New Cladding Funding under 11m: What You Need to Know

The government has announced a major expansion of support with new cladding funding for unsafe residential buildings under 11m. This marks one of the most significant changes to England's building safety regime since the Building Safety Act, extending financial support to thousands of leaseholders who previously fell outside existing funding programmes.

For many residents, the announcement finally addresses a long-standing gap in protection. Until now, many buildings under 11 metres with serious external wall fire safety defects did not qualify for government funding, despite presenting significant remediation challenges and leaving leaseholders exposed to substantial costs.

The new approach shifts away from height as the primary factor for funding eligibility. Instead, it prioritises buildings according to the level of fire risk they present to residents. This represents a fundamental change in how cladding remediation will be delivered across England.

If you own, manage or live in a residential building below 11 metres, understanding the new scheme is essential.

Why the Government Introduced New Cladding Funding under 11m

Since the Grenfell Tower tragedy, successive government funding schemes have concentrated primarily on taller residential buildings.

This approach reflected the understanding that taller buildings generally present greater evacuation challenges and potentially higher life safety risks. However, experience over the past several years has shown that height alone does not determine whether a building poses a serious fire risk.

Some buildings below 11 metres contain combustible cladding systems, defective insulation, missing cavity barriers or other serious external wall defects that require remediation.

Under previous arrangements many leaseholders in these buildings faced significant financial uncertainty because they were not covered by existing government funding or leaseholder protection measures.

The government has now recognised this gap.

The introduction of New Cladding Funding under 11M aims to ensure that residents living in lower-rise buildings with the greatest fire safety risks receive financial support where remediation is necessary.

The announcement also fulfils commitments made within the government's Remediation Acceleration Plan and responds to recommendations arising from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

What Is New Cladding Funding under 11M?

The new funding expands the existing Cladding Safety Scheme to include eligible residential buildings below 11 metres where significant life safety risks exist.

Rather than automatically qualifying buildings because of their height, the government will assess applications according to the seriousness of the external wall fire risk.

This means funding will be directed towards buildings that require remediation most urgently.

The scheme therefore focuses public funding where it delivers the greatest improvement to resident safety.

A Major Shift Towards Risk-Based Prioritisation

One of the biggest policy changes is the move from height-based assessment to risk-based assessment.

For several years, 18 metres represented the primary threshold for many building safety programmes before later schemes expanded to include buildings between 11 and 18 metres.

Buildings below 11 metres generally remained outside government funding.

The new policy changes this position.

Instead of asking:

"How tall is the building?"

the government will increasingly ask:

"What level of fire risk does this building present?"

Factors likely to influence prioritisation include:

The type of external wall construction
Combustibility of cladding materials
Fire spread potential
Defective cavity barriers
Building occupancy
Means of escape
Overall life safety risk

This represents a more evidence-led approach to remediation funding.

Which Buildings Could Qualify?

Although individual eligibility will depend upon detailed assessment, the guidance indicates that funding is intended for residential buildings below 11 metres where serious external wall fire safety defects exist.

Potentially eligible buildings include:

Apartment blocks
Mixed-use residential developments
Purpose-built residential buildings
Buildings with unsafe cladding systems
Buildings requiring extensive external wall remediation

Not every building below 11 metres will qualify.

The government has made clear that serious fire safety risk must be demonstrated before funding will be approved.

Who Benefits?

The primary beneficiaries are leaseholders.

Many leaseholders in smaller apartment blocks have spent years living with uncertainty because previous funding schemes excluded their buildings.

Under the new approach, eligible leaseholders should no longer face unaffordable remediation costs where dangerous cladding presents a serious safety risk.

The scheme also benefits:

Residents
Responsible entities
Building owners
Managing agents
Housing associations

Most importantly, it should accelerate remediation work that has previously stalled because funding was unavailable.

How the Application Process Works

Government guidance provides a step-by-step process for buildings seeking support through the scheme.

While individual cases will vary, the process generally includes:

1. Initial Eligibility Review

The building must satisfy the basic criteria relating to height, residential use and external wall safety concerns.

2. Fire Risk Assessment

Evidence must demonstrate that the building contains serious external wall fire safety defects.

Professional investigations will often be required.

3. Submission of Supporting Information

Applicants provide documentation including:

Building information
Construction details
Fire risk evidence
Professional reports
Ownership information

4. Technical Assessment

Government specialists assess whether remediation funding should be approved.

5. Funding Decision

Where approved, funding becomes available through the expanded Cladding Safety Scheme.

The published guidance explains these stages in greater detail for leaseholders, residents and responsible entities.

What Types of Defects May Be Covered?

Although every building requires individual assessment, remediation may include defects affecting the external wall system, including:

Combustible cladding
Unsafe insulation
Missing cavity barriers
Fire stopping defects
Unsafe façade systems
External wall components contributing to unacceptable fire spread

Internal fire safety defects unrelated to external wall systems are generally outside the scope of cladding remediation funding.

Why Professional Fire Risk Assessments Matter

Buildings cannot simply declare themselves unsafe.

Evidence must support any funding application.

This normally requires specialist fire engineers and building safety professionals to investigate:

External wall construction
Materials used
Installation quality
Fire spread pathways
Compliance with relevant guidance

Many buildings will require intrusive investigations before appropriate remediation solutions can be identified.

