Asbestos remains a major cause of work-related death in Great Britain. This page separates historical enforcement statistics from selected recent prosecutions, using HSE records and the Work and Pensions Committee’s 2022 inquiry. Cases arising from asbestos incidents can be charged under different legislation; they should not all be counted as prosecutions under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012).
The figures below have different periods and coverage. The committee’s 2019/20 prosecution count is a historical benchmark, not a current annual total. Press releases illustrate individual cases rather than every prosecution. HSE regulates Great Britain; Northern Ireland has separate regulations and enforcement arrangements. For enforcement across all hazards, see our sister site’s HSE enforcement statistics.
Key asbestos enforcement facts and figures
- 11 prosecutions were taken under the asbestos regulations in 2019/20 — about 3% of all HSE health and safety prosecutions that year (WPC, 2022).
- 82% conviction rate: HSE secured at least one conviction in 9 of those 11 cases in 2019/20, at an average penalty of £3,063 per offence (WPC, 2022).
- 60% fall: asbestos enforcement notices dropped 60% between 2011/12 and 2018/19, against a 10% fall in all HSE notices over the same period (WPC analysis, 2022).
- 3 and 7 publicised proceedings in the six months before and after January 2024, in a published legal commentary; the latter included an appeal, not seven new prosecutions.
- £3,063 per offence: the historical average asbestos penalty reported for 2019/20. This is not a current average fine per defendant.
- 1,520 to 907: HSE inspections of licensed asbestos removal work fell 40% between 2012/13 and 2019/20 (WPC, 2022).
- 367 licence entries in the HSE list dated 6 October 2026: 332 Standard, 28 Scaffolding and 7 Maintenance licences, with different scopes of work.
- 9 weeks: the stated delay before HSE publishes convictions. Organisation records appear for one year in the current register, then a further nine years in the history register.
Reviewed 15 October 2026. Historical statistics retain their original periods; the licence snapshot is dated 6 October 2026. Selected case reports do not establish a complete annual prosecution count or a national sentencing trend.
How many asbestos prosecutions are there in the UK each year?
The Work and Pensions Committee reported 11 asbestos-regulation prosecutions in 2019/20, approximately 3% of all HSE health and safety prosecutions that year. Nine resulted in at least one conviction. These cases concern failures to control risk: prosecution does not require waiting for an exposed person to develop a disease decades later.
The committee’s figure is a clearly dated historical comparison. It should not be presented as the latest annual count, nor should a selection of publicised cases be treated as a comprehensive series. Cases, defendants, offences and successful convictions are different measures.
Did asbestos prosecutions rise after HSE's 2024 duty-to-manage campaign?
A September 2024 commentary published by the British Safety Council identified three publicised proceedings in the six months before HSE’s January 2024 campaign and seven afterwards, including one appeal. This small retrospective selection does not establish a national trend or show that the campaign caused the increase.
The same commentary described average fines of just over £30,000 before the campaign and just under £40,000 afterwards. Those sample averages are not current national benchmarks; sentencing depends on the offence, harm risk, culpability and the defendant’s circumstances.
| Commentary measure | Before January 2024 campaign | After campaign | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Publicised proceedings | 3 | 7, including one appeal | Selected cases, not all prosecutions |
| Reported average fine | Just over £30,000 | Just under £40,000 | Small sample; not a national trend |
What is the average fine for an asbestos offence in the UK?
There is no single current national average established by the sources used here. The committee’s 2019/20 figure was £3,063 per offence; the 2024 commentary used a different selection and measure. Combining them would create a misleading trend.
A fine per offence cannot be compared directly with a fine per defendant or case. Costs and victim surcharges are also separate from the fine. The dated examples below show actual outcomes without implying a usual or minimum penalty.
Which recent asbestos-related prosecutions stand out?
The following are selected asbestos-related cases, not a complete register. The charging provision matters: construction and management failures may be prosecuted under CDM 2015 or the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA), rather than CAR 2012.
| Date | Defendant | Outcome | Charging regulation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | Sohan Group Ltd (client) | Fined £74,900 + £3,658 costs + £2,000 surcharge | CDM 2015 reg 5(4) — labelled, not CAR 2012 |
| Mar 2026 | Maize Metals Ltd (demolition contractor) | Fined £13,400 + £1,360 costs + £2,000 surcharge | CDM 2015 reg 15(2) — labelled, not CAR 2012 |
| Mar 2026 | Site manager (Cannock case) | 26 weeks' custody suspended 2 yrs; 5-year director disqualification | CDM 2015 reg 15(2) via HSWA s.37 — labelled |
| Nov 2025 | Elstree Film Studios Ltd | Fined £6,000 + £6,790 costs + £2,000 surcharge | CAR 2012 regs 5, 10 & 15 |
| Jul 2025 | A1 Property Maintenance Management Ltd | Fined £5,360 + £5,117 costs | CAR 2012 reg 4(6) — duty to manage |
| Apr 2025 | Gavin Mutch (Cheadle house) | 12-month community order, 180 hrs unpaid work + £2,000 costs | HSWA section 3(2), following unlicensed removal |
| Sep 2023 | Stark Building Materials UK Ltd (t/a Jewson) | Fined £400,000 + £9,664 costs | Local-authority (council) prosecution — not HSE |
HSE’s Cannock report describes an earlier survey identifying 218 m² of asbestos-containing material, followed by uncontrolled disturbance. Its two company charges were under CDM 2015. HSE identifies the Cheadle builder’s charge as HSWA section 3(2). The Jewson example is a Middlesbrough Council prosecution reported by ITV, not an HSE case.
What happens if you breach the asbestos duty to manage (CAR 2012 regulation 4)?
