Waking Watch Replacement Fund 2023

The Waking Watch Replacement Fund 2023 provides up to £41.71 million in financial support for the installation of common alarm systems to replace waking watch measures in residential buildings across England. The fund was extended to March 2026 and covers buildings of any height that have a waking watch in place due to fire safety defects, regardless of where the costs of the waking watch fall. The fund builds on previous initiatives including the Waking Watch Relief Fund and the Waking Watch Replacement Fund 2022, which together provided £62 million in funding. This funding is designed to protect residents and leaseholders who may face high costs or delays in implementing interim safety measures by supporting the installation of better, long-term fire safety systems in their buildings. The common fire alarm system should generally be designed in accordance with BS 5839-1 for a Category L5 system, aligned with the National Fire Chief's Council guidance on buildings transitioning from a 'Stay Put' to a 'Simultaneous Evacuation' fire safety strategy. The fund covers the upfront capital costs of installing alarm systems and will consider retrospective costs for installations that commenced on or after 25 May 2023. Applicants must demonstrate that the building has a waking watch in place that has been identified by a Competent Person or Fire and Rescue Service intervention, and that the alarm installation will remove the need for the waking watch. Applications require three quotes from different alarm installation companies to ensure costs are reasonable.