Grenfell fire police investigators hand files on 20 firms and 54 people to CPS

Police investigating the Grenfell Tower fire have asked prosecutors to consider charges including manslaughter and fraud against a range of companies and individuals.

The Metropolitan police announced it had given prosecutors evidence relating to 20 companies and organisations and 54 individuals, ahead of charging decisions, in what the force described as a “milestone moment”.

Andy Burnham joined survivors’ groups in saying that it had “taken too long”, but pledged to support Grenfell families “to ensure they get the justice and accountability that they deserve”.

Potential offences include corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, health and safety offences, fraud and fraud-related offences and misconduct in public office.

The housing secretary, Angela Rayner ,said on Wednesday that the files passed to prosecutors by police included one relating to her department. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) would review whether the department – which police began investigating in 2023 – had potentially breached the Health and Safety at Work Act.

“I recognise the significance and gravity of this development, and we will respond with the appropriate and necessary diligence and care,” she said.

The Guardian has also learned that a leading prosecutor has been appointed to head any possible court cases.

The fire on 14 June 2017 – which was found by a public inquiry to have been avoidable – led to the deaths of 72 people in North Kensington, west London . It was the result of “decades of failure” by central government to stop the spread of combustible cladding combined with the “systematic dishonesty” of multimillion-pound companies whose products spread the fire, a public inquiry found in 2024.

The CPS has said charging decisions would be made before the 10th anniversary of the disaster, which falls on 14 June 2027.

Kevin Southworth, a deputy assistant commissioner at the Met, said: “This is a milestone moment in the police investigation into this devastating tragedy which took the lives of 72 people.

“We appreciate, of course, it has taken nine years to get to this point. As we have said before, this is one of the most complex investigations ever undertaken by any UK law enforcement agency – the scale is truly enormous.

“While we know this has had a significant impact on those waiting for answers, it has necessarily taken this long to ensure our investigation is meticulous and presents the very best possible evidence to the CPS for charging decisions.”

Investigators have looked at the role of more than 15,000 people and 700 organisations as part of the inquiry, and have submitted 12,600 pages of evidence to the CPS.

A total of 14,700 statements have been taken and more than 27,000 exhibits, including cladding, insulation, doors, windows and other parts of the building, down to screws, nuts and bolts, are stored in a secure warehouse.

Scale replica parts of the tower are being built at a cost of £2m in anticipation of potential court proceedings.

Grenfell United, which represents some bereaved families and survivors, said: “We expect the Met and the CPS to do everything in their power to make sure this case moves forward without further unnecessary delay. Our families have waited long enough.

“We want those responsible to face justice. If people are found guilty of crimes that cost our loved ones their lives, we want to see them behind bars. Only then will people see that there are real consequences for what happened at Grenfell.”

The prime minister told Channel 5 News: “It has taken too long, but at least [the evidence] has been submitted. To be fair to the Metropolitan police, it has been a complex and wide-ranging investigation and they’ve had to do it in a forensic way, dealing with multiple, multiple organisations.”

Burnham cited the role of the Hillsborough law, which he was involved in campaigning for, and which imposes a duty of candour on public authorities to prevent cover-ups.

“It’s intended to speed up situations, like this, so we can get the truth and justice much more quickly. And accountability, that’s the piece that’s often lacking. There must be accountability for Grenfell,” he said.

Frank Ferguson, the head of the CPS’s special crime and counter-terrorism division, said that the service remained confident that it would complete the process and make charging decisions before the 10th anniversary of the fire next year.

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