In 2003 English Nature concluded that in the UK policy makers have largely ignored green roofs. However, British examples can be found with increasing frequency. The Kensington Roof Gardens are a notable early roof garden which was built above the former Derry & Toms department store in Kensington, London in 1938. More recent examples can be found at the University of Nottingham Jubilee Campus, and in London at Sainsburys Millennium Store in Greenwich, the Horniman Museum and at Canary Wharf.  The Ethelred Estate, close to the River Thames in central London, is the British capitals largest roof-greening project to date.  Toxteth in Liverpool is also a candidate for a major roof-greening project.
In the United Kingdom, intensive green roofs are sometimes used in built-up city areas where residents and workers often do not have access to gardens or local parks.  Extensive green roofs are sometimes used to blend buildings into rural surroundings, for example by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, who has one of the biggest green roofs in Europe (covering more than  on their factory at Goodwood, West Sussex.
The University of Sheffield has created a Green Roof Centre of Excellence and conducted research, particularly in a UK context, into green roofs. Nigel Dunnett of Sheffield University published a UK-centric book about green roofing in 2004 (updated 2008).
Fort Dunlop has the largest green roof in the UK since its redevelopment between 2004 and 2006.
The UK also has one of the most innovative food preparation facilities in Europe, the Kanes salad factory in Evesham. It is topped with a wildflower roof featuring nearly 90 species of wildflower and natural grasses. The seed mix was prepared in consultation with leading ecologists to try to minimise the impact on the local environment. The pre-grown wildflower blanket sits on top of a standing seam roof and is combined with solar panels to create an eco-friendly finish to the entire factory. The development also won the 2013 National Federation of Roofing Contractors Sustainable Roof Award for Green Roofing.