BSR as a standalone body; announcement, prospectus, statements, and key roles in context

1 Announcement and context
2 Key roles and statements
3 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] Announcement and context

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has officially become an arm's length body under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). As of 27 January 2026, it was announced that BSR no longer sits under the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Seen as a significant step it helps to address the first recommendation in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry’s Phase 2 report: “That the government draw together under a single regulator all the functions relating to the construction industry to which we have referred.”

On 17 December, 2025 MHCLG published its Single construction regulator prospectus which outlined how it will reform the regulatory system to embed building safety. As such The BSR’s role would effectively evolve as it moves to the new body, and in the longer term toward the Single Regulator, through a carefully managed transition. The prospectus was presented to Parliament by Samantha Dixon MBE MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy by Command of His Majesty. See Industry reaction, as MHCLG publishes single construction regulator prospectus.

The shift of BSR to a standalone body was formalised on 11 November 2025 when ""The Building Safety Regulator (Establishment of New Body and Transfer of Functions etc.) Regulations 2026" were laid before Parliament. These regulations enabled the creation of the new independent body to take over all building-safety duties and legal responsibility for regulating building safety in England and Wales, which had previously sat with the HSE. See articles The Building Safety Regulator new body and transfer of functions and Building Safety Regulator reforms.

The regulations laid before Parliament set out how the Regulator would be structured, how its members and chief executive would be appointed, how it should employ staff, manage money, set up committees, and report annually to Parliament. All relevant building-safety powers, duties, and ongoing work also to be transferred from HSE to the new Regulator to avoid any lull, pause or interruption.

A series of amendments to the existing laws, such as the Building Safety Act 2022, Building Act 1984, and health and safety legislation removed references to HSE and replaced them with the new Regulator. In short, the instrument formally established the new body, gave it the powers it needs to operate, and ensured a smooth transition from HSE without disruption to building-safety regulation, of which the 2026 January announcement above represented the first step.

As of 2026 the BSR became an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by MHCLG, originally established in 2021 in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, its full powers came into force under the Building Safety Act 2022.

Going forward, its focus will be establishing the single construction regulator through promotion of competence and higher standards. As a new organisation, BSR will work towards establishing a single regulator by promoting competence and higher standards. It will drive the vital culture change required by everyone working in the built environment to support this government’s ambition to build more, safe homes, and remediate those which are unsafe.

The move to standalone status is underpinned by a significant ‘operational reset’ in BSR’s role as the building control authority for higher-risk buildings. Following the introduction of its Innovation Unit and new efficiency measures, the regulator’s operational delivery is fast improving. This progress demonstrates a commitment to combine regulatory experience with industry knowledge to target guidance and education where it is needed most.

[edit] Key roles and statements

[edit] Chief Inspector of Buildings to Chief Executive Officer of BSR

Peter Baker was the initial Chief Inspector of Buildings for BSR and led the organisation from its inception in February 2021 to April 2023. From April 2023 Philip White took over as interim head and chief Inspector of Buildings and permanently appointed Director of Building Safety in November 2023 until until September 2025. In June 2025 Philip White stepped down from his role as Director but continued as Chief Inspector of Buildings, as whilst Charlie Pugsley, was appointed to oversee the transition of BSR to being a new standalone body under MHCLG. As the first acting Chief Executive Officer of the newly established body, still referred to as BSR on 27 January 2026 Charlie Pugsley said:

"Today is a significant new chapter for BSR, with a clear signal that while we must continue to focus on improving our operational delivery for both new build homes and occupied HRBs, our mandate extends far beyond high-rise oversight to a broader responsibility for safety and standards across buildings in England. By driving professional competence and refining regulatory guidance, we can ensure a holistic approach that spans from initial design through to lifelong building management. Our commitment to robust enforcement and cultural transformation serves a single, vital purpose in 2026 and beyond - restoring resident confidence and trust in the built environment."

[edit] Non-executive Chair of BSR

Andy Roe, the former Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, was appointed as non-executive chair of BSR, as part of its overhaul and shift to MHCLG, in June 30, 2025. Nominated for a peerage by the Prime Minister Keir Starmer in December 2025 he became Baron Roe of West Wickham on January 13, and as Chair of BSR, Lord Roe said:

"Today is a decisive and important step in strengthening building safety and a milestone that marks our evolution into a standalone regulator. While the creation of BSR in 2021 was a water shed moment, today is about looking forward to a single construction regulator that brings coherence to a once-fragmented system. We will know we are successful when residents acknowledge we have made the built environment safer. Today is about continuing to support homes being built safely while fulfilling our primary mission: ensuring we are all building better and living safer, together."

[edit] Building Safety Minister

Samantha Dixon, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy) referred to as the Building Safety Minister said:

"Everyone deserves to live in a safe home and we are determined to deliver lasting change to make this a reality. The Building Safety Regulator sits at the heart of this mission, and today launching a new body is an important step in realising sector wide reform. I look forward to working with the new leadership team on our journey towards the Single Construction Regulator."

Prior to Samantha Dixon the role of Building Minister was associated with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Local Growth and Building Safety) and had been given to Alex Norris MP since March 2025, just prior to the point where ministerial responsibility for all fire functions moved from the Home Office to MHCLG on 1 April 2025. Before this Rushanara Ali was briefly the Building Safety Minister, from the general election cabinet on 9 July 2024 until 20 October 2024 she resigned following her attendance at the Franco-British Colloque, a conference sponsored by Saint-Gobain, the majority owner of Celotex which was criticised by the Grenfell Inquiry.

Under the Conservative Government Simon Hoare MP had been the minister responsible for local government and building safety within the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities up since the November 2023 reshuffle under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak until Labour won the general election. From the 27 October 2022, prior to that reshuffle Lee Rowley had been Minister of State for Local Government and Building Safety. Paul Scully was the Minister of State for Local Government and Building Safety, prior to October 2022 and had been appointed as the first junior minister whose remit was explicitly entitled with Building Safety.

Between 15 September 2021 and 8 July 2022 when Paul Scully was appointed, there was a period of transition. This period was that lead up to the Building Safety Act, during this time Lord Stephen Greenhalgh served as an unpaid Minister of State for Building Safety and Fire at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). He was tasked with leading the government's response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, overseeing the Building Safety Bill's passage through Parliament, and implementing new building safety regulations, once complete he retired and passed onto Paul Scully.

Prior to the Building Safety Act, tasks relating to building were carried out by Robert Jenrick, but not explicitly by name, his role was Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government which also held responsibility for Building Safety policy between 24 July 2019 to 15 September 2021. Prior to this responsibility for Building Safety was less explicitly allocated to an individual but crossed a number of roles (as highlighted by criticism in the Grenfell Inquriy). Some of these MPs and the roles included:

Sajid Javid MP: Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (July 2016 – January 2018).
Kit Malthouse MP: Minister for Housing (July 2018 to July 2019) and oversaw the immediate post-Grenfell regulatory response and the establishment of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety.
Gavin Barwell MP: Minister of State for Housing and Planning (July 2016 – June 2017) responsible for building regulations and a review of fire safety guidance, but lost his seat just before the fire occurred.
James Wharton MP: Minister for Housing and Local Growth (2015–2016).
Stephen Williams MP: Minister for Communities and Local Government (2013–2015), responsible for building safety, and who faced criticism for failing to act on recommendations after the 2009 Lakanal House fire.
Lord Eric Pickles: Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (2010–2015), who championed deregulation.