An extra £3.5bn has been promised by ministers to remove unsafe cladding from high-rise buildings over 18m high in England “at no cost to residents”.
Many thousands of flat-owners face huge bills for fire-safety improvements, brought in after 2017’s Grenfell Tower fire when flames spread via combustible cladding, killing 72 people.
The government said it was its “largest ever investment” in building safety.
But campaigners say it falls short and still leaves many in unsafe buildings.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick also announced:
Owners of flats in lower-rise blocks would have access to loans to replace unsafe cladding – and would never have to pay more than £50 a month for them
A new levy on developers of future high rises to cover the cost of grants
A separate new tax on residential property development in the UK from 2022
The £3.5bn comes on top of £1.6bn in funding that was announced for the removal of unsafe cladding last year.