The United Kingdom's National Audit Office (NAO) has issued a stark warning: further postponement of the restoration of the Houses of Parliament could inflate the final bill by as much as £420 million (€485 million) per year. The Victorian neo-Gothic Palace of Westminster, a UNESCO World Heritage Site alongside Westminster Abbey, has been awaiting a comprehensive overhaul for over a decade, but political wrangling over costs and disruption has stalled progress.
The NAO's updated report, released on Monday, highlights the building's critical state: "deteriorating mechanical and electrical systems, fire safety issues, and asbestos" pose ongoing risks. The independent spending watchdog noted that each year of delay corresponds to an additional £320 million (€369 million) to £420 million (€485 million) on top of the overall programme cost. Currently, Parliament spends approximately £1.5 million (€1.7 million) per week on maintenance and major refurbishment projects.
Decades of Debate, Rising Costs
Plans to restore the Palace of Westminster have been under discussion since at least the early 2010s, but no work has begun due to concerns over the project's enormous price tag—estimated at tens of billions of pounds—and the logistical challenge of relocating MPs and Lords to temporary accommodation for years. A parliamentary body has proposed several options, ranging from a phased project lasting 38 to 61 years and costing up to £39.2 billion (€45.3 billion), to a "full decant" that would see both chambers vacate the Palace for most of the work, costing up to £15.6 billion (€18 billion) and taking 19 to 24 years. One unlikely scenario even extends to 84 years.
MPs in the House of Commons and peers in the House of Lords must decide on these options by mid-2030. They have also been asked to approve initial restoration works lasting seven years at a cost of up to £3 billion (€3.4 billion). The Great Clock, home to the famous Big Ben bell, underwent a five-year restoration completed in 2022 at a cost of £80 million (€92 million).
The delays come amid broader political turbulence in the UK. The recent resignation of the UK Defence Secretary over Prime Minister Starmer's military spending plans underscores the government's fiscal constraints. Meanwhile, the European Parliament is testing tighter debate rules to combat empty seats, a reminder that parliamentary efficiency is a continent-wide concern.
The Palace of Westminster's deterioration is not merely a matter of heritage preservation; it also affects the functioning of the UK's legislature. As the NAO report makes clear, the longer the decision is deferred, the higher the price tag—and the greater the risk to the building's structural integrity.
