. The levy will not apply to applications for new dwellings that were submitted before the coming-into-force date.

The design of the levy maintains viability of new developments as far as possible through variable levy rates at local authority level and a 50% discount on developments on previously developed land, reflecting the additional costs of building on these sites. Affordable housing and community facilities are exempt from the levy.

The rates for each local authority can be found at Annex A: Levy Rates of the Building Safety Levy: Technical consultation response.

The Building Safety Levy (levy) is one of a package of measures to make sure that the burden of paying for fixing historical building safety defects does not fall on leaseholders or further burden taxpayers.

Developers will pay the levy on new residential development, subject to certain exemptions. It will come into effect in Autumn 2026. Anyone submitting an application for building control approval with full plans, a building control approval application (made to the Building Safety Regulator), or an initial notice for construction of, or works to, one or more dwellings or purpose built student accommodation (PBSA), after the levy has come into effect, will be liable to pay the levy, except where an exemption applies. The levy will not apply to applications for new dwellings that were submitted before the coming-into-force date.

The design of the levy maintains viability of new developments as far as possible through variable levy rates at local authority level and a 50% discount on developments on previously developed land, reflecting the additional costs of building on these sites. Affordable housing and community facilities are exempt from the levy.

The rates for each local authority can be found at Annex A: Levy Rates of the Building Safety Levy: Technical consultation response.

These figures do not include staff on short term leave. Staff are asked to manage their attendance over the course of a month, so there will be some natural variance on a weekly level.

The government has accepted all the findings of the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 report, and we will take forward all of the recommendations. We are committed to fixing all of the problems highlighted by the recommendations, including those we have accepted in principle. We will make sure that we achieve the best outcomes for the public where the implementation of a recommendation requires further consideration, such as through public consultation.

Where the delivery of recommendations or wider commitments we have made in the response document require legislation, we will deliver these measures as soon as parliamentary time allows.

The action short of a strike (as per the Public and Commercial Services Union press release of 22 January 2025) is continuing as are talks with PCS to conclude the dispute.

The industrial action in question does not alter the expectation that HM Land Registry staff comply with the government’s 60% office attendance requirement.

HM Land Registry has been monitoring office attendance of staff during the action short of a strike, and there has been no discernible impact.

MHCLG is in regular contact with HM Land Registry management and supports their attempts to resolve the dispute.