Rob Allen C.WEM
Senior Policy and Research Manager, Policy Connect
Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
Conservative Peer and co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Water
Devastating flooding has become an annual event across the UK. New and existing homes must adapt to include flood resilience solutions if they are to remain habitable.
Climate change and extreme weather events are resulting in increased winter rainfall across the UK, with the second half of 2023 reported as the wettest on record. This trend is set to continue; the Met Office predicts that, by 2070, UK winters will be 30% wetter, and rainfall will be 25% more intense, compared with a 1990 baseline.
Economic and societal impacts of flooding
The arrival of each winter storm brings misery to vulnerable communities across the country as homes, businesses and farmland are flooded. The Committee on Climate Change has estimated that the annual cost of flooding from all sources is likely to exceed £1 billion, not considering long-term impacts such as disease and the impact on individuals’ mental health.
Property Flood Resilience (PFR) measures
can provide a solution to help make homes
more resilient and adaptable to flooding.
Managing the risk of flooding
The Government’s £5.2 billion programme of investment in flood defences between 2021 and 2027 is welcome. However, this programme is under pressure due to inflation and skills shortages and is now likely to protect 40% fewer properties than planned. Even without this shortfall, we can’t protect all vulnerable communities from flooding. Continued use of carbon-intensive, hard-engineered flood defences carries residual risks, such as breach or overtopping.
Property flood resilience as a solution
Property Flood Resilience (PFR) measures can provide a solution to help make homes more resilient and adaptable to flooding. They can also help ensure that vulnerable properties remain insurable once the Government-supported reinsurance scheme, Flood Re, is withdrawn in 2039.
PFR measures including flood doors and non-return valves keep water out. They also use easily cleaned or replaceable building materials, should floodwater enter a building. However, PFR measures are installed too slowly to make the UK properties climate-resilient.
The Government must collaborate with insurers and homeowners to incentivise uptake, as advocated by the Westminster Sustainable Business Forum within its Bricks and Water reports. This should start with mandatory inclusion of basic resilience measures within England’s Building Regulations.
