Crumbling concrete concerns?

A recent press release published by the Department for Education has highlighted that for decades, many school buildings across England were constructed using Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) – now widely known as crumbling concrete. Although RAAC was viewed as innovative at the time, it has since become evident that it deteriorates far more quickly than traditional concrete. As it ages, key structural elements such as roofs and floors can become vulnerable to sudden failure. This has led to emergency school closures, and understandable concern among parents, carers, and staff. The depth of the issue has made it clear that temporary fixes are no longer adequate; a sustainable solution is essential to ensure safety across educational establishments.

The Governments plan to remove crumbling concrete:

In response the Government’s Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson has made it clear there is a procedure in place to restore safety in all schools affected. She quoted “We inherited a crumbling concrete education estate, but I won’t let that be our legacy”. This procedure includes permanently removing crumbling concrete from every affected building, providing government funding for schools that only need repair work, and continuing full rebuilds through the School Rebuilding Programme for sites where the structure cannot be safely repaired. Backed by a multi-billion-pound capital investment, the intention is to not only address structural risks but also modernise educational establishments so pupils can learn in safe environments.

A total of 237 schools and colleges in England were confirmed to contain RAAC. The proposed approach is as follows:

• 123 are set to be rebuilt through the School Rebuilding Programme
• 108 will receive government grants for RAAC removal works.
• The remaining 6 have alternative arrangements in place.

As of 28 October 2025, the government confirmed that RAAC has been permanently removed from 62 of these establishments.

While the government has a clear plan to remove crumbling concrete from educational establishments, many of them still need temporary or semi-permanent accommodation to ensure learning continues uninterrupted during works. Our Y21018 Temporary and Semi-Permanent Buildings framework can support with the procurement of these buildings.

Our Y23029 Financial Leasing Solutions framework can also help educational establishments secure funding for the procurement of temporary and semi-permanent buildings. This fully compliant, pre-approved framework provides a flexible and cost-effective route to finance essential assets, helping schools and colleges maintain safe and uninterrupted learning environments while permanent works are carried out.

To find out more, contact us at psleasing@csltd.org.uk.