Almost 100 households evacuated in Scottish ex-mining village will receive UK government support

The UK government has announced it will cover the cost of making homes safe within a former pit village where almost 100 properties have been evacuated due to ground movement linked to historical mining activity.

A total of 97 houses have been cleared out in Coalsnaughton, Clackmannanshire, since 18 May because of safety concerns.

The Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) launched an investigation when the issue first came to light and informed those affected it would need eight weeks to get to the root of the problem.

In an update on Monday, the MRA confirmed the cause of the ground movement was linked to historical coal mining.

The affected residents will now be protected by law, with the UK government set to cover any costs and the MRA leading on the incident response.

Where properties have suffered significant damage, the government said alternative support could be made available to residents based on the condition of their home.

For homes with the most serious damage, residents may be offered an option for the government to purchase their property at its full market value prior to the incident, as well as additional support to relocate if required.

The MRA has contacted all affected households and said they will find out the outcome of their property and the specific options available to them in the coming weeks and months, depending on ongoing investigations.

Any costs incurred by the Scottish government and Clackmannanshire Council for the incident response will also be reimbursed, where they fall under the MRA's remit.

Speaking ahead of a visit to Coalsnaughton, energy minister Michael Shanks said: "This has obviously been an extremely difficult situation for families over the past few months and I want to reassure all those affected that no one will be left to shoulder the burden alone.

"The UK government stands ready to do everything within our power to support those households affected, working side by side with the Scottish government and Clackmannanshire Council.

"Unfortunately there is no quick fix but the Mining Remediation Authority is providing tailored advice and support for every household and our priority is to provide longer-term certainty as quickly as possible.

"My thoughts are with all those caught up in this disruption which I know will be taking a real toll on families in the community".

During his visit to the village, Mr Shanks said there is no cap on what the government is prepared to spend and is looking at "estimates into the tens of millions" of pounds.

The evacuations took place in Benbuck View, Dunmoss View, Nechtan Drive and Langour.

Benbuck View was the first street to be cleared after raising the alarm over damage to properties.

Some residents in Langour initially refused to leave their homes when they were ordered to evacuate, to which the council later served dangerous building notices as part of efforts to remove them amid public safety concerns.

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A report presented to Clackmannanshire Council last month said on-site observations showed cracking and what appeared to be the movement of roads, footpaths, gardens and drives.

The MRA's eight-week investigation included camera scans, underground surveys, geophysical investigations, weekly LiDAR (light detection and ranging) surveys, borehole drilling, and monitoring instrumentation.

First Minister John Swinney and Justice Secretary Neil Gray visited the village in June and took part in a meeting with the organisations responding to the incident.

A few days later, the Scottish government pledged a support package of up to £1m to the local authority to help it deal with what Mr Swinney called an "exceptional and unforeseen event".

Clackmannanshire Council has been helping to reaccommodate the affected households.

Some were moved to student accommodation in Stirling, which initially sparked upset due to families and couples being separated into single rooms and the poor state of the facilities.

Many of the affected residents who previously spoke to Sky News said they fully expected to be out of their homes long-term given the situation.

Emma Little, who had lived in Benbuck View for four years, said she was "terrified" to go back.

She said: "I don't want to be in something that you're having to keep an eye on - and living in fear that I'm going to be in this position again because I wouldn't be able to handle it.

"I'm honestly on the verge of a breakdown with the stress."

Investigations at the site remain ongoing, with the MRA reporting continued signs of ground movement.

Once stabilised, the site will continue to be monitored to ensure it is safe and stable.

Carl Banton, chief operations director at the MRA, said: "The safety and welfare of residents remain the priority for every partner involved in the response.

"We are working closely with Clackmannanshire Council and the local resilience partnership to make sure that support remains in place and that everyone has a clear point of contact.

"We will be contacting affected residents directly to explain what this means for them personally, and to talk through the support that is available.

"We are committed to keeping you informed at every stage of this recovery phase, and we are working hard to ensure that this community is safe."

(c) Sky News 2026: Almost 100 households evacuated in Scottish ex-mining village will receive UK government supp