No reported incidents of RAAC in social housing, reports Minister

Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has responded to recent correspondence from Clive Betts MP, Chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) Committee on the Department’s assessment of the risk of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in social and private housing.

The Secretary of State’s letter says that, to date, there have been no reported incidents of RAAC failures in residential buildings and outlines the Government’s advice to residents, landlords and local authorities.

The Secretary of State’s correspondence also sets out the Government’s expectation that RAAC mitigation funding for social housing should primarily come from rental income.

The Secretary of State’s letter states that the Office of Government Property (OGP), a Cabinet Office body, is overseeing a cross-government working group on RAAC in the public estate.

Mr Gove said: “All building owners must address safety risks of all kinds in their buildings to keep residents and the public safe. Where RAAC is identified, building owners must continue to take a risk-based, proportionate, and evidence-led approach. To do so, all building owners should continue to follow guidance published by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), supported by their identification and assessment guidance published in March 2022 and April 2023.”

The Minister added that cross-government efforts were taking place to tackle the issue of RAAC.

“As you know, the Building Safety Act makes ground-breaking reforms to give residents and homeowners more rights, powers, and protections so homes across the country are safer,” he said. “It will drive the culture change needed across the industry to enable the design and construction of high-quality, safe homes in the years to come.

“The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has been set up in the Health and Safety Executive through the Building Safety Act, to oversee the safety and standards of buildings. The BSR’s work is key to delivering the government’s commitment to the Grenfell Inquiry to take responsibility for the effective stewardship of the built environment.”