The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) first published public advice on flood recovery and mental health impacts on 27 October 2023, according to the GOV.UK publication page1. The page was last updated on 13 March 2024, when accessible versions were added1.
The guidance is described as "Guidance for people with flooded homes" and as "Public advice on flood recovery and mental health impacts"1. It sits alongside separate information for frontline responders, which the page says is also available on GOV.UK1. The publication carries the UKHSA publications gateway number GOV-161771.
The advice is published in several formats. There is an HTML version, an easy-read PDF of 11 pages and 2.47 MB, and a British Sign Language video1. The page notes that the PDF may not be suitable for users of assistive technology, and gives an email address, publications@ukhsa.gov.uk, for requesting an accessible format1.
The update log on the page records the two dates:
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 27 October 2023 | First published1 |
| 13 March 2024 | Added easy-read, sign-language and translated versions of guidance1 |
"Added easy-read, sign-language and translated versions of guidance."
Why it matters for households
The guidance is aimed at people whose homes have flooded, covering recovery and the mental health impacts of flooding1. Households affected by flooding in the UK therefore have published UKHSA advice addressed to them, and since 13 March 2024 it has been available in easy-read, sign-language and translated versions as well as standard HTML1. The page does not set out the content of the advice itself, and no further detail on what the guidance recommends has been reported here. Households wanting the practical detail, including what the agency advises on cleaning up and on mental health support, will need the guidance documents themselves1. Our guides on floodwater and your health and mental health after a flood cover the same ground, and the flooding hub sets out the wider picture for households, including flood warnings and home insurance in a flood risk area. The UKHSA guide explains the agency's role in alerts and outbreak advice.
What happens next
No further updates to the publication have been announced beyond the 13 March 2024 addition of accessible versions1.
UK Health Security Agency
Floodwater and Your Health
Mental Health After a Flood
