Is There Asbestos in Schools? What Staff, Governors and Parents Need to Know

On this page

1. 1Is there asbestos in schools?
2. 2Why is asbestos in school buildings, and where might it be?
3. 3Is asbestos in a school dangerous to pupils and staff?
4. 4Who is legally responsible for asbestos in a school?
5. 5How well are schools managing asbestos?
6. 6What should school staff do about asbestos?
7. 7Do school staff need asbestos awareness training?
8. 8What should governors and trustees ask about asbestos?
9. 9What do caretakers and contractors need to know?
10. 10Is it safe to do building work in school holidays?
11. 11What can parents ask, and what must a school tell them?
12. 12What about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
13. 13What should be on an asbestos checklist for a head teacher or business manager?
14. 14What should be on an asbestos checklist for school staff?
15. 15Which training helps school staff and managers?
16. 16Frequently asked questions

This guide is for school staff, governors, trustees and parents. It follows Department for Education (DfE) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance as checked on 29 October 2026. The DfE’s guidance is written for England; a short section covers Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Is there asbestos in schools?

In many schools, yes. HSE says asbestos was used extensively in school and other public buildings from the 1950s until it was completely banned in Great Britain in 1999, and that many buildings built or refurbished in that period still contain a significant amount. The DfE’s Managing asbestos in your school or college (updated 11 March 2025) says most school buildings contain asbestos and that a building may do so if any part of it was built before 2000.

The one national figure comes from the DfE’s Asbestos Management Assurance Process (AMAP). In its July 2019 report, covering returns made between 1 March 2018 and 15 February 2019, 19,522 of the 22,072 state-funded schools in England invited (88.4%) took part, and 15,796 of them (80.9%) said asbestos was present on their estate. Allowing for non-responders, DfE estimated that roughly 72% to 83% of the English school estate has some.

That figure has limits. It is self-reported, covers state-funded schools in England only, and is several years old. AMAP was a voluntary data collection that ran from 2018 to 2021, according to the DfE, not a standing legal requirement. It does not say how much asbestos there is, in what condition, or whether anyone was exposed. A school reporting none may simply have been built after 2000. The reliable answer for any school is its own asbestos register.

Why is asbestos in school buildings, and where might it be?

Asbestos was widely used for insulation and fire protection, and HSE says it went into schools from the 1950s until the ban. HSE notes that “system-built” schools, lightweight steel-framed buildings put up between 1945 and 1980, can contain large quantities, including structural columns fireproofed with asbestos materials. HSE’s schools guidance lists lagging on pipes and boilers, sprayed asbestos, asbestos insulating board, some ceiling tiles, floor tiles, cement roofing and guttering, and textured coatings. The table is illustrative only; it does not mean any particular building has these materials.

You cannot identify asbestos by looking at it, because it looks like ordinary building materials. Only analysis of a sample by a competent person confirms it, so dutyholders are expected to presume suspect material contains asbestos unless there is strong evidence it does not. Our guide to where asbestos is found in UK buildings groups materials by risk.

Is asbestos in a school dangerous to pupils and staff?

Not simply by being there. HSE’s schools FAQ says asbestos in good condition, unlikely to be damaged or disturbed, is not a significant risk if properly managed, and that teachers and pupils are unlikely to be at risk in normal activities. The danger arises when it is damaged or disturbed, and HSE says that most often happens through maintenance, repair or construction work, even jobs that seem innocuous such as installing phone or computer cabling behind panels or in a ceiling void. Caretakers are named as a group particularly at risk because of drilling and fixing work. The DfE adds that water damage, vandalism and air movement over materials already in poor condition can also disturb asbestos.

The reason to take it seriously is that harm is delayed and severe. Fibres cannot be seen or felt in the air, and HSE gives an average latency of 30 to 40 years between exposure and disease. HSE’s Mesothelioma statistics for Great Britain, 2026 (July 2026) records 2,146 mesothelioma deaths in Great Britain in 2024. Those deaths mainly reflect exposure decades ago, with men who worked in the building industry most at risk, so they are not a measure of today’s school risk.