Regulation 4 applies to non-domestic premises and common parts of domestic buildings. Depending on contractual responsibilities or control, more than one person may have duties. Breaching health and safety regulations can lead to prosecution; for an individual, conviction on indictment can carry up to two years’ imprisonment, and fines can be unlimited. The precise offence and jurisdiction matter.
There is no reliable basis here for saying that most Regulation 4 cases receive a particular fine. A duty holder must identify or presume asbestos, assess its condition and risk, keep records and put an effective management plan into practice. Read our duty-to-manage guide and CAR 2012 explainer for the underlying requirements.
How have asbestos notices and inspections changed?
The committee reported a 60% fall in asbestos enforcement notices between 2011/12 and 2018/19, compared with 10% for all HSE notices. Licensed-removal inspections fell from 1,520 in 2012/13 to 907 in 2019/20 and 890 in 2020/21. These are historical changes, not evidence of the current inspection rate.
More recent figures show increased enforcement activity. On 18 June 2025, minister Sir Stephen Timms told Parliament that HSE issued over 300 notices under CAR 2012 in 2024/25. He also reported more than 1,000 school inspections between September 2022 and March 2025, with 8% requiring enforcement-notice action. These later measures should be kept separate from the earlier licensed-removal inspection series.
| Measure | 2012/13 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inspections of licensed asbestos removal work | 1,520 | 907 | 890 | Down ~40% |
| Asbestos enforcement notices | Fell 60% between 2011/12 and 2018/19 (vs 10% for all HSE notices) | Down sharply | ||
How many licensed asbestos removal contractors are there?
The HSE licence list dated 6 October 2026, published through CONIAC, contains 367 entries: 332 Standard licences, 28 Scaffolding licences and 7 Maintenance licences. This is a count of entries on that list, not an England-only count or a count of all businesses handling asbestos. Licence categories authorise different work.
A licence is required for work meeting the legal definition of licensable asbestos work. The risk assessment must consider the material, exposure and task; duration alone does not decide the classification. Check the current licence and its conditions before appointing a contractor. See our removal industry statistics for the list’s scope.
How long do asbestos convictions and notices stay on the public register?
HSE states that convictions are published nine weeks after conviction, allowing for appeals and quality assurance. Organisation records stay in the current register for one year before moving to the history register for a further nine years. Enforcement notices are normally published five weeks after service and remain for five years.
Registers cover specified publication windows and are not a complete account of all historic conduct. Press reports may appear before a register entry. A missing search result does not establish that a business has never been subject to enforcement; use HSE’s current register links and check the date and scope of each record.
Frequently asked questions
How many asbestos prosecutions are there in the UK each year?
The committee reported 11 asbestos-regulation prosecutions in 2019/20, with nine cases resulting in a conviction. This is a historical figure. The selected later cases on this page do not provide a complete current annual total.
What is the average fine for an asbestos offence in the UK?
No current national average is established by the sources used here. The committee’s £3,063 per offence relates to 2019/20. A later commentary’s small case sample uses a different measure; individual outcomes depend on the facts and sentencing rules.
Can you go to prison for asbestos offences in the UK?
Yes. Relevant health and safety offences can carry up to two years’ imprisonment for an individual convicted on indictment. The Cannock site manager received 26 weeks suspended for two years in March 2026 and a five-year director disqualification. His charge arose under CDM 2015 through HSWA section 37.
What happens if you breach the asbestos duty to manage (CAR 2012 regulation 4)?
A failure to meet Regulation 4 can lead to enforcement or prosecution. Responsibilities depend on maintenance obligations or control of the premises. An effective assessment, record and management plan must be put into practice; there is no fixed fine for every breach.
Are all asbestos prosecutions brought by HSE?
No. HSE, local authorities and the Office of Rail and Road enforce asbestos regulations in the premises or activities for which they are responsible. Northern Ireland has its own arrangements. The Jewson example was brought by Middlesbrough Council; the Cannock case was an HSE prosecution under CDM 2015.
Asbestos prosecutions can arise when material is disturbed or poorly managed. For workers and duty holders whose jobs bring them into pre-2000 buildings, our CPD-certified Asbestos Awareness Course covers the training required under Regulation 10 of CAR 2012 — the practical way to stay on the right side of the enforcement statistics on this page.
The cheapest asbestos fine is the one you never trigger. Make sure your team can recognise and avoid disturbing asbestos before work starts.
Explore the Asbestos Awareness Course →Related guides
- Asbestos Statistics UK: Deaths, Exposure & Key Facts
- Asbestos Removal Industry Statistics UK
- Asbestos Survey Statistics UK
- The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 explained
- The duty to manage asbestos: registers, plans and Regulation 4
Sources & references
- Work and Pensions Committee — HSE’s approach to asbestos management (2022; historical enforcement data)
- British Safety Council — legal commentary on selected 2023–24 proceedings (5 September 2024)
- HSE — current links to conviction and notice registers
- HSE — conviction-register publication and retention rules
- HSE — notice-register publication and retention rules
- CONIAC / HSE — licence-holder list dated 6 October 2026
- HSE — Cannock prosecution (March 2026)
- HSE — Elstree Film Studios prosecution (November 2025)
- HSE — A1 Property Maintenance Management conviction, 30 July 2025
- HSE — A1 Property Maintenance prosecution bulletin (August 2025)
- HSE — Gavin Mutch prosecution (April 2025)
- ITV — Middlesbrough Council’s Jewson prosecution and council statement (September 2023)
- HSE — enforcing authorities for asbestos regulations
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 — maximum penalties
- HSE — duty to manage asbestos
- Ministerial statement: asbestos notices and school inspections, 18 June 2025
Mark writes about workplace health & safety, asbestos awareness and accredited online training for Asbestos Awareness Course, part of Online CPD Academy.