Cladding crisis: Housing Secretary set to announce billions of pounds of support

10 February 2021, 09:42 | Updated: 10 February 2021, 09:53

Hundreds of thousands of leaseholders say they are 'trapped' in un-sellable homes
Hundreds of thousands of leaseholders say they are 'trapped' in un-sellable homes. Picture: PA

By Asher McShane

The Government is expected to announce billions of pounds in funding to help tackle the cladding crisis, more than three and a half years after the Grenfell Tower disaster.

Hundreds of thousands of leaseholders are facing huge bills to remove the dangerous materials from their homes - and many say they are trapped and unable to sell.

Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick is due to address the Commons later today, where it is believed he will set out a package of measures.

Young mum stuck in her "worthless" flat due to unsafe cladding

According to reports, plans under consideration include a £5 billion grant on top of the £1.6 billion safety fund that leaseholders can currently apply to.

It comes amid growing criticism of the Government's response to the cladding crisis in the wake of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people.

Labour has called for a national taskforce to "get a grip" and said leaseholders should be protected from the cost of replacing dangerous cladding on homes.

Residents of buildings with flammable cladding have said the claddings has made their flats "worthless" and they are "trapped" and unable to sell the properties.

However campaigners have criticised the fund as being "not enough."

Campaigner Liam Spender told LBC: "It's welcome, but the estimated costs are £15bn, so where is the rest going to come from?

"There's obviously uncertainty about whether the government is going for force leaseholders to take loans to pay for others' mistakes."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Stephen Bear was ordered to pay Ms Harrison £5,000.

Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear ordered to pay £27,000 for revenge porn conviction or face nine months in jail

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

Exclusive
Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

France Valentino

Former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele named Valentino creative director

Know your limits this summer, Brits have been warned

‘Know your limits’: Brits heading to the Euros this summer warned against drinking ‘too much German beer’

Russia Shooting

Russia arrests another suspect in concert hall attack that killed 143

Sam Bankman-Fried has been jailed for 25 years for a $8bn crypto fraud

'Crypto King' Sam Bankman-Fried jailed for 25 years for stealing billions of dollars from his customers

Michael Gove has been urged to 'get on with' passing the rental reforms

Ministers accused of making 'major concessions to landlords' after renters reforms 'watered down'

Supermarket opening times for Easter 2024: Trading hour revealed for Sainsbury's, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi

Supermarket opening times for Easter 2024: Trading hours revealed for Sainsbury's, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Aldi

It is believed the litter picking tool was mistaken for a firearm, Northumbria Police said

Schools locked down by police after litter picker mistaken for firearm

Lewes prison

Medical incident declared at Lewes prison after several inmates hospitalised with food poisoning

Sandro Tonali

Newcastle United star charged with breaching FA gambling rules 50 times

The protesters staged a bike collision to gain entrance into the department

Pro-Palestine protestors chant 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' as they occupy British Ministry

American Easter egg

White House’s annual Easter egg roll to be attended by 40,000 people

Man arrested in connection with death of Gogglebox star George Gilbey who died after fall at work

Man arrested in connection with death of Gogglebox star George Gilbey who died after fall at work