The report does note that among women who died of mesothelioma, proportional mortality ratios are higher for teachers and administrative occupations than for nurses, sales occupations and process operatives. HSE says this may suggest somewhat higher potential for exposure at work, but cautions that occupation is the last one recorded, that other sources such as housing could contribute, and that not every such death is attributable to work in those jobs. It cannot tell us whether any exposure happened in a school.

Who is legally responsible for asbestos in a school?

The duty to manage asbestos is in regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. It falls on the “dutyholder”: anyone who, by contract or tenancy, has an obligation of any extent to maintain or repair non-domestic premises or their access, or, where there is none, whoever controls the premises. Where there is more than one, each contributes according to their maintenance and repair obligation, and every person must cooperate with the dutyholder. In schools the DfE and HSE point to the employer, which varies by school type:

Three cautions come from the same sources. There may be more than one dutyholder, the landowner (including a church or faith body) may share responsibility, and a school may need legal advice to confirm who holds it. Where a council delegates a maintenance budget to a school, HSE says the duty is shared. And the employer’s duty cannot be delegated; HSE also says a managing agent cannot take over the legal obligation.

The DfE recommends an “appointed person” (and a deputy) to run asbestos management day to day. That is not a statutory role and does not remove the dutyholder’s obligations. The duty is to manage asbestos, not to remove it. Our guide to the duty to manage asbestos explains the survey types and what a management plan must contain, so we do not repeat it here.

How well are schools managing asbestos?

HSE’s Management of asbestos in school buildings 2022/23 (July 2023) summarises 421 inspections in schools in England, Scotland and Wales between September 2022 and March 2023. Schools were drawn from lists of those known to have asbestos, and independent schools were excluded, so HSE warns against extrapolating beyond the sample.

Just over 66% were managing asbestos effectively and needed no further action or only verbal advice. Thirty notices were served across 28 schools (about 7%): 28 improvement notices, mostly over missing or inadequate plans or surveys, and two prohibition notices at one school over boiler-room materials. HSE stressed that failings in a management system did not mean anyone was at risk of exposure. Of those visited, 95% had an accessible register and 91% a management plan. Common gaps were no up-to-date survey showing unsurveyed areas, plans without incident procedures, unclear staff roles with no deputies, and not checking contractors’ method statements and evidence of asbestos awareness training.

What should school staff do about asbestos?

Most staff are not involved in maintenance, but HSE says all of them should be told not to disturb or damage asbestos materials and to report damage. In practice:

• Know who looks after it. Ask who the appointed person is and where the register is. Teachers are among those who must be told where asbestos materials are in the rooms they use, what not to disturb and what to do after accidental damage.
• Do not drill, pin, tack or fix into walls, ceilings, panels or boards without checking. HSE’s FAQ gives pinning or tacking work to insulation board or ceiling tiles as an example of what teachers and pupils should not do.
• Do not lift ceiling tiles or open access panels, lofts or risers unless you are authorised and informed. The DfE describes a school where one cable run through a ceiling void contaminated most of its voids and cost £280,000 to clean up.
• Report damage straight away to the appointed person, such as damaged ceiling or floor tiles, or column seals in system-built schools.
• Keep out of closed-off areas and do not sweep up debris you suspect is asbestos.

If asbestos may have been disturbed, the DfE’s actions are: stop activity in the area immediately; remove everyone without taking any items, because fibres can spread on clothing and possessions; prevent access; and seek immediate expert advice. Certain incidents must be reported to HSE under RIDDOR, and those affected should be told. Our guide to what to do if you find asbestos has the detail.

Do school staff need asbestos awareness training?

It depends on the job. Regulation 10 requires every employer to give adequate information, instruction and training to employees who are or are liable to be exposed to asbestos, and to those who supervise them. HSE says anyone whose work could disturb asbestos, or who supervises or influences that work, should know how to recognise and avoid disturbing it. For caretakers and site managers, HSE says they do not hold the duty to manage but should know about the asbestos in the building, and as a minimum their employer should arrange awareness training. The DfE says the group needing training includes agency, catering, premises and maintenance staff and should include every staff member or voluntary supporter at a level suited to their role. Teachers are unlikely to disturb asbestos, but must be told where it is.

