Fire safety measures following Grenfell Tower now at least £600m

The cost of fire safety measures which councils and housing associations plan to introduce to high-rise buildings following the Grenfell Tower fire has now reached at least £600 million, research has identified.

The figure, given in BBC research, is likely to be an underestimate because many public and private landlords in the UK are still calculating their budget for safety works prompted by the tragedy six months ago.

There has been arguments over who should pay for the work, with the government saying it will foot the bill for ‘essential’ safety measures, and some councils and housing associations say there is confusion over who is liable.

Even before updated building regulations and fire safety rules are introduced following an official review, the cost of emergency checks, fire wardens, repairs and safety improvements is likely to be far greater than £1 billon.

The London borough of Southwark is planning to spend £150 million to upgrade the safety measures in its high-rise towers. The L&Q housing association has set aside has set aside £50 million for emergency safety work. Councils in Portsmouth, Leeds and Birmingham have together budgeted for £85 million.