The Government has earmarked additional funds for the installation of alarms to replace costly Waking Watch measures for leaseholders in residential buildings in England.
The Waking Watch Replacement Fund has been established to pay for the costs of installing alarm systems in all residential buildings in England where Waking Watch measures are currently in place at cost to leaseholders. Fire alarms are proven to be both more effective and cheaper in the long term than Waking Watches.
The Fund has an overall budget of £27 million. Almost £6 million of this budget has been allocated to five metropolitan areas: Birmingham (£1 million), Greater Manchester (£2.4 million), Leeds (£900,000), Liverpool (£1 million), and Sheffield (£500,000).
The Fund will cover the reasonable upfront capital costs for the installation of a common alarm system in eligible buildings. Buildings of all heights will qualify for support. The installation work must have commenced on or after 10 January 2022.
Although each building is different, and this will impact on the requirements and the cost of an alarm system, installation costs that are above a £1,500 per dwelling threshold will require additional scrutiny and may require additional evidence from the applicant to show whether the costs are necessary and reasonable.
Leaseholders facing high costs for interim safety measures will be supported through this scheme. Applications are accepted from private building owners (the Responsible Person for a building or entity nominated by them to apply on their behalf). To be eligible, the building must residential, and it must be located in England.
The building must have a Waking Watch in place which has been identified and agreed by either a Competent person or via Fire and Rescue Service or Local Authority intervention to support a move to a simultaneous evacuation fire safety strategy, and where, as a result of the lease agreement, Waking Watch costs are being passed on to leaseholders.
Social sector buildings where the Registered Provider can evidence that waking watch costs have been passed to leaseholders, and the costs of installing an alarm will fall on leaseholders, will also be eligible.
Applications must be submitted by the deadline of Monday 28 March 2022 (23:59 BST).
How To Apply
Applications must be submitted by the deadline of Monday 28 March 2022 (23:59 BST).
The intention is to allocate funds to eligible buildings on a first come first served basis until the whole of the £27 million fund is exhausted or the application period closes.
Applications are made online at the programme website. General enquiries about the Waking Watch Replacement Fund should be sent to the following email address: [email protected]
For more information, visit the Waking Watch Replacement Fund website.
Addresses and contacts
For further information on how to obtain this grant locally, please contact the following:
- Enquiries
Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC)
Fry Building
2 Marsham Street
Westminster
London
SW1P 4DF
Email: [email protected]