Building Control Independent Panel report, and other MHCLG documents published

The report of the Building Control Independent Panel and initial government response (England)

Also on Wednesday 20th May, MHCLG published the Building Control Independent Panel (BCIP) report, alongside the Government’s response.

The BCIP, chaired by Dame Judith Hackitt, was established following the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s final report to consider the future of the building control system in England. The report sets out a clear assessment of the challenges within the current building control system, including fragmentation, conflicts of interest, uneven capacity and inconsistent oversight, while recognising the professionalism of those working within it.

The BCIP focused on two key questions:

  • whether it is in the public interest for building control functions to be performed by those who have a commercial interest in the process; and
  • whether all building control functions should be performed by a national authority.

While Dame Judith takes great care to acknowledge the skills, commitment and strong public interest ethos of building control professionals, the panel’s conclusion is that the current system, structures and arrangements around them cannot deliver the assurance, consistency and conflict-free oversight that the public deserves to ensure their health and safety.

Their recommendations set out how government could transition toward a new model:

In the near term, steps can be taken to reduce the impacts of conflicts of interest, to support the workforce and to strengthen oversight, including:

  • levelling the regulatory environment between public and private providers;
  • improving guidance and public information so dutyholders understand their responsibilities;
  • supporting LA BCAs and RBCAs to stabilise workforce capacity; and
  • establishing a strong digital system underpinning building control in England, improving transparency, data quality and performance oversight.

Over the longer term, a move to fewer, more resilient building control bodies with statutory responsibilities, overseen by the emerging Single Construction Regulator, was recommended. The Panel considers that such a model offers the best opportunity to build capacity, pool expertise and create the clarity that is needed for consistent inspection, enforcement and decision-making.

Learning the lessons from the establishment of the Building Safety Regulator, the BCIP’s recommended approach underlines the importance of phasing change at a pace the system can absorb and ensuring that reforms strengthen, rather than stretch, the capacity of those delivering them.

Government response The government’s initial response accepts the overall diagnosis and principles for reform and recognises the vital role of Registered Building Inspectors in upholding building safety standards, often in challenging circumstances. The response commits to further engagement and analysis on the recommendations, alongside continued action to strengthen capacity, capability funding and oversight in the system.

While this work is focused specifically on building control, it will also help inform MHCLG’s wider thinking on capability, accountability and how professions operate across the building lifecycle (read more about MHCLG's call for evidence on the Professions Strategy here). Both documents can be found here:

Progress report on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations (England)

The government in England has published its May 2026 progress report on the implementation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. Since the Annual Report published in February 2026, the Government has completed a further 9 recommendations. Recommendations 22 & 23 (independent panel building control), 27 (fire lift control switches guidance and distribution of lift keys) and 28 (accessibility and functionality of gas valves) are related to the construction industry, and 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55 (guidance for Local Authorities) are related to response and recovery.

Government remains committed to acting on all 58 recommendations and addressing the findings of the Inquiry, expecting that all recommendations will be implemented by the end of 2029. This is because some actions require new legislation to be introduced in Parliament. Delivery is ongoing across the remaining recommendations.

The report also provides an update on wider reform:

  • Remediation acceleration plan (RAP)
  • Higher-risk regime
  • Social housing reforms
  • Transparency and oversight
  • What government is doing

The full progress report is available here.

Alongside the report, the government has published an Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) research paper on construction products, which details the evolution of the construction product regulatory landscape in the EU from December 1988 to July 2024, with four case studies to capture the industry perspective. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evolution-of-the-construction-product-regulatory-landscape