Recommendation P2-45: Add humanitarian considerations as ninth response principle
From Grenfell Tower Inquiry: Phase 2 Report, published 4 September 2024.
Recommendation
We also recommend that regard for humanitarian considerations be expressly recognised by making it the ninth principle of effective response and recovery. (113.69)
In brief (written by this site)
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government reported in September 2026 that implementation remains in progress for delivery in 2026, with work underway to finalise a new Human Aspects Standard (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). The department stated in the same update that it is analysing assessment data and will embed humanitarian considerations within the Lead Government Department Expectation Set due for publication in late 2026 (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sep 2026). Earlier, in February 2026, it noted initial steps such as updating the Amber Book to recognise humanitarian considerations, following HM Government's acceptance of the recommendation in February 2025 (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government response, Feb 2025; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Feb 2026).
Sources
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026. The record below is the sources' own words.
About this summary
This recommendation asks for cultural or behavioural change, which is difficult to verify from published sources alone. The record reflects policy commitments rather than measured outcomes.
Government response
The government accepts this recommendation. We will fully factor it into the outcomes of the resilience review.
How this response relates to the recommendation
Site note: This is the government's response to the Phase 2 report (CP 1248, published 26 February 2025). It prints each recommendation and then the response to it. Where the recommendation is addressed to a body outside government, the response prints that body's own acceptance (the Architects Registration Board and RIBA, HMICFRS, London Fire Brigade, the National Fire Chiefs Council, the British Standards Institution, the National Police Chiefs' Council), and the row is filed under that body.
Delivery
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government says in progress (10 September 2026)
We are finalising a new Human Aspects Standard, as part of the National Resilience Standards update, to guide Local Resilience Forums on best practice. We are also analysing data collected through the 2026 National Capabilities Assessment, to consider how improvements to humanitarian considerations could be made by relevant departments. Humanitarian considerations will also be embedded within the Lead Government Department Expectation Set, due for publication in Q4 (October to December) 2026.
Site note: This is the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's progress report of September 2026 on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, fire and rescue services, the British Standards Institution or the Cabinet Office, it is the Ministry's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry.
Earlier statements on delivery (2)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (10 September 2026)
Timeline for delivery
2026
Site note: This is the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's progress report of September 2026 on the Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommendations. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, fire and rescue services, the British Standards Institution or the Cabinet Office, it is the Ministry's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry.
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (25 February 2026)
In July 2025, the Cabinet Office published the UK Government Resilience Action Plan. This includes a summary of actions to support vulnerable people. The government engaged with a range of organisations when reviewing our approach to resilience, including representatives from the voluntary, community and faith sector, who work tirelessly to support those who can so often be the most impacted in emergencies. We are committed to ensuring that our national and local emergency planning is more closely connected with our communities and the people we serve.
As a first step, we updated the government’s Amber Book, including guidance to ensure that humanitarian considerations are recognised in national emergency responses. This work aims to ensure that impacts to people in emergencies are better considered in national and local emergency planning and response.
We have also developed a National Resilience Standard on Human Aspects, to help emergency responders and Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) in identifying and addressing the psychosocial needs of people affected by an emergency. The National Resilience Standards set out consistent expectations of leading practice, providing clarity and updated guidance to LRFs.
The Cabinet Office has worked with the Social and Behavioural Science for Emergencies working group, run by the Government Office for Science, to develop new guidance to improve the identification and assessment of disproportionate impacts of emergencies to Vulnerable People in the National Security Risk Assessment (NSRA). The guidance was issued to Lead Government Departments in November 2025. Work is underway to review the NSRA methodology, to deliver a more effective assessment of vulnerability during crises, and make this more accessible to policy-makers and operational leaders undertaking planning and preparedness activities. There is also ongoing work across government to identify best practise and gaps in existing support for those impacted by emergencies.
Government will continue to work with relevant departments and local emergency planners, to develop suitable guidance which supports embedding humanitarian considerations within emergency preparedness and response activity.
Site note: This is the annex of the government's Phase 2 annual report (CP 1512, published 25 February 2026) as GOV.UK publishes it, one page per theme: the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's account. Where the passage describes work by another body, such as the National Fire Chiefs Council, London Fire Brigade, the British Standards Institution, the Health and Safety Executive or the Cabinet Office, it is the report's account of that body's progress, and the row is filed under the Ministry. The status is what the passage says: completed only where it says the recommendation is complete or closed.
Responsible bodies
Themes and tags
Who has spoken
- UK Government
Response - Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Delivery statement