Building Safety Levy

The Building Safety Levy

When the Building Safety Levy applies, the information developers must submit and forms they need, and how to pay.

The background to the levy for developers

The Building Safety Levy comes into effect on 1 October 2026.

If you are developing new residential units, you may need to pay the levy.

The Government introduced the levy to ensure the development industry pays towards the cost of remediating building safety defects.

The money raised will support building safety improvements and help make affected buildings safer for residents. 

When the levy applies

The levy applies in the London Borough of Havering to building control applications submitted from 1 October 2026 if your development creates:

  • new residential residential units

  • purpose-built student accommodation

Check if you need to pay the levy for your development

The levy generally applies to major residential developments, that create:

  • 10 or more new residential units

  • 30 or more new student accommodation bedspaces

Whether you need to pay the levy depends on whether an exemption applies and and how much new residential floorspace your development creates.

Exemptions from the levy

The levy does not apply to some types of development, including:

  • affordable housing such as social rent, affordable rent and shared ownership
  • developed by social housing providers like housing associations
  • developments creating fewer than 10 new residential units
  • supported housing and domestic abuse shelters

Get full information on persons exempt from the levy - GOV.UK and developments excluded from the levy - GOV.UK.

The levy information you need to submit 

If your planning application includes at least 1 residential unit or a bedspace in purpose built student accommodation, you must:

If you experience problems uploading the Building Safety Levy Information form with your application, email infrastructureplanning@havering.gov.uk or buildingcontrol@havering.gov.uk.

We cannot process your building control application if you do not provide the required levy information, as it will be invalid.

What happens after you apply

If your development qualifies for an exemption based on the information you submit, we will issue an exemption notice by email.

If you do not get a notice of exemption, you must complete the Building Safety Levy Charging Information Commencement Stage form on GOV.UK.

We will calculate the levy charge due on your development.  

How we calculate your levy charge

We calculate the levy based on the amount of residential floorspace your development creates.

Levy rates for each square metre where the charge is payable vary between local authority areas. If your development is on previously developed or brownfield land and is eligible, you may qualify for a 50 percent discount.

Get detailed information on the calculation and check the Havering rates on GOV.UK.

Pay the Building Safety Levy

You must pay the levy prior to occupation or completion, whichever is earlier.

We will issue you an invoice showing the amount you must pay.

If you fail to pay the levy, we will withhold the completion certificate or reject a final certificate until you make full payment.

If you disagree with a levy charge

If you disagree with the levy charge, a refund amount, or a decision not to issue a refund, you can within 28 days request the Council reviews this.

If you are still dissatisfied after the review, you can appeal to the First Tier Tribunal. 

Get further Building Safety Levy guidance

For further information about the levy, see the UK government publications:

If you have questions about how the levy applies in Havering

Contact our Infrastructure Planning team at email infrastructureplanning@havering.gov.uk.