Awareness training suits caretakers, maintenance and cleaning staff, IT installers and others whose work might disturb the fabric of the building. The Asbestos Awareness (Category A) course takes about 2 CPD hours and ends in a 20-question assessment with an 80% pass mark. It is awareness only: it does not qualify anyone to carry out non-licensed or licensed asbestos work, surveys, sampling, analysis or removal, and it does not replace the site-specific information a school must give. Our guides explain Category A and Category B training, who needs it and what it covers.

What should governors and trustees ask about asbestos?

Where the governing body or trust is the employer or dutyholder, it is accountable for the arrangements. Useful questions:

1. Who is the dutyholder for each building, and who is the appointed person and deputy?
2. Is there a register and a site-specific management plan, and when were they last reviewed? The DfE recommends at least annually.
3. When was the management survey, and who did it (HSE strongly recommends a UKAS-accredited surveyor)? Which areas were not surveyed and are presumed to contain asbestos?
4. How is the condition of known asbestos checked, and what happened to problems found?
5. Does the plan cover unplanned disturbance in and out of hours, and how emergency services get the information?
6. Who is trained, at what level, and what happens when the responsible person is absent?
7. Do contractors get the register first, and do we see their risk assessments, method statements and evidence of asbestos training?
8. Have we tested the incident procedure? The DfE says scenario-based testing helps.

HSE publishes an asbestos management checklist for schools. Using it is not mandatory, but HSE says it gives users and employers confidence that sensible precautions are in place.

What do caretakers and contractors need to know?

The register and plan must reach everyone liable to disturb asbestos. Regulation 4(9) requires the plan to ensure that information on the location and condition of asbestos is provided to every person liable to disturb it and made available to the emergency services. HSE’s guidance says this covers building managers, employees, contractors and maintenance workers before they start work on the fabric of the building, and suggests giving it as early as possible, for example when asking for a quote. A register kept in a drawer that contractors never see does not meet that duty.

The questions are the same for a caretaker drilling a fixing as for a contractor: does the register cover this wall, ceiling or panel, does the job need a different survey, and is the person trained? An employer whose workers might be exposed must also assess whether asbestos is present before the work (regulation 5). Awareness training teaches people to recognise suspect material, stop and report. HSE says non-licensed work needs additional training, and under regulation 8 an employer must hold an HSE licence before any licensable work. The DfE says licensed work should be done by a licensed asbestos removal contractor.

Is it safe to do building work in school holidays?

It can be, if the asbestos is dealt with before the work starts. The DfE calls maintenance and construction the key risk area. The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 require you to determine whether work might disturb asbestos, including hidden or presumed asbestos. A management survey suits normal occupation only; where work will disturb the fabric, a refurbishment or demolition survey may be needed, and it cannot be done in occupied areas, so it needs planning. The DfE also suggests a permit-to-work system, stopping work if suspect material appears, checking the area before it is reoccupied, and updating the register and plan afterwards.

The DfE’s guidance, which does not date its examples, describes a school that arranged rewiring over a summer: contractors were seen with unsealed bags of asbestos waste, contamination spread through the school, about 1,000 pupils moved to temporary accommodation, and the school and council incurred costs of £4.54 million. It says effective management should have prevented this, and that arrangements must work during closure periods when few staff are on site.

A practical routine: confirm which survey covers the work area, give the contractor the register and plan before they start, name an on-site contact, and walk the area with the appointed person before term starts.

What can parents ask, and what must a school tell them?

The legal position is narrower than many parents assume. HSE’s schools FAQ says health and safety legislation does not require schools to inform parents about the presence of asbestos. The DfE calls it good practice to tell parents and carers and assure them arrangements are effective, and says schools should give clear and accurate information if asked. If asbestos is accidentally released, HSE and the DfE both say those affected should be told. HSE adds that asbestos is present in a large number of schools and its presence alone should not cause concern if it is managed properly.

Reasonable questions are whether the school has an asbestos register and management plan and who is responsible for them, when they were last reviewed, how staff and contractors are told where asbestos is (especially during holiday works), and how parents would be told after an incident. If you are still worried, HSE suggests looking at its schools checklist and then seeking reassurance from the school or, where relevant, the local authority.

