Flood and Coastal Resilience — Protecting Properties and Managing Risk
Definition
The long-term vision: “A nation ready for, and resilient to, flooding and coastal change — today, tomorrow and to the year 2100.” The current programme targets protecting 52,000 properties in the 2-year period April 2024–March 2026 under the £2.65bn record investment. A new investment framework launches April 2026.
Current risk scale
- 6.3 million homes and businesses currently at risk from flooding (1 in 5)
- Risk growing to ~8 million by mid-century due to climate change (1 in 4)
- 3,500 properties at risk from coastal erosion by 2055
Contributing strategies
- fcerm-strategy-reports — statutory framework and delivery tracking
- 10yr-infrastructure-strategy — flood defence in infrastructure pipeline
- budget-spending-review-2025 — £2.65bn investment confirmed; record annual capital
- environmental-improvement-plan-2025 — record £10.5bn including nature-based solutions
- planning-infrastructure-act-2025 — enables non-water company reservoir building
Contributing actions (inputs → outputs → outcome)
| Input | Output | Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| £2.65bn (2024-2026) | New flood defence infrastructure | 52,000 properties protected |
| Innovation programmes (£200m) | 25 local authority projects; coastal transition | Long-term adaptive capacity |
| Natural Flood Management (£25m) | Water storage upstream | Complementary resilience |
| NaFRA 2024 update | Better climate-adjusted risk mapping | Improved targeting of investment |
| New investment framework (April 2026) | Simplified and prioritised programme | More efficient use of future funding |
| Internal Drainage Board Fund (£91m) | 250+ projects; 400,000ha | Agricultural and rural land resilience |
Commitments
- ea-flood-protection-52k-properties — 52,000 properties protected in 2-year programme (2024-2026)
- ea-10-5bn-flood-investment-2021-27 — £10.5bn total flood programme
- ea-flood-new-framework-april-2026 — New investment approach launches April 2026
- ea-flood-asset-98pct-condition — 98% of high-consequence assets at required condition (currently 92.8%)
- ea-nafra-100pct-coverage-summer-2026 — NaFRA at 100% coverage by Summer 2026
Delivery status: active (with concerns)
Positive: Properties protected consistently exceeding 25,000/year since 2021. Leakage reaching 20-year low. Efficient programme delivery — £92m efficiency savings in 2024-25.
Concerns:
- Asset condition declining: 92.8% at required condition (2024-25) vs. 94.5% (2022-23) and 98% target. Moving in the wrong direction.
- Rising risk: Climate change projections from NaFRA indicate risk grows to 8 million properties by mid-century — investment is not keeping pace with increasing risk.
- New framework transition: April 2026 brings new programme; transition period creates uncertainty for Risk Management Authorities.
Delivery history
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 26,440 properties; £754m capital; 94.5% asset condition |
| 2023-24 | 28,920 properties; £918m capital; multiple storm events |
| February 2025 | £2.65bn record investment announced |
| 2024-25 | 27,500 properties; £1,041m capital; 92.8% asset condition |
| April 2026 | New investment framework launching |
Tensions
- delivery-confidence-fiscal-ambition — Asset condition declining while claiming record investment; the rising risk trajectory means even record investment may be insufficient