Building Safety
- The UK Government has published its second update on delivering the recommendations from the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. You can see the update in full here, but headlines include:
- The latest on the Remediation Acceleration Plan (RAP), which sets out the Government’s efforts to remediate residential buildings with unsafe cladding in England. There are plans to bring forward legislation to compel landlords to fix unsafe cladding, and funding for Local Authorities to support remediation works across social housing.
- Plan for a Single Construction Regulator, which will be in place by 2028. The current regulatory framework will be consolidated into a single, strengthened body to ensure stricter oversight, greater accountability, and improved industry standards.
- The appointment of Thouria Istephan as an interim Chief Construction Adviser. Istephan has been appointed for a 12-month period and will advise the UK Housing Secretary on construction policy, industry engagement and system transformation. You can read more about this appointment here.
- The latest on the Fundamental Review of Building Regulations Guidance. An expert panel has been appointed and will provide interim findings in spring 2026, with a final report in summer 2026.
- The latest on construction products reform. This follows a Green Paper committing to system-wide reform of the construction products sector. The Government has committed to publishing policy proposals via a White Paper by spring 2026.
Housing policy
- The Renters’ Rights Act has become law. This Act delivers the Government’s headline commitment to abolish ‘no fault evictions’ but includes a number of other measures that will be of interest to CIBSE members, including:
- The application of the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector; and
- Legal provision for Awaab’s Law – new requirements that compel social landlords to investigate and fix dangerous damp and mould within set time periods, as well as repair emergency hazards within 24 hours.
- The Planning and Infrastructure Bill continues its passage through UK Parliament, currently at the Report stage in the House of Lords. The Government has made a number of amendments to the Bill which aim to further streamline the planning process, including:
- New ‘holding directions’ to allow Ministers to stop Councils refusing planning permission whilst they consider using their ‘call-in’ powers.
- Speeding up the approvals for large reservoirs, onshore windfarms and major housing schemes.
- Allowing the Nature Restoration Fund to support the delivery of marine development and streamlining Natural England’s role.
- The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is expected to receive Royal Assent before the end of the year.
Skills
- The UK Government has published a White Paper on proposed changes to 16-19 year-old skills pathways. The Department for Education (DfE) is seeking feedback on the planned design and implementation of new Level 2 and 3 pathways, which include:
- a third vocational pathway at level 3, creating V Level qualifications. V Levels will sit alongside A levels and T Levels and will offer a vocational alternative to these academic and technical routes
- two new pathways at level 2, simplifying the current offer and providing a line of sight to both further study at level 3 and skilled employment through the Further Study pathway and Occupational pathway
- Please visit our consultation pages if you’d like to contribute to a CIBSE response on these proposals.
Climate and energy
- The UK Government has issued a response to the Climate Change Committee’s 2025 climate adaptation progress report, first published earlier this year. The CCC’s report was critical of Government policy inaction over a number of years, referencing specifically the risk of overheating in buildings in rural areas and the impact on health, wellbeing and safety.
- The Government has also published its latest Carbon Budget Delivery Plan. This plan sets out how the Government aims to meet its statutory carbon budgets through policy and regulatory change. The plan focuses on steps to reduce the costs of energy, create jobs for the green economy, imAprove people’s homes and quality of life (through initiatives such as the Warm Homes Plan) and protecting nature.
- The EU Commission is seeking feedback on its plans for an Electrification Action Plan and Heating and Cooling Strategy. Announced earlier this year as part of the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal and Action Plan for Affordable Energy, these documents will be published in Q1 2026. The consultation closes on 20th November.
What’s coming up
- Warm Homes Plan: The UK Government’s updated Warm Homes Plan, which was due to be published last month, is now expected later this month. The Warm Homes Plan aims to increase energy efficiency in homes, reduce fuel poverty and make homes warmer and cheaper to heat and is a central plank of the Government’s retrofit strategy. At the Spending Review earlier this year, it received over £13 billion in funding.
- Future Homes Standard: We are also expecting the UK Government to publish an updated Future Homes Standard later this year, which aims to ensure that all new homes and buildings are built to the highest levels of energy efficiency and sustainability. CIBSE contributed to the consultation on this last year.
- Budget: The Chancellor delivered a pre-Budget speech this week, where she outlined the current challenges facing the UK economy, without giving any clear sense of what we may expect in the Budget itself, which will take place on Wednesday 26 November. The Chancellor outlined that the focus of her budget measures will be on three things: reducing national debt, the NHS, and supporting people with the cost of living. CIBSE will be providing a public response to the Budget once we know what the impact will be for our sector and members.
- COP30: The flagship UN climate conference takes place in Brazil this month. Chair of the Construction Industry Council (CIC) Climate Change Committee, Mina Hasman, is attending COP and will be presenting work on climate literacy, which CIBSE has supported.
If you have any questions on anything in this update, feel free to get in touch with CIBSE’s Head of Government Affairs, Sam Baptist [email protected]