Cladding Safety Scheme Funding for Buildings Under 11m

Low-rise (under 11 meters) residential buildings recently became eligible for government funding under the Cladding Safety Scheme – and the deadline to apply is fast approaching. Whether you own, manage, or live in a building that you think fits the criteria, now is the time to explore your options for getting an application underway.

The background: Putting the Cladding Safety Scheme into context

The Cladding Safety Scheme forms part of the Building Safety Act 2022, which introduced measures to mitigate fire safety risks for multi-occupancy residential buildings in response to findings arising from the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Under the scheme, those who are legally responsible for a building’s external repairs (or a representative acting on their behalf) can apply for funding to repair cladding and external wall systems which are assessed as being unsafe.

So far, eligibility has been restricted to residential buildings which are above 11 metres.  

However, in August, low-rise residential buildings became eligible for funding – and, crucially, only for a limited time.

Let’s take a look at the key milestones so far – and the deadlines to watch out for next: 

Summer 2021: The Building Safety Bill was introduced to parliament. 
28 April 2022: The Bill received Royal Assent, passing into law to become the Building Safety Act 2022. 
July 2023: The Cladding Safety Scheme opened for applications, with eligibility criteria restricted to buildings above 11 metres height. 
17 August 2026: An eight-week application window opened, temporarily expanding eligibility to include buildings below 11 metres in height. 
Friday 9 October 2026: The window to apply for funding for low-rise buildings under 11 metres will close.

The breakdown: The funding opportunity for low-rise residential buildings at a glance

The scheme prioritises allocating funds to repair buildings which are found to pose a significant fire safety risk – so, before applying, you’ll need to request a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) to be carried out if one hasn’t been completed already.

If you’re a freeholder or managing agent and are legally responsible for a building’s external repairs, you (or a representative on your behalf) can submit an application via the Building Remediation Hub.

While leaseholders and residents are not eligible to apply directly, you can speak to the person or organisation who is responsible for managing your building to prompt them to look into applying. You could also consider sharing details about your building via the ‘Tell Us Tool’, which enables the government to collect data about buildings which could potentially meet the eligibility criteria. 

The bottom line: What you should be thinking about next

For those thinking about applying, time is very much of the essence – particularly in view of the need to gather or obtain the necessary evidence before submitting your application.

We asked Residential Property expert Hannah Page why the funding presents a pertinent opportunity for those with an interest in an eligible building – and the steps they should take next to avoid missing out.

Here’s a snippet of what Hannah had to say:

“What makes this announcement significant is that lower-rise buildings have historically fallen outside many of the government remediation schemes. A lot of leaseholders, freeholders and managing agents may still assume that buildings below 11 metres are not eligible, so awareness is currently quite limited.

The risk is that those who are unaware may miss the application window or fail to obtain the necessary fire safety assessments in time.

Ultimately, this is a positive development for affected leaseholders, but awareness is key. The funding opportunity exists, but only for those who understand the eligibility requirements and act within the application window.”
Hannah Page, Senior Associate.

Watch Hannah explain some of the key considerations in the video below.

Further information

Official guidance and information about the Cladding Safety Scheme can be found on the Government's website.

Your questions, answered.

Managed by Homes England, the Cladding Safety Scheme forms part of the Building Safety Act 2022 – aimed at mitigating fire safety risk in multi-occupancy residential buildings across England.

Introduced in 2023, the Scheme provides funding for the remediation of unsafe cladding in qualifying residential buildings.

The Scheme has been expanded to include certain multi-occupied residential buildings below 11 metres. Whether funding may be available will depend on the specific requirements of the scheme and the circumstances of the building in question.

As a result, building owners and other relevant stakeholders may wish to familiarise themselves with the scheme and review the available guidance before the application deadline.

This information may be particularly relevant to:

Freeholders.
Landlords.
Managing agents.
Responsible persons.
Residents' management companies.
Right to Manage companies.
Leaseholders seeking to understand the process and available options.

Applications must be submitted by the person responsible for the safety of the building. Leaseholders and residents cannot apply directly, but should engage with their responsible entity to apply directly.

For mid- and high-rise residential buildings above 11 metres, the application window has been open since 2023, and there is currently no deadline to apply – although the government is aiming for repairs to be completed on all eligible buildings by 2029.

For low-rise residential buildings below 11 metres, there is only a very limited window in which to apply – with the eight-week application window due to close on 9 October 2026.

Applications for funding under the Cladding Safety Scheme must be submitted by the ‘responsible entity’ – in other words, the person or organisation who is legally responsible for a building’s external repairs. This includes freeholders, landlords, right to manage companies, and resident management companies. Alternatively, an application can be made by an authorised representative acting on your behalf.

Leaseholders and residents are not eligible to submit an application directly – but they can speak to the responsible entity for their building, or share details of their building with the government via its ‘Tell Us Tool’. You can read more about the options available to leaseholders and residents here.

Applications close on 9 October

The current application window is limited.

Those wishing to explore the scheme should review the requirements as early as possible, as gathering information and supporting documentation can take time.

Not all buildings will qualify for funding

Eligibility will depend on the detailed requirements of the Cladding Safety Scheme and the individual circumstances of the building.

Applicants should carefully review the official scheme guidance to determine whether an application may be appropriate.

Supporting evidence may be required

Applications may require supporting information or documentation to demonstrate that a building meets the relevant scheme requirements.

Building owners and responsible persons should consider whether any necessary documentation is already available and whether additional assessments may be required.

Application responsibility

The ability to submit an application will depend on the scheme rules and the applicant's relationship to the building.

Leaseholders and residents who believe their building may be affected may wish to engage with their landlord, freeholder, managing agent or other responsible parties to discuss the options available.

If you're in doubt or have any questions, get in touch with Hannah Page, one of our Residential Property experts specialising in the Building Safety Act.

Think you might be eligible but not sure where to start?

Whether you’re looking for advice on the Cladding Safety Scheme or want to find out more about Building Safety Act and what it means for you, there’s plenty our Residential Property experts can do to help. Get in touch to find out how we can support you.

Find out more about our Residential Property expertise.

In the meantime, you can read more expert commentary on the Building Safety Act here.

Hannah Page

Senior Associate

01273 034762 07842 013551 Location

Please be advised that this is an update which we think may be of general interest to our wider client base. The insights are not intended to be exhaustive or targeted at specific sectors as such, and whilst we naturally take every care in putting our articles together, they should not be considered a substitute for obtaining proper legal advice on key issues which your business may face.

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The window to apply for fire safety funding for low-rise residential buildings is elapsing

Further information

Your questions, answered.

Applications close on 9 October

Not all buildings will qualify for funding

Supporting evidence may be required

Application responsibility