What Changed for Building Safety in October 2026?

Two building safety changes took effect in England at the start of October 2026:

The Building Safety Levy started on 1 October 2026. Developers of major new residential schemes now pay a per-square-metre charge before they can get a completion certificate.

The second staircase transition closed on 30 September 2026. New residential buildings of 18 metres or more submitted from that date must have two staircases.

Both changes land at the build stage. But they also signal where regulation is heading: more accountability for the safety of buildings once people live and work in them.

What is the Building Safety Levy?

The Building Safety Levy is a charge on new residential development in England, introduced under the Building Safety Act 2022. It came into effect on 1 October 2026 and helps fund the remediation of unsafe cladding on existing buildings.

Who pays it? The developer. The local council won't issue a completion certificate until the levy is paid in full.

What does it apply to? Building control applications for major residential schemes: 10 or more new homes, or 30 or more purpose-built student bedspaces. Conversions from non-residential to residential use are included. Applications submitted before 1 October 2026 are not liable.

How much is it? It's charged per square metre of new floorspace, and rates are set for each local authority. Land that hasn't been developed before pays a higher rate than previously developed land. For example, Rushmoor Borough Council charges £38.81 and £19.41 per square metre respectively.

What's exempt? Social and supported housing, school accommodation, hospitals, care homes and hospices, hotels, children's homes, armed forces accommodation and several other building types.

What changed for second staircases?

New residential buildings of 18 metres or more now need two staircases. The threshold was previously 30 metres. The rule was confirmed in Approved Document B in March 2024, with a transition period that closed on 30 September 2026.

Which projects are caught? Any new residential building of 18 metres or more whose building control application wasn't made by 30 September 2026.

Can earlier projects keep a single staircase? Only if they applied with full plans by 30 September 2026 and the work is sufficiently progressed within 18 months of that date. For a new building, that means permanent foundation concrete has been poured or permanent piling has begun.

What do these changes mean once a building is occupied?

The levy and the staircase rule both apply before a building opens. But building safety doesn't stop at handover. Under the Building Safety Act, owners and managers of higher-risk buildings must keep accurate, up-to-date information about how the building is designed, built and maintained, known as the golden thread.

That means:

Capture information at handover. Design decisions such as a second staircase need to be recorded so whoever runs the building can see them.

Keep records live. Changes, maintenance and inspections should update one trusted source, not scattered spreadsheets and PDFs.

Make it accessible. The right people need to find the right information quickly, especially in an emergency.

A digital twin gives owners one place to hold and maintain that information across a building's life. That turns compliance from a periodic paperwork exercise into part of everyday operations.

Frequently asked questions

• When did the Building Safety Levy start? 1 October 2026. Applications submitted before that date are not liable.
• Who pays the Building Safety Levy? The developer. A completion certificate isn't issued until it's paid in full.
• Does the Building Safety Levy apply to schools and hospitals? No. School accommodation, hospitals, care homes and social housing are among the exempt building types.
• Does the levy apply outside England? No. It applies to new residential development in England.
• What height needs a second staircase? New residential buildings of 18 metres or more, for applications made from 30 September 2026.
• Do existing buildings need a second staircase? No. The rule applies to new buildings, not ones already built or occupied.