All of our operating properties continue to be confirmed as safe to operate by third-party accredited fire risk assessors pursuant to comprehensive annual fire risk assessments completed at each property. This reflects our robust approach to fire safety across our portfolio, and our continued commitment to improving fire safety performance through proactive surveying and appropriate remediation of façades and investment in smoke control systems, passive fire protection and fire doors. The Committee continued to oversee the work of our dedicated Fire Safety team who work closely with fire and rescue services including our Primary Fire Authority, the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services. The team also work closely with local authorities, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, as well as fire safety experts to provide advice and guidance through the lifecycle of our buildings, from development design, occupation and through to disposal. CLADDING REMEDIATION PROGRAMME The Committee continued its oversight of the business’s comprehensive cladding remediation programme, which provides significant capital expenditure to secure the safety of our customers and people. The business is supported by a dedicated team focused solely on cladding remediation, using an established contractor base with expertise in remediating buildings to a high quality and at pace. The programme is divided into phases based on the risk associated with each building, following detailed surveys of our properties to understand property specific issues. The business remediated nine buildings during 2025. The Committee has monitored progress through the year and ensured the operating properties remain safe to operate, with customer safety always our priority. BUILDING SAFETY ACT The Health & Safety Committee continues to oversee the businesses’s compliance with the Building Safety Act. SAFETY AND WELLBEING Aligned with our strategic objectives of providing a Great Place to Live and Work, the Committee has continued to oversee our focus on wider safety issues for our customers and people. The Committee has monitored safety performance through the year, comparing the levels and types of incidents with prior years. The Committee noted an increase in the number of safety incidents reported and is confident this reflects a healthy reporting culture, rather than a decrease in safety performance. Five RIDDOR operational incidents were reported in the year (2024:5). This compares favourably to the industry benchmark and highlights the positive safety culture across the business. The Committee also received regular updates from the Risk & Assurance team as they continued to undertake operational compliance audits throughout our buildings to ensure compliance. These audits are focused upon legislative, regulatory and Company policy compliance, incorporating fire safety, health and safety at work and security. PROPERTY SECURITY The Committee continued to monitor the ongoing physical security review of our properties led by our dedicated security team. This review helps the business to better understand the risks and create tailored mitigation plans. As we move into 2026, the Committee will continue to oversee the implementation of the planned security improvements while monitoring the type and level of security incidents. During the year, the Committee also oversaw our updated business continuity plan which was refined to ensure the ongoing resilience of property operations. DEVELOPMENT SAFETY During the year, the Committee received regular updates on development safety activity and the routine auditing of contractor performance at all Committee membership Professor Sir Steve Smith Chair of the Health & Safety Committee Joe Lister Chief Executive Officer Dame Shirley Pearce Non-Executive Director Angela Jain Non-Executive Director Number of meetings 4 THE UNITE GROUP PLC Annual Report and Accounts 2025 111