Professional assessments also help ensure that remediation is proportionate.

What Does This Mean for Building Owners?

Building owners should not assume that funding removes their responsibilities.

Owners remain responsible for:

Managing building safety
Cooperating with investigations
Providing documentation
Facilitating remediation
Meeting statutory obligations

The forthcoming Remediation Bill is also expected to strengthen requirements on landlords and responsible parties to remediate unsafe buildings more quickly.

Impact on Leaseholders

For many leaseholders, the financial impact could be substantial.

Some residents previously faced potential remediation bills running into tens of thousands of pounds despite having no responsibility for the original construction defects.

The expanded funding scheme aims to remove this burden for qualifying buildings.

It should also improve confidence within the residential property market by reducing uncertainty surrounding affected buildings.

Insurance Could Also Improve

Alongside the funding announcement, the government confirmed that the Financial Conduct Authority will review insurance pricing for buildings affected by fire safety issues.

The review will examine:

Changes in insurer pricing
Whether products provide fair value
How remediation affects insurance risk
Leaseholder outcomes

Many affected buildings have experienced dramatically increased insurance premiums since the building safety crisis began.

Greater consistency between remediation progress and insurance pricing could provide further financial relief for residents.

Wider Building Safety Reforms

The announcement forms part of a broader programme of building safety reform.

Additional measures include:

Plans for a new Single Construction Regulator.
Simplifying Building Assessment Certificate processes.
Clearer guidance for building owners.
Consultation on emergency works.
Changes intended to reduce regulatory delays while maintaining safety standards.

Collectively these reforms seek to accelerate remediation across England while improving regulatory oversight.

The Role of Cladding Remediation Specialists

Successfully delivering remediation requires expertise across several disciplines.

A specialist cladding remediation consultant can assist with:

Building investigations
Fire risk assessments
FRAEW coordination
Procurement advice
Design review
Tender support
Project management
Cost control
Quality assurance
Completion certification

Complex remediation projects frequently involve multiple stakeholders including residents, freeholders, contractors, designers, lenders and regulators.

Effective project management helps maintain programme certainty while reducing cost and risk.

How Anstey Horne Can Help

At Anstey Horne, we provide independent building consultancy services supporting clients through every stage of cladding remediation.

Our multidisciplinary teams assist with:

Building safety strategy
External wall investigations
Cladding remediation project management
Employer's Agent services
Cost consultancy
Procurement advice
Contract administration
Risk management
Building owner support
Resident engagement

Whether your building is newly eligible under New Cladding Funding under 11M or already progressing through remediation, obtaining specialist professional advice early can significantly improve project outcomes.

Preparing for a Funding Application

Building owners should begin gathering key information now.

Useful documentation includes:

Original construction drawings
Fire risk assessments
FRAEW reports
Previous intrusive investigation reports
Cladding surveys
Material testing results
Ownership information
Lease details
Building dimensions
Existing remediation proposals

Early preparation can reduce delays once formal applications progress.

Looking Ahead

The introduction of New Cladding Funding under 11M represents one of the most important developments in building safety policy since the introduction of the Building Safety Act.

By moving away from rigid height thresholds and prioritising genuine life safety risks, the government has created a more proportionate funding model that better reflects how fire risk should be assessed.

Many leaseholders who previously had no access to financial support may now become eligible for remediation funding.

Building owners should carefully review the published guidance, commission appropriate technical investigations where necessary and seek specialist professional advice to understand how the expanded scheme applies to their buildings.

As further guidance and the Remediation Bill are introduced, the building safety landscape will continue to evolve. Early engagement with experienced cladding remediation professionals will help ensure projects move forward efficiently while protecting residents and complying with changing regulatory requirements.

FAQs - New Cladding Funding under 11m

What is New Cladding Funding under 11M?

New Cladding Funding under 11M is a government initiative that extends the existing Cladding Safety Scheme to eligible residential buildings below 11 metres with serious external wall fire safety risks.

Does every building under 11 metres qualify?

No. Buildings must demonstrate significant external wall fire safety risks before funding will be considered.

Why has the government changed its approach?

The government concluded that building height alone does not accurately measure fire risk. Funding will now prioritise buildings presenting the greatest risk to residents.

Who can apply?

Applications are generally made by the responsible entity or building owner, although leaseholders should engage with those responsible for managing the building. The published leaseholder guidance explains the process.

Will leaseholders still have to pay for remediation?

The intention of the scheme is to protect qualifying leaseholders from unaffordable remediation costs associated with serious unsafe cladding.

Does the funding only cover cladding?

The scheme focuses on external wall fire safety remediation where serious life safety risks have been identified.

Is professional assessment required?

Yes. Buildings normally require technical investigations and competent professional fire safety assessments before funding decisions can be made.

New Cladding Funding under 11m - What happens next?

Further detailed guidance, implementation of the expanded Cladding Safety Scheme and the forthcoming Remediation Bill will shape how the scheme operates in practice. Building owners should monitor government updates and begin preparing supporting information where appropriate.

Contact

Contact us today to discuss how our cladding remediation advice can support your remediation scheme and ensure its success.

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