UK parliamentary committee warns of rising risks from restoration delays
Repair options range from a £15.6 billion scheme lasting up to 24 years to a £39 billion approach taking up to 61 years.
Delays to restoring Britain's parliament are increasing the danger of a major building failure and pushing up costs, the UK Parliament's Public Accounts Committee warned on 4 November 2026. It said every year of delay would add £420 million to the programme's lifetime cost.
The central London building faces deteriorating masonry, outdated electrical systems, repeated leaks and high levels of asbestos. Parts of the UNESCO World Heritage site are more than 900 years old. Committee chair Geoffrey Clifton-Brown warned that inaction could lead to power failures or a fire, with risks to both the building and human life.
MPs voted in 2018 to leave the site so extensive repairs could take place, but disagreement over that approach has continued. Both parliamentary houses are expected to vote on the scope of restoration before the end of 2026. Work is currently projected to begin in 2032.
One option would move both houses out for much of the work, at a cost of up to £15.6 billion over as long as 24 years. An alternative, allowing no more than 30 per cent of staff to remain on site at any time, is projected to cost £39 billion and take up to 61 years.
The committee also expects weekly maintenance spending across the parliamentary estate to rise to £2 million in the coming years, compared with £1.5 million now.