What about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 apply across Great Britain and HSE enforces them. Northern Ireland has its own legislation and regulator.

What should be on an asbestos checklist for a head teacher or business manager?

Based on the DfE’s five steps and HSE’s inspection findings; not an exhaustive or legal list.

• We know who the dutyholder is for every building, and the plan records it.
• An appointed person and a deputy are named, trained and given time.
• A current management survey covers every building and shows unsurveyed areas as presumed asbestos.
• The register is on site, reviewed at least annually, and shows location, condition and risk.
• The plan is site-specific and includes incident procedures and emergency-services information.
• Condition checks happen on a schedule and remedial actions are recorded.
• Every contractor and in-house worker gets the register before work, with a risk assessment, method statement and permit to work.
• Staff who may disturb asbestos are trained, and all staff know the basic rules.
• Holiday works, out-of-hours use and lettings are covered.

What should be on an asbestos checklist for school staff?

• I know who the appointed person is and whether my room has asbestos recorded.
• I do not pin, drill or fix into walls, ceilings or panels without checking.
• I do not lift ceiling tiles or enter voids, lofts or risers unless authorised.
• I report damaged tiles, boards or panels immediately and keep out of closed-off areas.
• If I think I have disturbed something, I stop, leave, keep others out and report.
• If my job could disturb the building fabric, I have had training and read the register first.

Which training helps school staff and managers?

Nexis CPD courses are CPD-accredited awareness training, not Ofqual-regulated qualifications, and they support rather than replace your asbestos management plan, procedures and practical supervision. If your employer, local authority or a contractor requires a course from a particular training body, check what they accept before you enrol. Three courses fit most schools:

Together they cost £18 rather than £27 under the pay-for-2-get-3 offer. If you train 5 or more staff, team places cost £6 a course place, with places lasting 12 months.

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Frequently asked questions

Do all schools have asbestos?

No, but most do. The DfE says most school buildings contain it, and a school may if any part was built before 2000. In its 2019 report, 80.9% of participating state-funded schools in England said asbestos was present. The register shows what a particular school has.

Is asbestos in a school dangerous if it is left alone?

HSE says asbestos in good condition and unlikely to be damaged or disturbed is not a significant risk if properly managed. The risk comes from damage or disturbance, mainly during maintenance, repair or building work, which is why schools need a register and plan and must brief anyone who might disturb it.

Who is responsible for asbestos in an academy?

The DfE says the academy trust is likely to be a dutyholder, and HSE says the same for academies and free schools. Landowners, including faith bodies, may share responsibility, so a trust may need advice to confirm who holds the duty for each building.

Can teachers put displays on classroom walls?

Only where it is known to be safe. HSE’s schools FAQ says teachers and pupils should not damage asbestos materials, for example by pinning or tacking work to insulation board or ceiling tiles. Ask the appointed person which surfaces in your room are safe to use.

Does a school have to tell parents it has asbestos?

HSE says health and safety legislation does not require it. The DfE describes telling parents as good practice and says schools should give clear and accurate information if asked. If asbestos is accidentally released, those affected should be informed.

Does asbestos awareness training let a caretaker remove asbestos?

No. HSE says awareness training does not allow you to undertake work that will disturb asbestos. Non-licensed work needs further training, and licensable work must be done by a contractor licensed by HSE.

General information, not legal advice — check with your local authority, trust or legal adviser about who holds the duty to manage asbestos for your premises. Based on the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, DfE guidance (Managing asbestos in your school or college, updated 11 March 2025, and the AMAP report, July 2019), HSE’s schools guidance, HSE’s Management of asbestos in school buildings 2022/23 and Mesothelioma statistics for Great Britain, 2026, as checked on 29 October 2026. Nexis CPD courses are CPD-accredited awareness training: they are not Ofqual-regulated qualifications and do not replace your own asbestos management plan, specialist or practical training. Asbestos Awareness (Category A) is awareness only: it does not qualify anyone to carry out licensed or notifiable asbestos work, surveys, sampling, analysis or removal, and licensed work needs a licensed contractor.