When the scale of life-expired panels of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in public buildings became a political issue in 2023, the Conservative government scrambled to act. The school and hospital building programme was juggled to prioritise structures deemed at risk from collapse because of ageing RAAC.
Now the Labour government is claiming the credit.
The Department for Education has announced that RAAC has been removed from 52 schools and a further 71 with RAAC are in the process of being rebuilt.鈥�
In the NHS, seven hospitals have eradicated RAAC and another 12 hospitals are on track to be RAAC-free by March 2026.
Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said:鈥� 聽鈥淗igh-quality classrooms show every child that their education matters 鈥� and that their future matters to this government. We are repairing the fabric of our schools and restoring the pride pupils feel in their classrooms. As part of our Plan for Change, we are delivering the largest school improvement programme in a generation 鈥� moving beyond short-term fixes to create lasting benefits for pupils, teachers, and communities.鈥�
She added: 鈥淎fter years of neglect, we inherited a school estate in urgent need of repair. Now, with unprecedented long-term investment, we are breaking down barriers to opportunity and building schools where every child can thrive.鈥�
Minister for elective care Karin Smyth said: 聽鈥淥ur nation鈥檚 hospitals have been starved of investment and left to crumble for more than a decade. Patients and staff deserve safe, modern hospitals and an NHS they can rely on. Today鈥檚 progress means thousands more people can walk into NHS hospitals with confidence, knowing this government is putting safety first. Thanks to the record investment this government is providing, we are cleaning up the mess we inherited, ripping out potentially dangerous concrete and rebuilding our NHS.鈥�
RAAC products were first introduced into the UK market in the 1950s and were widely used in the construction industry up until the 1990s. Due to its light weight, fire resistance and thermal performance, RAAC became popular for use in roof decks and was extensively used as such in both commercial buildings and, particularly, in public sector buildings such as schools, colleges and hospitals. However, the material鈥檚 susceptibility to corrosion became apparent and it fell out of favour. The lifespan of RAAC roof planks is reckoned to be around 30 years. As they were last used in the mid-1990s, even the most recent RAAC roof decks are now life-expired.
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