Checklist When a Flood Warning Is Issued

A flood warning is not a forecast to watch. It means flooding is expected and immediate action is required to protect yourself and your property¹. The Environment Agency's own wording for England is blunt: move loved ones, pets and valuables to a safe place, move to higher ground or the upper floor, turn off gas, electricity and water if it is safe, put flood protection equipment in place, and do as the emergency services tell you¹. In Scotland the meaning is the same: flooding is expected, so take action².

What you do in the hours before water arrives decides how much damage your home takes and how quickly you recover. The order matters. People and pets first, then documents and valuables, then the utilities, then the protection at the doors. Everything below assumes you have already signed up for warnings and know your home's risk; if you have not, do that today, because a warning gives you the least time of all.

Flood warning checklist: what to do now

Work down this list in order. It is written for the hours between the warning and the water, so do the top items first and come back to the rest if time allows.

1. Move people and pets to safety. Get family and pets upstairs or to higher ground, and move pets and animals to a safe place with enough food and water⁴.
2. Move your vehicle. Move your car out of the flood risk area, or consider moving it to outside the flood risk area, while the roads are still clear⁴.
3. Collect your flood kit and documents. Move important documents and valuables to a safe place, and keep your mobile phone fully charged⁴.
4. Put flood protection in place. Check that flood protection products are in place and working, and put flood gates in place⁴.
5. Secure the outside. Move or weigh down large or loose items outside so they do not float or blow about⁸.
6. Turn off gas, electricity and water if flood water is about to enter your home and it is safe to do so³.
7. Stock up on essentials. Make sure you have a sufficient stock of food, water and medication while the warning is in place¹¹.
8. Check on others. Check in on people who may need help, especially older or disabled neighbours⁴.
9. Keep listening. Follow local weather reports and the advice of the emergency services, and be ready to leave if told⁵.

A Flood Warning means flooding is expected, so act straight away

The warning system has two levels above normal, and they ask different things of you. A flood alert means be prepared: remain alert and vigilant and make early preparations for potential flooding¹³. A flood warning means flooding is expected and immediate action is required¹³. In Scotland a flood warning is issued when flooding is expected for a defined local area, and the advice is to take action².

That difference is the whole point of the checklist. An alert is your window to check the kit, charge the phone and read your plan. A warning is when you execute it. Do not wait for a severe warning or for water in the street: by then the utilities may be unreachable and the roads may be closing.

If you have not yet signed up, do it now: check whether your home is at risk and sign up for free flood warnings¹⁵. The sign-up page walks through it, and Flood Alerts, Flood Warnings and Severe Flood Warnings explains each level in full.

Turn off gas, electricity and water before the water arrives

Turning off the utilities is the single most important thing you can do to your home once people are safe. Official guidance is consistent across England, Wales and Scotland: turn off gas, electricity and water supplies if flood water is about to enter your home and it is safe to do so³. If you have to leave, you will need to turn off your mains water, gas and electricity before you go¹⁸.

The reason is simple. Water and live electricity together are dangerous, and a flooded gas supply or boiler can be a hazard long after the water goes down. Knowing where your stopcock, consumer unit and gas meter are, and how to operate them, is something to learn before any warning, not during one¹⁹. Our guide to turning off gas, electricity and water before a flood shows where to look.

If you are evacuating, turn off electricity, gas and water supplies if it is safe to do so before you leave¹². When you return, do not switch anything back on yourself: get an approved service engineer to check gas, electricity and water first⁶.

Flood kit and plan: keep them ready before any warning

A warning gives you very little time, so the kit and the plan have to exist already. Prepare a flood kit in advance of any predicted flooding and keep it somewhere easily accessible, so you have all your essentials to hand quickly²¹. Keep it upstairs if possible²³.

A household flood plan is the other half. It should include a checklist of what you need to do before a flood, such as which belongings, electrical items and furniture you would move to safety, and what you would take if you had to evacuate⁷. A community plan goes further, listing the warnings you are registered for, local triggers, equipment, timescales, emergency contacts and the location and contact details of vulnerable people²⁴.

Build the wider kit alongside your emergency kit and household flood plan. If you have not made a plan yet, the Flooding: A Household Guide sets out the whole picture.

Where to get help and flood warnings

Help starts with information. Check if your home is at risk of flooding and sign up for free flood warnings¹⁵. Keep an eye on local weather reports and sign up for flood alerts⁵. Keep a list of useful numbers, including your insurance company and Floodline, and check Floodline for local flood warnings⁶. Our guide to Floodline numbers for England, Scotland and Wales has the contacts.

In Wales, Natural Resources Wales issues the warnings and the advice is the same: prepare a flood kit, monitor local river levels, check the five-day flood risk, and move livestock and equipment away from areas likely to flood⁸. Our Wales guide covers the differences.

For people who need extra help, check in on neighbours and make sure anyone vulnerable knows what is happening. Look after neighbours, as hypothermia can occur even in summer when homes fill with cold rainwater⁶. Households with older, disabled or medically dependent members should read Extra Help in an Emergency, and pet owners should read Pets and Animals in an Emergency.

When to leave, and what to take

Leave when you are told to. If the emergency services ask you to evacuate the area, do so⁵. Listen to their advice and evacuate if told to do so¹². Do not wait to see how bad it gets, and do not go back for belongings once you have left.

If you evacuate, pack a bag with spare warm clothing, washing kit, medication and baby care items. Turn off electricity, gas and water supplies if it is safe to do so, make arrangements for your pets, tell family and friends where you are going, take your flood kit, and get yourself to safety¹².

After the water has gone, do not rush back. Only return to evacuated buildings if you are told it is safe, avoid electricity sources, and get an approved service engineer to check gas, electricity and water before turning them back on. Beware of contaminated water and sharp objects in lying flood water, take extra care with candles and open fires, and contact your insurance company for advice before starting to clean up⁶. Our guides to what to do during a flood at home and returning home safely after a flood take you through the next stage.