How RAAC Is Disrupting Meal Services Across UK Schools and Hospitals
When most people hear about RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete), the first image that comes to mind is usually a ceiling in a classroom or corridor. But while the headlines have focused on structural issues, there’s another part of the story playing out quietly in the background: kitchens are closing, and that’s having a real impact on day-to-day life in schools and hospitals across the UK.
Meal services are being paused or scaled back, sometimes overnight, affecting thousands of people who rely on regular, nutritious food. It’s not just a facilities issue, it’s a service delivery challenge that touches wellbeing, routine, and even morale.
A Less Visible, but Very Real, Disruption
RAAC was commonly used in public buildings between the 1950s and 1980s. Now, as it reaches the end of its usable life, safety concerns are prompting urgent inspections and closures. That includes kitchen spaces, not just classrooms.
When kitchens, canteens and preparation areas are affected, they’re often taken out of use with little or no notice. In many cases, facilities and catering teams are left scrambling to adapt, not because solutions don’t exist, but because they’re unaware that options are available. Without a clear plan in place, schools and hospitals often resort to limited cold meals or short-term workarounds that simply aren’t sustainable.
None of these are easy, especially when there’s no backup plan in place. The outcome? Missed meals, stretched staff, and frustrated communities.
Why Catering Matters Just as Much as Classrooms
Foodservice might not be the first thing people think of when they hear about structural risks, but it should be high on the agenda. Hot meals in schools are often the most important part of a child’s daily nutrition. In hospitals, meal schedules are tied into care and recovery plans.
When kitchens go offline, some of the immediate impacts include:
- Disruption to hot meal provision
- Difficulty maintaining school food standards or NHS nutritional guidance
- Loss of access to storage and essential equipment
- Staff being redeployed or left without suitable workspace
- Added pressure from parents, patients, and stakeholders
- A knock-on effect on mental wellbeing — for pupils, patients and staff
It all adds up to one thing: catering continuity needs more attention in resilience planning.
Keeping Services Running, Even When Buildings Are Offline
At PKL, we’ve been working with schools, multi-academy trusts, NHS estates teams and FM providers to provide quick, compliant kitchen solutions during RAAC-related closures. In many cases, we’ve helped sites get back up and running in just a few days, with everything needed to continue foodservice safely and professionally.
Whether it’s a modular production kitchen, extra cold storage, or a full temporary setup with preparation, servery and dishwash space, our focus is the same: keep meals going, keep disruption minimal, and make it easy for staff to get back to doing what they do best.
Looking Ahead, Planning for Flexibility
RAAC has shone a spotlight on how vulnerable some building systems really are, but it’s also a reminder that catering facilities need to be part of wider estate planning. Many schools and hospitals are already working at capacity, and any unexpected closures or refurbishments can quickly put pressure on their ability to deliver consistent meals.
That’s why we encourage public sector teams to look at catering continuity as part of their contingency toolkit, not just for today’s challenges, but for future refurbishments, upgrades or estate changes.
Thinking about how RAAC (or other risks) could affect your site’s catering?
Chat to PKL today about flexible, fully equipped kitchen solutions that help you stay prepared, and keep your services running, whatever comes next.
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