The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) called on 28 January 2026 for the Government to consult on establishing a statutory duty for fire and rescue services in England to respond to flooding incidents which pose a risk to life1. The call came as Storm Chandra, named by the UK Met Office on 26 January 2026, brought flooding and disruption to communities across the UK1.
The NFCC says England remains the only UK nation where fire and rescue services do not have a statutory duty to respond to flooding incidents which pose a risk to life1. Since 2005, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has had a duty to rescue people trapped, or likely to become trapped, by water, and to protect them from serious harm in the event of serious flooding; similar provisions were introduced in Northern Ireland in 2012 and Wales in 20171. The NFCC says any new statutory duty must be supported by initial capital investment and continuous funding so that services can respond safely and effectively1.
The council points to rising flood risk and rising demand on services. It cites the Environment Agency's estimate that 6.3 million properties in England are currently at risk of flooding, including 2.4 million at risk from rivers and the sea and 4.6 million at risk from surface water, a 43 per cent increase in surface water flood risk compared with the previous national assessment, with the number of properties at risk possibly rising to around 8 million by 20501. It also cites UK Health Security Agency estimates that approximately 6.1 million people in the UK currently live in flood prone areas1. On demand, the NFCC reports around 14,900 flooding incidents each year in the five years to March 2019, rising to about 18,350 a year in the five years to March 2025, a 23 per cent increase; since 2016/17, overall incidents have increased by 9.9 per cent while flooding incidents have risen by 16.4 per cent1.
Phil Garrigan, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, said:
"A public consultation on establishing a statutory duty is an essential first step, but it must be backed by proper investment. If services are expected to respond to life-critical flooding incidents, they need the funding, equipment and training to do so safely and consistently, now and into the future."
The NFCC also noted that in January 2026 UK fire and rescue services deployed as part of the UK International Search and Rescue (UK ISAR) team to support flood response efforts in Mozambique following severe flooding1.
Why it matters for households
The proposal concerns who is legally required to turn out when flooding threatens life in England. The NFCC says fire and rescue services in England already carry out water rescues and evacuate residents during major flooding, but that this work sits outside a clear statutory framework, and that budgetary pressures mean services must prioritise activities which are a statutory duty1. For households, the stated aim is greater clarity for the public and emergency responders about the flood response1. The NFCC has not reported a timetable for a consultation, and no Government response to the call is reported in the announcement1. Households in flood prone areas can check current alerts and warnings through the flood warnings guide, and the flooding hub covers practical preparation; the NFCC's figures on properties at risk are relevant to home insurance in a flood risk area and Flood Re.
What happens next
The NFCC is calling on the Government to consult on the statutory duty, with any duty backed by initial capital investment and continuous funding1. No date for a consultation has been reported1.
