Building Safety Fund reopens for new applications.

On 28 July 2022, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities announced the government’s £4.5 billion Building Safety Fund has reopened for new applications. Here you will find guidance on how to apply, how it works and more information on what can be expected during the application process.

Owners of buildings over 18 metres with cladding related issues can now check their eligibility for the Building Safety Fund and submit an application. However, it is for building owners, landlords or developers to fund any essential repairs, in the first instance.

With the release of this second round of funding, there is also the added ability of a new online Leaseholder Protections Checker. This allows leaseholders to check and prove whether they qualify for the recently published leaseholder protections provision, under the Building Safety Act 2022, which prevents certain costs relating to historical building safety issues from being passed onto them. Those that qualify for financial protections, will need to complete and submit a leaseholder Deed of Certificate to their building owner to find out if they have to contribute towards any costs.

The following supporting information for the Building Safety Fund has been published on GOV.UK:

• For updates to the existing Building Safety Fund page, which contains BSF 2020 guidance, still relevant to some existing applicants:
www.gov.uk/guidance/remediation-of-non-acm-buildings

• For the most recent Building Safety Fund 2022, which contains new guidance and is relevant to new and some existing applicants:
www.gov.uk/guidance/building-safety-fund-guidance-for-new-applications-from-july-2022

• For updates to the Building Safety Fund for leaseholders and residents:
www.gov.uk/guidance/find-support-as-a-leaseholder-or-resident-of-a-building-in-the-building-safety-fund-bsf-process

Since its launch in 2020, £1.3 billion has already been allocated towards making homes safe. This new round of funding is to help keep homes safe, using an approach that is risk-driven and proportionate, with the top priority being people’s safety.