Recommendation 10

FCDO told us that it is not happy with the current condition of its overseas estate and that this presents a severe risk to the organisation.21 Of FCDO’s 6,500 overseas buildings, 933 (around 15%) do not meet its internal target condition score of 70% or higher, according to which buildings are sound, operationally safe and exhibit only minor deterioration.22 In 2024 FCDO estimated that its total maintenance backlog liability was £450 million, far greater than it had previously estimated.23 On top of this, FCDO estimated in April 2025 that it needed £2.1 billion to cover its pipeline of larger estate projects, covering more substantial refurbishments, replacements of assets at end of life, acquisitions and new constructions.24 FCDO acknowledged that the condition of its estate was “quite shocking”.25 In November 2024, FCDO increased the risk rating of its overseas estate from major to severe, based on the risk of irreversible estate deterioration and FCDO being unable to meet minimum health and safety standards.26