Flood resilience in England

Environmental Audit Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 10 Dec 2024 Parliament page
The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on flood resilience in England, focusing on how flood resilience can be strengthened in response to increasing risks from extreme weather, rising sea levels, and evolving flood hazards. Read the call for evidence for more information about this inquiry, and to find … Read more
24 Recommendations
15 Conclusions
1 Report
5 Oral sessions
7 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 19 events
19 Mar
2026
Correspondence
11 Mar
2026
Correspondence
5 Feb
2026
Correspondence
15 Jan
2026
Correspondence
23 Dec
2025
Report published
13 Oct
2025
Report published
4 Sep
2025
Correspondence
9 Jul
2025
Oral evidence
9 Jul
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
11 Jun
2025
Oral evidence
11 Jun
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
9 Jun
2025
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
9 Jul 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2
Dr Sebastian Catovsky · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Emma Hardy MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Philip Duffy · Environment Agency
11 Jun 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2; Panel 3
Emma Brown · Yorkshire Water Emma Howard Boyd CBE · Public First Jonathan Moxon · Leeds City Council Mark Shepherd · The Association of British Insurers (ABI) Martin Lennon · Flood Re Matthew Shelton · Network Rail Megan Dunford · Zurich UK
19 May 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2
Graham French · Kingfisher Café Ian Moodie · Association of Drainage Authorities Julie Foley OBE · Environment Agency Mary Long-Dhonau OBE · FloodMary.com Siobhan Connor · Shrewsbury Flood Action Group Tracey Garrett · National Flood Forum
12 Feb 2025
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Panel 1
Celia Davis · Town and Country Planning Association Hannah Burgess · Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) Rachel Hallos · National Farmers' Union
22 Jan 2025
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Panel 1; Panel 2
Paul Sayers · Sayers and Partners Professor Briony McDonagh · University of Hull Professor Jim Hall · National Infrastructure Commission Professor Larissa Naylor · University of Glasgow Professor Richard Dawson · Climate Change Committee The Baroness Brown of Cambridge DBE · Climate Change Committee
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report – Flood resilience in England HC 550 13 Oct 2025 39 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
7 results
Clear
22 Conclusion Accepted
4th Report – Flood resilience in E…
New flood investment framework risks perpetuating shortcomings without social vulnerability considerations.
We welcome the Government’s consultation on a new investment framework for flood and coastal resilience. The proposed shift to a simpler, more strategic approach is a positive step. However, unless the revised framework explicitly considers social vulnerability and the long-term … Read more
Government Response
The government confirms that the new investment framework will give equal weighting to all types of benefit and commits to valuing a broad range of co-benefits, including social outcomes. It explicitly states that deprived communities will receive investment proportionate to their population weight, with specific minimum allocations over the next three and ten years.
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27 Conclusion Accepted
4th Report – Flood resilience in E…
Public awareness of flood risk remains dangerously low, undermining national resilience.
Public awareness of flood risk is dangerously low, undermining national flood resilience efforts. Too many people do not understand the risks they face, how to respond to warnings, or how to protect their homes. This reflects both a strategic failure … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of public communication regarding flood risk and details the Environment Agency's existing extensive awareness-raising activities, including annual Flood Action Week campaigns, digital resources, educational outreach to schools, and partnerships with voluntary organisations.
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28 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report – Flood resilience in E…
Launch major national flood awareness campaign to increase preparedness and educate communities.
The Government must launch a major national flood awareness campaign, co-designed with flood-affected communities and delivered with trusted local partners such as flood wardens, schools, the media, and frontline services. This campaign should be coordinated across relevant public bodies and … Read more
Government Response
The government describes the Environment Agency's existing annual Flood Action Week and ongoing communication activities, which include stakeholder events, media partnerships, digital resources, partner engagement, and educational outreach to schools, indicating that these efforts already address the goals of a national flood awareness campaign.
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33 Conclusion Accepted
4th Report – Flood resilience in E…
Local authorities lack capacity and resources to effectively deliver flood risk duties.
Local authorities lack the capacity to deliver their flood risk duties effectively. Without adequate resources and skills, local authorities cannot fulfil their statutory responsibilities or support communities facing increasing flood risk. (Conclusion, Paragraph 110) Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges local authorities' capacity issues, noting a Defra report has informed reforms to the Local Government Finance Settlement (Fair Funding Review 2.0) from 2026-2027. The Environment Agency is also building skills via its 2026 Roadmap, and an Insights Report on flood risk management skills is due in early 2026 to inform futureproofing efforts.
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34 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report – Flood resilience in E…
Complete review of local flood funding and address critical skills shortages by 2025.
The Government should complete its review of local government funding for flood risk management by the end of 2025 and commit to a long- term, needs-based settlement that enables councils to fulfil their flood duties. The Government should set out … Read more
Government Response
The government states that a Defra report informed the Fair Funding Review 2.0, which will simplify the grant system for local authorities from 2026–2027 to provide a needs-based settlement. Additionally, the Environment Agency's Roadmap to 2026 is building skills, and a 'Building Skills for Community Flood Risk and Resilience Insights Report' is due in early 2026 to address skill shortages and workforce planning.
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35 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report – Flood resilience in E…
Property Flood Resilience remains inaccessible, deepening inequalities and leaving communities vulnerable.
Flood resilience is not only about individual protection but about sustaining communities, businesses, and housing markets. Property Flood Resilience (PFR) must be mainstreamed as a core part of flood recovery, rather than treated as an optional add-on. Without reform, PFR … Read more
Government Response
The government recognises the important role of Property Flood Resilience (PFR) and highlights the independent FloodReady review, which published 22 recommendations and 50 actions in October to mainstream PFR. The government states it is already taking these recommendations forward, with a leadership group reporting regularly on progress.
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36 Recommendation Accepted
4th Report – Flood resilience in E…
Consult on mainstreaming Property Flood Resilience as routine flood recovery and reforming grants.
The Government should consult on how to make Property Flood Resilience (PFR) a routine part of flood recovery. This consultation should explore options for reforming the existing grant scheme to provide consistent, needs-based funding and wider accessibility, including simplifying the … Read more
Government Response
The government points to the independent FloodReady review and an Environment Agency commissioned review which engaged stakeholders on property flood resilience. It highlights that Defra continuously reviews the existing property flood resilience grant scheme and has made updates based on feedback and a 2022 evaluation, without committing to a new formal consultation on reforming the grant as requested.
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Government Response AI assessment · 39 of 24 classified
Accepted 7
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 1
Deferred 8
Not Addressed 20
Rejected 1
Total 24 recs + 15 conclusions
Correspondence 7 letters
19 Mar 2026 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government relating to flooding and the National Planning Policy Framework, 19 March
Parliament page
11 Mar 2026 To committee Letter from Town and Country Planning Association relating to planning for flood risk and the current consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework, 25 February
Parliament page
5 Feb 2026 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State Environment, Food & Rural Affairs relating to the government’s response to the Committee’s report on Flood Resilience in England, 30 January 2026
Parliament page
15 Jan 2026 From committee Letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to the Governments response to the Flood Resilience in England Report, 15 January 2026
Parliament page
4 Sep 2025 To committee Letter from the Environment Agency Chief Executive relating to the Flood Resilience in England hearing of 9 July 2025, 22 July 2025
Parliament page
9 Jun 2025 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, responding to the Committee's 28 May 2025 letter on flood budget, dated 5 June 2025
Parliament page
28 May 2025 From committee Letter to Chancellor and Defra Secretary of State on flood budget, dated 28 May 2025
Parliament page