The UK government is committed to investing £2.65 billion into flood defences across England, hoping to protect lives, homes and businesses from the effects of flooding
This funding is £250 million more than the Conservative Party previously promised. The main purposes of the flooding are building new flood barriers, improving existing defences, and repairing damaged infrastructure.
The funding is expected to significantly improve the nation’s flood resilience. Approximately 52,000 properties will benefit from newly constructed defences, and 14,500 properties will receive upgrades from maintenance and repairs.
Protecting highly vulnerable areas
This funding will support nearly 1,000 projects that reduce the economic impact of flooding, especially in highly vulnerable areas.
The Government has already identified 3,000 assets of the Environment Agency (EA) as being below the required standard, meaning these areas urgently need attention.
High-priority schemes include large-scale initiatives such as the £43 million Bridgwater Tidal Barrier Flood Defence Scheme in Somerset and the £35 million “Our City Our River” flood risk management project in Derby.
Other projects include smaller but critical schemes such as the £2 million Beales Corner flood defence in Bewdley and £3.5 million Poole Bridge to Hunger Hill defences in Dorset.
Maintaining and repairing flood defences
This year, the Government allocated £36 million for urgent repairs to flood defences damaged by last winter’s storms, and £72 million will be used next year for ongoing maintenance work.
£140 million has been fast-tracked for 31 projects ready for implementation, ensuring quick action to mitigate flood risks.
Protecting properties at risk due to flooding
Last year, the Environment Agency reported that nearly 6.3 million properties across England are vulnerable to flooding from rivers, seawater, or surface water.
The economic toll of flooding is also expected to rise significantly, with some estimates suggesting that homes and businesses most at risk could face costs amounting to at least £818 million by 2055.
The Government hopes to address this growing threat by providing this funding and preventing further financial strain on affected communities.
The Government has also launched a new Flood Resilience Taskforce. This taskforce will work alongside various stakeholders, including the Met Office, Local Resilience Forums, and the National Farmers’ Union. It will assess the country’s flood response strategies and review how funding is allocated for flood defence projects to ensure resources are effectively used.
Along with focusing on traditional flood defences, there is a growing emphasis on natural flood management approaches.
The Environment Agency has confirmed that 34 natural flood management projects will advance. These projects include initiatives like tree planting, wetland restoration, and the development of blue-green drainage systems, which aim to absorb and slow down floodwaters more sustainably.
For the agricultural sector, over £57 million has been distributed through the Farming Recovery Fund to assist businesses affected by severe weather events, including floods. An additional £50 million has been allocated to drainage boards to help manage water levels more effectively as part of a wider £75 million fund to improve flood prevention across farming communities.
