Kensington council and Angela Rayner's housing department among 20 organisations referred for Grenfell manslaughter charges
From the Newshound archive · first published 30 September 2026 · last updated 1 October 2026.
Police have passed prosecutors files covering 54 individuals and 20 organisations — among them Kensington and Chelsea Council and the government's own housing ministry — over the blaze that killed 72 people nine years ago. The Met assembled a submission comprising 12,600 pages of evidence and 14,700 witness statements to the CPS, addressing potential charges of corporate manslaughter, gross negligence manslaughter, fraud, and misconduct in public office. The CPS has pledged charging decisions before the fire's 10th anniversary on June 14, 2027. A public inquiry found every death was avoidable and blamed "systematic dishonesty" by companies whose cladding spread the flames.
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner confirmed her department, the MHCLG, was notified it was under investigation back in 2023.
Before settling on the 54 individuals and 20 firms now referred, investigators examined the conduct of upwards of 15,000 people and 700 organisations.
A leading prosecutor has already been appointed to head any potential court cases, signalling the CPS is preparing for a major trial.