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Only one social block had its ACM cladding fully removed last month despite end of year deadline
Just one social housing block had its aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding fully removed last month, meaning remediation work is yet to complete on 97 social high-rises, new government figures have revealed.
Of the 158 high-rise social housing blocks identified as having the Grenfell-style cladding, work to replace that cladding has completed on only 61 (39%), while work is yet to begin on 16 (10%).
The slow pace of work comes despite former housing secretary James Brokenshire’s promise in July that remediation work would be completed in the social sector by the end of this year, other than in “a small handful of exceptional cases”.
Work to replace cladding has also stalled in the private sector, where 144 (79%) of the 181 blocks identified as having ACM cladding are yet to begin remediation work – a number that remains unchanged since last month.
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In September, applications opened for a £200m government remediation fund for leaseholders living in private blocks with ACM cladding.
The government said it wants to make payments “as soon as possible”, but leaseholders have criticised the fund due to the high barriers to applying.
The government has set a deadline of June 2020 for the completion of cladding remediation work in private high-rise blocks.
A government spokesperson said: “Residents’ safety is our utmost priority. It is completely unacceptable that there are residents still having to live in buildings with unsafe ACM cladding. “The government is committed to ensuring that residents are safe in their homes, now and in the future.
“Progress has been far too slow and due to inaction from some building owners, we have committed £600m to speed up the pace of remediation.
“Building owners are responsible for making their buildings safe and inaction will not be accepted. If necessary, we will publicly name those who do not act during the course of the autumn.
“There is no excuse for further delay – and building owners who have not yet taken the necessary steps must take immediate action and apply for the remediation fund.”
Inside Housing’s End our Cladding Scandal campaign calls on the government to act to end the scandal of residents trapped in private residential blocks with dangerous cladding.
- Martin Hilditch, editor, Inside Housing
- Manchester Cladiators
- UK Cladding Action Group
- Natasha Elcock, chair, Grenfell United
- Sadiq Khan, mayor of London
- Kate Henderson, chief executive, National Housing Federation
- Terrie Alafat, chief executive, Chartered Institute of Housing
- Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester
- Lord Gary Porter, chair of the Local Government Association
- Polly Neate, chief executive, Shelter
- Jane Duncan, chair of the expert advisory group on fire safety, RIBA
- Andy Dark, assistant general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union
- Christina McAnea, assistant general secretary, UNISON
- Sir Peter Bottomley, Conservative MP and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Leasehold and Commonhold Reform
- Jim Fitzpatrick, Labour MP, and member of All-Party Parliamentary Group on Leasehold and Commonhold Reform
- Mark Amesbury, shadow employment minister and Labour MP for Weaver Vale
- Emma Dent Coad, former Labour MP for North Kensington
- Lucy Powell, Labour MP for Manchester Central
- Rushanara Ali, Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow
- George Howarth, Labour MP for Knowsley
- Graham Stringer, Labour MP for Blackley and Broughton
- Rob Ellis, presenter, Capital FM
- John Biggs, mayor of Tower Hamlets
- Paul Dennett, mayor of Salford
- Suzanne Richards, councillor and executive member for housing and regeneration on behalf of all Manchester's Labour Councillors
- Sir Richard Leese, Labour councillor and leader Manchester City Council
- John Leech, Manchester Liberal Democrat leader on behalf of all Manchester’s Liberal Democrat councillors
- Darren Rodwell, executive member for housing at London Councils and leader of Barking and Dagenham Council
- George Clarke, TV Architect
- David Walker, bishop of Manchester
- Graham Tomlin, bishop of Kensington
- John Roberts, founder of AO.com
- Josh Beaumont, professional rugby player, Sale Sharks and resident of affected building
- Bill Beaumont, former England rugby captain
- Jeremy Dyson, co-founder of the League of Gentlemen
- Andy Moss, actor who has appeared on Channel 4’s Hollyoaks and resident
- Ross Mullan, actor who has appeared in Game of Thrones
- Get Cape Wear Cape Fly, musician
- Nour-eddine Aboudihaj, spokesperson for Justice4Grenfell
- Mike Leonard, chief executive, Building Alliance
- Kate Kendrick, founder, National Leasehold Campaign
- Martin Boyd, chair, Leasehold Knowledge Partnership
- Paula Higgins, chief executive, HomeOwners Alliance
- Mark Henderson, chief executive, Home Group
- Ben Clay, founding member of the Tenants Union
- Hilda Palmer, acting chair of the Hazards Campaign
- Susan Bright, professor of law, University of Oxford
- Gill Kernick, consultant and former Grenfell Resident
- Phil Murphy, fire safety expert and tower block resident
This list will be updated. Please email peter.apps@insidehousing.co.uk if you want to support the campaign
