UK: This week the Press and Journal reported that a major 'lifeline' had been secured for RAAC-affected homeowners in Aberdeen (click here), with Housing Secretary Mairi McAllan confirming that £10 million would be made available to Aberdeen City Council. 

On the surface this sounded like a decisive moment, but when you listen carefully to Ms McAllan’s statement in the Scottish Parliament, the reality is less clear-cut. She said: 

“This will not only help the Council in turn to meet the cost of remediation from within its own budget but also make a valuable contribution towards Scotland’s supply of affordable housing.” 

The words matter. The grant is not for remediation works, nor for the voluntary agreements (VAs) homeowners desperately need to restore some equity in their lives. The money is instead tied to new-build housing, leaving the council to “make room” in its own budgets for any RAAC-related costs. This means that real support for affected families is still far from guaranteed. 

Even Aberdeen’s Co-Leader, Cllr Christian Allard, expressed unease (click here): 

“To be able to apply for £10million has got to be good news, but if it is coming out of the housing revenue account, that’s not just for RAAC, so I’d like to find out more about how this could help tenants and owner occupiers. And look at the legality of it.” 

Such remarks hardly inspire confidence. If senior councillors are reluctant to commit to helping homeowners, what hope does this “breakthrough” really bring? 

A Press That Glosses Over Reality 

What frustrates me even more is how the Press and Journal have portrayed the situation. Their coverage has leaned heavily on the government line, presenting the announcement as a triumph rather than asking the difficult questions families deserve answers to. 

My daughter and I — who also happen to be the only Asian and dark-skinned campaigners active in this effort — founded the Torry Community RAAC Campaign Group. We have presented numerous deputations, and I continue to press forward nationally as Chair of the UK RAAC Campaign Group. Yet despite this, our contributions have too often been downplayed or overlooked in local reporting. One protest I organised was even credited to the Torry RAAC Campaign Group alone, with no mention of my role. 

While I cannot know the editorial reasoning behind these omissions, the effect has been to minimise the visibility of the only minority voices in this campaign. For me, this raises serious concerns about how representative local coverage truly is of the breadth and diversity of people fighting for justice on RAAC. 

At the last meeting I attended in Aberdeen, I was subjected to racial abuse by two youths. The experience was profoundly unsettling and has made me hesitant to attend meetings in person since. It highlights the challenges faced by visible minority campaigners and underscores the importance of fair and accurate media representation of their voices. 

Media Coverage in Dundee 

I am also concerned about reporting from the Dundee Courier, which appears to be taking a leading role in the local RAAC campaign there. As the initiator of the Dundee RAAC Campaign Group, I have noted that some statements attributed to the group suggest that the funding recently announced by the Housing Minister is biased in favour of Aberdeen. In reality, Dundee City Council has not yet made an appeal, nor have they outlined any proposals for funding flexibility. There also remains a lack of clarity about the Affordable Housing Supply Programme — specifically, that it is primarily a fund for redeveloping housing sites and covering associated costs, rather than a source for voluntary acquisition payments or direct remedial works for homeowners. From my perspective, these reporting choices risk giving readers a misleading impression of how the funding works and the options available to affected residents. 

Mr Wilson Chowdhry, Chair of the UK RAAC Campaign Group, said: 

“I am genuinely surprised that reporters who watched the same video of the Parliamentary Portfolio Questions as I did have come away with such different conclusions. Either their understanding of what was said differs completely, or they have chosen to write in a way that is totally out of kilter with the Minister’s actual words. This only adds to the confusion faced by homeowners who are looking for clarity and honesty at a time of deep personal stress.” 

Housing Minister Deflects Responsibility to UK Government While Focusing on Mortgages Over Basic Survival 

In her responses to parliamentary portfolio questions on RAAC funding, Housing Minister Mairi McAllan continued to insist that any significant remediation fund is the responsibility of the UK Government. She stated: 

“I think it is absolutely essential that the UK Government come to the table on the issue of RAAC. RAAC is present in housing right throughout the United Kingdom. As Keith Brown has set out, it is present in properties that were sold under right-to-buy, which far predates the devolution period, and actually, moreover, the UK Government is the only Government in the UK with the financial flexibility to respond to unexpected costs in this manner.” 

She later added: 

“As I said I have made representations, former housing minister has made representations. I'll continue to do so and I also intend to use that newly convened RAAC and housing leadership group as a further attempt to bring the UK Government to the table and to face up to the responsibilities.” 

However, while deflecting responsibility to Westminster, McAllan shifted her focus onto longer-term financial products rather than the urgent crisis families are facing. She said: 

“A practical point I would put on the record, which is much more pragmatic than some of the nonsense we've been hearing from the Conservatives today, is I think there is a real issue that needs to be worked through in respect of the availability of mortgages once RAAC has been remediated and once a green status is provided to a property.” 

This stance has been met with frustration by homeowners. Many believe the Minister is oblivious to the financial pressures on families who are far more concerned with keeping a roof over their heads than with access to future mortgages or insurance products. For most, their current mortgage providers have not withdrawn support — the real problem is finding the funds to remediate or replace unsafe homes. Without immediate financial solutions, talk of long-term mortgage flexibility offers little comfort to those in crisis today. 

No Guarantees, Just More Waiting 

The Aberdeen campaign must continue, because in truth there are still no assurances for homeowners. The £10 million being discussed will not automatically translate into direct support, nor does it remove the risk that councils will use compulsory purchase orders to push families out at unfair valuations. 

Headlines may suggest a resolution, but until homeowners are given concrete guarantees, they remain in limbo — anxious, under pressure, and facing life-changing losses. 

For those of us campaigning nationally, this moment reinforces a simple truth: words and headlines are cheap. What matters is transparent action, fair redress, and genuine support for families who have already suffered too much.