THE Scottish Government has announced further funding of £20 million to speed up actions to make the country’s buildings safe from dangerous cladding.
Publishing update to the cladding remediation programme action plan, Màiri McAllan, Scottish Government housing secretary, confirmed additional funding and expanded eligibility, setting out that social housing will now be eligible for remediation funding.
The single open call fund launched in March, allowing owners and residents to apply for a Scottish Government funded assessment to determine the work required to make buildings safe. The fund will now be doubled to £20 million in 2025/26 and a separate £10 million will be made available to prioritise immediate mitigations for buildings most at risk.
The fund has made 258 initial grant funding offers for building owners and residents to take forward a single building assessment. The £10 million additional funding will ensure every eligible application received before the end of December this year will be progressed.
Ms McAllan said, “Scotland’s Cladding Remediation Programme is progressing at pace and the additional £20 million I’ve announced today will further expedite this vital work. Doubling the funding for holistic Single Building Assessments to £20 million will ensure owners and residents can rapidly and thoroughly assess works required.
“I am also confirming £10 million to fund immediate mitigation measures where needed and have today opened a new application process for owners, including social landlords, or their representatives, to apply for funding for essential cladding remediation works identified as part of the assessment process. Finally, I am setting a deadline of 31 October 2025 by which responsible developers must sign the Developers Remediation Contract.
“Ultimately I am determined that, by 2029, every high-risk residential building over 18 metres will have been resolved, with buildings between 11 and 18 metres placed on a clear pathway to resolution. My foremost priority is to ensure the safety of all those living in buildings affected by dangerous cladding.”
Commenting on the news, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations chief executive, Sally Thomas, said, “The safety of tenants is absolutely paramount to all of Scotland’s housing associations and co-operatives, and they take their responsibility for this extremely seriously. However, without a clear and fair route to government funding, the cost of any remediation works would have fallen on tenants, who are least able to afford it.
“We’re delighted to see that the Scottish Government recognises this and will treat all housing providers equally. The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and our members will continue to work with our government partners to ensure unsafe cladding is removed as a matter of urgency. No-one should have to live with the uncertainty and fear of fire hazards.”
