The government announced in February 2025 that a record £2.65 billion will be invested over two years to build, maintain and repair flood defences across England, according to the Environment Agency's flood and coastal erosion risk management report for 1 April 2024 to 31 March 20251. The report states that this will better protect 52,000 properties by March 20261.
The same report sets out the scale of the risk the investment is intended to address. The updated national flood risk assessment, published in January 2025, shows that around 6.3 million homes and businesses in England are in areas at risk from flooding, which the report describes as around one in five homes, rising to one in four by the mid-century because of climate change1. The updated national coastal erosion risk map shows that 3,500 properties are at risk of coastal erosion by 20551.
The report also records the flooding and defence record for the year. Around 5,000 properties were reported as flooded across the country, while flood and coastal defences protected around 167,000 properties1. England experienced seven named storms: Kathleen, Lilian, Ashley, Bert, Conall, Darragh and Eowyn1. During Storm Bert, around 1,600 properties flooded across England and defences protected around 35,800 properties1. During Storm Darragh, the Met Office issued a rare red weather warning for wind, with speeds of up to 90mph affecting some coastal areas1.
On repair funding, the report says that during the most recent spending review investment was reprioritised towards repairing and restoring critical assets, including £36 million in 2024 to 2025 and £72 million in 2025 to 2026, to hold around 92% of flood risk assets in high consequence systems at the required condition1. It adds that longer term funding decisions will be made during the next spending review bid1. Separately, in March 2025 the government announced an additional £16 million to strengthen the IDB Storm Recovery and Asset Improvement fund, increasing it to a total of £91 million1.
"February 2025 saw the announcement of a record £2.65 billion investment to build, maintain and repair flood defences across England. This will better protect 52,000 properties by March 2026."
| Measure | Figure | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Record flood defence investment, England | £2.65 billion over 2 years | Announced February 20251 |
| Properties to be better protected | 52,000 | By March 20261 |
| Homes and businesses in areas at risk of flooding | Around 6.3 million (about one in five homes) | January 2025 assessment1 |
| Properties at risk of coastal erosion | 3,500 | By 20551 |
| Properties reported flooded, 2024 to 2025 | Around 5,000 | Year to 31 March 20251 |
| Properties protected by defences, 2024 to 2025 | Around 167,000 | Year to 31 March 20251 |
Why it matters for households
The funding is for England and covers building, maintaining and repairing defences, so households in areas at risk may see work on defence assets and repairs to assets damaged in recent winters1. The report says that where an asset was damaged, mitigation measures were put in place and the asset was closely monitored until full repairs could be undertaken, alongside urgent or emergency repairs1. The report also notes that the Environment Agency has been building and testing a new flood warning service ahead of an anticipated launch later in 20251. Households can check their risk and sign up for warnings through the Environment Agency's flood alerts, flood warnings and severe flood warnings service, and the flooding hub sets out the wider picture. For those living near defences, the flood defences and alleviation schemes page explains how schemes are delivered. Households in flood risk areas may also want to understand home insurance in a flood risk area and Flood Re and property flood resilience grants.
What happens next
The report gives no further dated milestones for the £2.65 billion programme beyond the March 2026 target of better protecting 52,000 properties1. It states that longer term funding decisions will be made during the next spending review bid1. The new flood warning service is anticipated to launch later in 20251.
Flood Defences
