Interim Measures Alarm Fund (IMAF)  application guidance

You should read the Interim Measures Alarm Fund (IMAF) guidance before making an application.

What you will need to apply

To apply for funding you will need to provide:

• building details   
• details of the Responsible Entity and other key entities involved in the building ownership and management   
• evidence that you are authorised to make an application on behalf of the Responsible Entity (if applicable)
• bank account details for the account you want the funding paid into if successful

Evidence that supports the need for an interim alarm

You must provide supporting evidence that identifies the need for an interim alarm.

This could be one or more of the following:

• Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) in line with the code of practice BS 9792:2025  
• Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) that follows and meets the PAS 9980:2022 methodology
• notices from a local regulator, such as local authority or a fire and rescue service, which could include enforcement or prohibition notices

Evidence of resident and leaseholder engagement  

In line with the Code of Remediation,  you must guarantee you will update, and keep informed, all leaseholders and residents, about building works.

Evidence of communication with leaseholders and residents must be provided to meet the terms of your funding.

Bank account details for payment if your application is successful

The Grant Funding Agreement (GFA) will be signed by the Responsible Entity but the funding will be paid to the organisation that appoints and pays the contractor (and any and all other entities) retained in the process of carrying out the works. It is, therefore, important to decide who will be responsible for doing this — the Responsible Entity or their representative — when you apply.

If you are a Responsible Entity based outside the UK, you must use a representative in the UK to administer the funding and provide their bank account details.

You should inform Homes England that you intend to change your bank details, ideally before making the change, or as soon as you do. It can take time for these to be updated and could mean your funding payment is delayed.

All bank account information you provide undergoes an independent verification process which includes digital and telephone checks. This ensures public funds are managed safely. We expect applicants to engage with any such checks in a timely manner.

What happens when we receive your application

When you submit your application, Homes England carries out legal and project-related due diligence on the information you have provided. By submitting your application, you’re agreeing that these checks can be done as set out in the IMAF section of the Homes England privacy notice.

These checks will include but are not limited to:  

• know your customer (KYC) checks on the responsible entity and representative (if applicable) 
• checks on the ownership structure and eligibility of the building 
• checks on the directors of the Responsible Entity and signatories in your application 
• a review of technical information you have supplied and any additional assurance we have sought

Once your application has been reviewed, we will confirm whether your application and our review have resulted in an eligible decision. We will explain any reasons for rejection and may seek further clarifications by email.

Obtaining a quote for the work 

If you have been told you are eligible for funding you can obtain a quote for the work required from the IMAF supplier panel.

Only firms on the Homes England IMAF supplier panel can undertake quotes and take on work under the IMAF.

The IMAF supplier panel has been set up by Homes England and contains firms who are aware of requirements under the IMAF programme and can carry out the work for you.

Once you have identified a supplier, you must provide them with any documentation or building access required to provide you with a comprehensive quote.   

Once you have been given a quote, you need to submit this along with the scope of the work to Homes England for approval.   

Assessment of your quote  

Once you have submitted the scope and quote for your work, it will be reviewed by Homes England.

We will also carry out additional checks, including, but not limited to:  

• whether your costs for eligible works are reasonable  and in line with benchmarks
• the scope of the work is in line with the programme requirements 
• your forecast start on site and completion dates

We may need to discuss your quote with the supplier panel member who provided it to clarify and, where required, challenge costs. Your initial quote may be amended as a result.

We will make sure you are aware of any changes and let you know when our review is complete. If costs are agreed, we will let you know and provide a Grant Funding Agreement (GFA) which must be signed by the Responsible Entity.

The Grant Funding Agreement  

The GFA is the legal contract between Homes England and the Responsible Entity.  

The GFA is a non-negotiable document. Applicants wishing to receive publicly funded grant monies, to assist with installation of an interim measures alarm, must agree and adhere to its terms.

Where a representative is appointed to lead the application and, in some cases, manage the funding, the GFA must still be signed by the Responsible Entity.

Applicants should be aware that the commitments given in the GFA apply to the Responsible Entity exclusively. If they choose to appoint a representative to act on their behalf, they must make sure that the representative is aware of, and will meet, Homes England’s requirements — as expressed in this guidance and also in the GFA.

The signatories for the grant funding agreement should be directors or other individuals authorised to sign legal agreements for your organisation.   

Works delivery   

Once you have signed the GFA you can formalise work with the alarm supplier.   

You will need to provide Homes England with:

• the agreed specification
• the signed contract of work
• the expected start and completion dates 

You must inform Homes England about any regulatory compliance such as Building Safety Regulator (BSR) approvals you need to obtain. 

Completion and payment   

Payment of grant funding is made on completion of works and submission of the required evidence.  

On completion of the works you will need:

• a commissioning certificate (obtained from the alarm firm)
• an updated FRA which reflects the installation of the alarm 
• the final invoice showing the amount paid to the alarm firm
• evidence of leaseholder and resident communication, showing updates on the works that have been undertaken and the impact that has for residents
• regulatory sign off (such as BSR G3) if applicable 

The submitted information will be reviewed by Homes England who may contact you for clarification.

Once approved, the grant will be paid to the applicant’s nominated bank account.

Information on how we use your data provided to support your application can be found in the Interim Alarm Fund (IMAF) section of the Homes England privacy notice.