Budget 2024: Billions promised to rebuild and maintain UK's 'crumbling' schools

The Chancellor has announced £1.4 billion to rebuild more than 500 schools as part of a 19% real-terms increase in the Department for Education’s capital budget, along with £2.1 billion for school maintenance.

In her budget statement this afternoon, Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves recalled the condition of schools in the 1980s and 1990s under Conservative governments, saying: "My sixth form was a couple of prefab huts in the playground.

"My school, like so many others, was rebuilt by the last Labour government. But today, after 14 years of Tory government, progress has gone backwards – school roofs are crumbling and millions of children are facing the very same backdrop as I did. I will be the Chancellor that changes that.

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“So today, I am providing £6.7 billion of capital investment to the Department for Education next year – a 19% real-terms increase on this year. That includes £1.4 billion to rebuild over 500 schools in the greatest need, including St Helen’s Primary School in Hartlepool and Mercia Academy in Derby and so many more across our country.

"And we will provide £2.1 billion more to improve school maintenance, £300 million more than this year – ensuring that all our children can learn somewhere safe, including dealing with RAAC affected schools in the constituencies of the MPs for Watford, Stourbridge, Hyndburn, and beyond."

The announcement comes after more than 100 schools, nurseries and colleges in England were forced to shut down days before the autumn term last year following concerns that classrooms and other buildings containing reinforced autoclaved concrete (Raac) were unsafe.

RAAC -