Survivors and bereaved families of the Grenfell Tower fire have issued a forceful demand for the government to stop awarding public contracts to companies implicated in the disaster. This call comes after new analysis revealed that several firms criticised in the official public inquiry are still in receipt of multimillion-pound deals from the public sector.
Contracts Continue Despite Damning Findings
The analysis, conducted by Labour MP Joe Powell, identified at least 87 contracts across the public sector involving companies named in the Phase 2 report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, which was published in September 2024. Some of these contracts may have since expired, but their existence highlights an ongoing financial relationship.
Seventy-two people lost their lives and more than seventy were injured in the blaze that engulfed the west London tower block on 14 June 2017. The fire, the UK's worst residential disaster since the Second World War, was fuelled by combustible cladding and insulation that failed to meet building regulations.
"Grenfell bereaved, survivors and our community are still fighting for justice eight and a half years after this entirely preventable tragedy," Powell stated. "It's extraordinary that public money is continuing to be spent with companies who were cited in the public inquiry."
Key Companies Still Benefiting
The analysis points to specific companies that continue to secure significant public work. Rydon Maintenance, the main contractor for the tower's refurbishment, was heavily criticised by the inquiry. The report concluded the company "gave inadequate thought to fire safety" and failed to ensure its subcontractors understood their responsibilities.
Despite this, Rydon appears on multiple public contracts. These include facilities management deals with NHS trusts, such as a £6.6 million contract with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and a £4.3 million contract with Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. In total, the database showed 14 contracts with Rydon with unspecified end dates.
Another firm, Celotex, which was owned by Saint-Gobain at the time of the fire, was found to have marketed its combustible RS5000 insulation as safe for high-rise buildings. It was used on 95% of the tower's insulation. A former employee testified during the inquiry that they were instructed to "lie for commercial gain."
Saint-Gobain, though no longer the parent company of Celotex, holds a £17.6 million contract with Scottish Water that runs until 2029. A spokesperson for Saint-Gobain Construction Products UK stressed that its current businesses had "no connection with the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower" and were not referenced during the inquiry.
Calls for Action Under New Procurement Powers
Powell and the main survivors' group, Grenfell United, are urging public bodies to use powers granted under the Procurement Act 2023. This legislation allows authorities to exclude suppliers for past misconduct, including breaches of health and safety law.
"While the criminal investigation limits formal sanctions, nothing stops the government taking a clear moral stance," Grenfell United said in a statement. "Seeing the same companies continue as if nothing happened is a painful reminder of the lack of consequences."
Powell has written to several public bodies, including NHS trusts and Scottish Water, asking them to review their contracts with the implicated companies. He argues that the new procurement powers must be used proactively to protect both public safety and public funds.
The government has indicated a cautious approach, citing advice from the Crown Prosecution Service that blanket exclusions could prejudice ongoing criminal investigations. A government spokesperson said investigations into seven organisations named in the inquiry report had been paused for this reason but could be restarted in the future.
As the wait for criminal justice continues, the community affected by Grenfell insists that public money should not reward the failures that led to the catastrophic loss of life.
