Flood Management

If you are worried about flooding please phone the Environment Agency's Floodline number:

(0845) 988 1188

You can also get information on current flood warnings from the Agency's website. Emergency response to events will be provided by local authorities, working with the emergency (police, ambulance and fire) services and in liaison with the Agency.

Defra's Role

Defra has overall policy responsibility for flood and coastal erosion risk in England and provides grant aid to the flood and coastal defence operating authorities (Environment Agency, local authorities and internal drainage boards) to support their investment in capital works. Defra does not build defences, nor direct the authorities on what specific projects to do. The works programme to manage risk is driven by the operating authorities. We regard this arrangement as a partnership, try to ensure that risk is managed effectively by the authorities and provide guidance to help ensure this. Flooding in this context means from watercourses or the sea rather than from surface water run-off, groundwater, inadequate drainage or sewers.

Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk

Anyone who has experienced flooding will testify to the stress, disruption and unhappiness that can be caused as well as the physical danger. Feelings of fear persist long after the actual flood event, and storms at sea, heavy rain and high river levels cause worry for those at risk even if flooding does not occur. In recognition of this and the destructive power of rivers in flood (and the sea), Defra takes the threat very seriously and is working hard with the Environment Agency to reduce risk.

Flooding and erosion are natural phenomena and cannot be entirely prevented. Our National Appraisal of Assets at Risk report estimated that 1.8 million residences and 140,000 commercial properties equating to 4 - 5 million people could be affected along with £220 billion of capital assets.

Managing the Risk

Defra's policy is to reduce risks to people, property and the environment from flooding and coastal erosion through the provision of defences, flood forecasting and warning systems, increased flood resilience of property, beneficial land management changes and discouragement of further development on the floodplain. There is much more to be done to reduce the overall level of risk. Unfortunately large numbers of people will remain at risk from particularly severe exceptional events beyond the design standards of defences and planning for emergencies is an important part of our work with the Environment Agency and other partners. The Government invests significant sums of money each year to reduce risk and this investment profile is rising steeply.

Defra's programme includes High Level Targets for operating authorities, encouragement of Shoreline Management Plans and Coastal Groups, our joint research and development programme with the Environment Agency and funding of the Agency's flood plain maps, Catchment Flood Management Plans, Public Awareness Campaigns and the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database and associated risk assessment methodology.

Defra has agreed Service Delivery Agreement (SDA) targets with Treasury to implement the outcome of the Funding Review and reduce risk. We are developing a new Strategy for Flood Management and Coastal Protection which will be a cross-Government update to our 1993 Strategy. A Stakeholder Forum is being established, partly to inform this Strategy work. Given the importance to the public of flood insurance, the Government has agreed to work with the Association of British Insurers on flood risk.

The National Flood Forum, which is not sponsored by Defra, aims to provide an independent voice for those at risk.

Standards of Defence

The flood and coastal defence operating authorities have permissive powers to undertake works to manage risk - there is no statutory obligation on them to do so and thus no statutory right to levels of protection. Individuals and communities will have variable standards of defence according to geography, the operating authorities' different approach and priorities, and the varying ratio of benefits and costs from providing particular defences.

A recurring theme in correspondence relates to the technical, environmental and particularly economic appraisal of projects - in other words, the assessment of whether a particular proposed construction project is acceptable and worthwhile for public funding. On top of this basic appraisal we also apply a system of prioritisation to decide which of all the worthwhile capital projects will be eligible for grant aid. Economic appraisal and prioritisation are necessary where the demand for investment exceeds available resources.

Other Interested Areas of Government

Minister of State (Environment), Elliot Morley MP has specific responsibility for this policy area in England. The Welsh Assembly Government and Scottish Executive have similar responsibilities in Wales and Scotland. Other Government departments with an interest include the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for development planning policy and building regulations and the Office of Science & Technology (part of the Department of Trade and Industry) which is currently engaged in its Foresight project to look at flood risk in the longer term.

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