Building Safety Act 2022.

The Building Safety Act 2022 received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022, in response to the Grenfell Tower fire. It set up the Building Safety Regulator, reformed the Building Act 1984 and created duties for the design, construction and occupation of higher-risk buildings. The Regulator was originally part of the Health and Safety Executive. On 27 January 2026 it became a standalone arm's-length body of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

There are two definitions. For design and construction, section 120D of the Building Act 1984 and the 2023 Descriptions Regulations cover buildings in England at least 18m high or with at least 7 storeys that contain at least 2 residential units, or are care homes or hospitals. For occupation, section 65 of the 2022 Act covers buildings of that height with at least 2 residential units. The Regulations explain how height and storeys are measured.

The regime is often described in three gateways. Gateway one is the planning stage fire statement, which predates the Act. Gateway two is building control approval from the Regulator before work starts. Gateway three is the completion certificate before the building is occupied. The Procedures Regulations, in force since 1 October 2023, set out the applications, the change control process during construction and the information that must be kept. Major changes need the Regulator's approval before that part of the work continues, so late signage redesigns on fire-related items can hold up a site.

The client must make arrangements for an electronic facility holding golden thread information, maintained by everyone designing or carrying out the work. It must be accurate, up to date, readable and transferable without loss. At completion it is handed over in its filing structure, with the building's fire and structural safety information, to the person responsible for the occupied building. For a wayfinding package that means structured, digital deliverables: a sign schedule tied to locations, product and material data, fixing details and as-installed records, kept current through any changes. In Ireland the nearest counterpart is BCAR, with ancillary certificates in the compliance file.