08 Oct Grenfell investigation files handed to UK prosecutors

British police have handed prosecutors the files from their nine-year investigation into the Grenfell Tower fire, bringing the criminal investigation to a key stage more than nine years after the disaster.

The Metropolitan Police Service (Met) has submitted 20 files concerning 20 companies and organisations and 54 individuals to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The files ask prosecutors to consider potential offences including corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, health and safety offences, fraud and fraud-related offences, and misconduct in public office.

The CPS has committed to making charging decisions before the 10th anniversary of the fire in June 2027. Any decision on whether charges should be brought will be made independently by prosecutors following their assessment of the evidence.

The scale of the investigation reflects the complexity of the disaster. Police said investigators examined the roles of more than 15,000 individuals and 700 organisations. The evidence submitted includes more than 12,600 pages of summary reports, alongside more than 45,000 documents, images and exhibits referenced within them.

A 220-strong investigation team has worked on the case. Police have also retained thousands of physical exhibits from the tower and are preparing replica sections of the building in anticipation of potential court proceedings.

The Grenfell Tower fire on 14 June 2017 killed 72 people. The subsequent public inquiry concluded that the disaster was the result of serious failures across government and the construction and fire-safety sectors. Its final report, published in 2024, examined the use of combustible materials on the building and failures surrounding the testing, marketing and regulation of cladding and insulation.

The consequences have extended well beyond the investigation itself. Grenfell became a major catalyst for changes to building and fire safety requirements in the UK, including the development of a new regulatory framework for higher-risk buildings and changes to the way building safety responsibilities are overseen.

For the fire sector, the case has also highlighted the importance of considering fire performance across the entire building system rather than assessing individual products in isolation. The inquiry examined issues including cladding, insulation, fire doors and other components, as well as the testing and certification processes surrounding them.

The police investigation is now moving into a different phase, but the wider impact of Grenfell continues to shape discussions around building design, product testing, regulatory oversight and accountability.

The case also demonstrates how the consequences of a major fire can extend for many years, influencing fire-safety policy and construction practices well beyond the location of the original incident.