The Building Safety Levy: What Homeowners Need to Know

The levy is an additional charge on top of existing building control application fees. It applies to most building work that requires a building regulations application — including extensions, loft conversions, and other home improvement projects.

The money raised goes into a fund to pay for removing dangerous cladding from high-rise buildings across England. The government estimates the total remediation cost at tens of billions of pounds, and the levy is one of several mechanisms to fund it.

If your project requires a building regulations application (most extensions, loft conversions, garage conversions, and other significant building work), you will pay the levy on top of your normal building control fees.

For typical homeowner projects, the levy is expected to add a modest amount to building control costs. The exact rates depend on the type and scale of work — the government has indicated that smaller domestic projects will pay proportionally less than large commercial developments.

The levy applies whether you use Local Authority Building Control (LABC) or a private Approved Inspector.

Any project that requires a building regulations application, including:

• Extensions (single-storey, two-storey, side, wraparound)
• Loft conversions
• Garage conversions
• New-build garden buildings that require building regs (over 30m² or with sleeping accommodation)
• Internal structural alterations (load-bearing wall removal)
• Electrical work that requires a building control application (non-competent person scheme)
• Any other work requiring building regulations approval

Projects that do not require a building regulations application are not affected. For example, like-for-like replacement of windows by a FENSA-registered installer, or electrical work by a Part P registered electrician, do not trigger a separate building control application and therefore do not attract the levy.

The exact levy rates for domestic projects have not been finalised as of March 2026. The government has indicated:

• The levy will be a percentage of the building control charge or a fixed amount based on project type
• Smaller domestic projects will pay less than large commercial or residential developments
• The levy is expected to represent a small proportion of overall project costs for typical home improvements

We will update this page with confirmed rates when they are published.

For budgeting purposes: If you are planning a project that will submit building regulations in late 2026 or 2027, budget an additional 10–20% on top of your expected building control fees as a contingency for the levy. On a typical extension project where building control fees are £500–£900, this means an extra £50–£180.

The levy is expected to come into force in October 2026. Projects that submit building regulations applications before the start date will not be affected.

If your project is in the planning stages now and you want to avoid the levy, submit your building regulations application before October 2026. Note that this only makes sense if your project is genuinely ready — submitting early and then making significant changes may cost more in amendment fees than the levy itself.

The levy applies to all building regulations applications in England, regardless of the route used (Local Authority or private Approved Inspector). There is no opt-out.

However, the levy does not apply to:

• Work that does not require a building regulations application
• Work certified under a competent person scheme (FENSA for windows, Gas Safe for gas work, NICEIC/NAPIT for electrical work) where no separate building control application is made
• Projects in Wales and Scotland (the levy is England-only; Wales and Scotland have their own building safety regimes)

The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced several changes beyond the levy:

• A new Building Safety Regulator (part of the Health and Safety Executive) overseeing higher-risk buildings
• Stricter requirements for designers and contractors working on higher-risk buildings
• New duties on building owners to manage fire safety
• Extended limitation periods for claims related to defective building work

For most homeowners undertaking standard home improvements, the practical impact is limited to the levy charge on building control applications. The stricter regulatory changes primarily affect developers and managers of high-rise residential buildings.