Building and fire safety law and policy

Building and fire safety are complex and rapidly changing areas of law and policy in the UK, with significant implications for those drafting construction contracts, advising on projects, and acting in disputes.

Developments following the Grenfell Tower fire

Following the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017, the UK government, and the Scottish and Welsh governments, have implemented several courses of action intended to address acute concerns regarding building safety, with a focus on better-protecting residents of high-rise residential buildings.

In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower Fire, the UK government carried out an independent review of the Building Regulations and fire safety laws. The final report was published on 17 May 2018 (the Hackitt report). It set out over 50 recommendations, including a new regulator to oversee the construction and management of buildings. See News Analysis: The Hackitt fire safety report—does it go far enough?

In addition, effective from December 2018, the Building (Amendment) Regulations 2018, SI 2018/1230 amended the Building Regulations so as to ban the use of combustible materials in the construction of external walls of high-rise residential buildings (and certain

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Latest Construction News

ACE publishes Currie & Brown report projecting that global construction costs will rise by 2.4% in 2026

The Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) has published a report by Currie & Brown, forecasting that global construction costs will rise by 2.4% in 2026, with UK costs expected to increase by 3.6%. The cost management and advisory services provider noted that the Autumn Budget introduced no new tax incentives for construction, while wage and tax changes have increased the pressure on the industry.

Scottish Government launches consultation on housing delivery incentives and penalties

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation seeking views on measures to accelerate the build-out of homes on sites already identified for housing development, in response to falling housing starts and completions despite a substantial pipeline of consented land. The consultation supports the Housing Emergency Action Plan and related planning commitments, and examines whether incentives, penalties or other interventions could increase delivery rates, including for small and medium-sized housebuilders, within a plan-led, infrastructure-first framework under National Planning Framework 4. It is informed by evidence that slow delivery is driven primarily by post-consent factors such as market absorption rates, viability constraints, infrastructure costs, public sector risk exposure and limited developer capacity or commitment, rather than by the planning permission process itself. Drawing on previous reviews and research by bodies including the Competition and Markets Authority and the Scottish Land Commission, the consultation outlines potential approaches such as land assembly, public sector-led development, reform of compulsory purchase and sales powers, and policy tools to influence build-out rates, and notes that any future action may require legislative change in the next parliamentary session and would be subject to appropriate impact assessment. The consultation closes on 30 April 2026.

RICS reports UK construction activity remained subdued in Q4 2025

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published its UK Construction Monitor for Q4 2025, reporting that construction activity remained broadly flat with overall workloads showing a headline net balance of -6%. Infrastructure emerged as the strongest performing sector with a net balance of +12%, driven by energy-related projects, while private housing activity weakened and commercial workloads remained in negative territory. The survey of 1,048 chartered surveyors identified financial constraints and planning delays as the dominant barriers to activity, with around six in ten respondents citing each factor. Forward-looking indicators showed modest improvement, with twelve-month workload expectations rising to +17% and employment expectations increasing to +14%. RICS Chief Economist Simon Rubinsohn noted ongoing challenges around planning and building safety regimes, while observing that the Planning and Infrastructure Bill is viewed as helpful for housebuilders but insufficient alone to significantly increase housing development toward the 1.5 million home target.

Construction weekly highlights—5 February 2026

This week's edition of Construction weekly highlights includes a case in which the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) refused to enforce an adjudicator’s decision where there was a dispute about the existence of an underlying construction contract (High Tech v WLP Trading), an analysis of a case in which the TCC found that an assignee was entitled to adjudicate under a construction contract (Paragon v FK Facades), an update on the progress of the Building Safety (Wales) Bill, the issue of a protocol from the Society of Construction Law (Singapore) (SCL(S)) on experts' joint statements in arbitration, an announcement from the Scottish Building Contracts Committee (SBCC) on the release of its 2024 edition contracts, and the laying of the Procurement (Amendment) Regulations 2026.