England faces growing flood risk as experts call for more funding

Spending on flood defenses in the UK is set to drop next year, despite warnings that nearly 2 million people and a third of England’s critical infrastructure are at risk from worsening floods.

Sandra Laville reports for The Guardian.

In short:

• Flood damage costs the UK £2.4 billion annually, with long-term economic losses estimated at £6.1 billion per year.
• Current funding for flood defenses is £1.3 billion, below the £1.5 billion minimum recommended by the National Infrastructure Commission.
• By 2050, one in four homes and businesses — about 8 million properties — could be at risk due to climate change.

Key quote:

“Every £1 invested in flood defences prevents around £8 of damage – £3 of that is a direct saving to the government because more than a third of the damage is to publicly owned infrastructure such as roads, railways, schools and hospitals.”

— Emma Howard Boyd, visiting professor at the Grantham Research Institute and former chair of the Environment Agency

Why this matters:

The United Kingdom is facing a growing flood crisis as climate change fuels heavier rainfall and rising sea levels, increasing the risk of catastrophic flooding. Across the country, aging flood defenses — many built for conditions that have shifted dramatically — are struggling to keep up with extreme weather, leaving homes, businesses, and vital public services at risk.

For many communities, this is not a distant concern but a present reality. In recent years, storms have overwhelmed drainage systems, rivers have surged beyond their banks, and coastal towns have watched as sea walls erode. The financial and emotional toll of these disasters is mounting, with homeowners facing repeated damage, insurers raising premiums or pulling out altogether, and local economies suffering long-term setbacks.

Learn more: Climate change drives severe winter flooding in the UK