From 1 October 2026, the Building Safety Levy will apply to most residential developments in England, unless exempt. The levy is designed to help fund the remediation of historic building safety defects and will be linked to building control applications or initial notices for relevant residential schemes.

 

For developers, this is not just a compliance issue. It could affect scheme viability, cost planning, procurement strategy, programme and cash flow.

 

With regulations now in place and further draft amendments laid in July 2026, residential developers should be reviewing affected schemes, checking exemptions, assessing timing of building control submissions and allowing for levy costs in appraisals.

 

BAQUS supports clients with early cost advice, development monitoring, project management and risk planning to help schemes move forward with greater certainty.