Recommendations & Conclusions
8 items
2
Recommendation
4th Report – Flood resilience in England
Deferred
Flood resilience must be embedded in statute as a clear responsibility, not left as a discretionary ambition. The Government should bring forward proposals to amend the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 to establish a duty for all relevant authorities to act in accordance with a strengthened Flood and Coastal …
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Flood resilience must be embedded in statute as a clear responsibility, not left as a discretionary ambition. The Government should bring forward proposals to amend the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 to establish a duty for all relevant authorities to act in accordance with a strengthened Flood and Coastal Erosion Management Strategy, which must clearly define what ‘good’ flood resilience looks like and embed a long-term framework that transcends electoral cycles, ensuring shared responsibility at all levels. • Risk Management Authorities (RMAs), including Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs), should be assigned statutory duties to deliver against these standards within two years, with clear accountability and access to adequate, sustained resources. • The Environment Agency must be empowered to oversee delivery across all sources of flooding, monitor compliance with National Adaptation Programme targets, and coordinate activity across RMAs and central departments. (Recommendation, Paragraph 16)
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the need for long-term investment but will only consider the recommendation for resilience standards as part of an existing commitment to explore a long-term target, with a further statement planned next year. The Environment Agency will also start a review of …
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24
Recommendation
4th Report – Flood resilience in England
Deferred
The planning system in its current form is not keeping pace with the modern realities of flooding but is instead building risk into the landscape. We recognise the need for new homes, but development should not be permitted in areas known to be at high risk of flooding. Such building …
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The planning system in its current form is not keeping pace with the modern realities of flooding but is instead building risk into the landscape. We recognise the need for new homes, but development should not be permitted in areas known to be at high risk of flooding. Such building undermines resilience, burdens households and public services, and drives escalating costs. Prevention is far more effective and cheaper than recovery. Planning policy, and especially the National Planning Policy Framework, must give flood risk greater weight and must treat flood risk as a strategic constraint, directing development to safer areas and embedding long-term resilience. (Conclusion, Paragraph 88) 63
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Government response AI summary
The government states it will consider whether further changes are necessary to manage flood risk and coastal change when it consults on planning reform later this year.
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25
Recommendation
4th Report – Flood resilience in England
Deferred
The Government should initiate consultation on statutory requirements for assessing the cumulative impact of development on flood risk within local and regional plans by the end of 2025. These requirements should be introduced by 2027, ensuring land use policy and planning decisions are aligned with catchment-scale flood management strategies. Delivery …
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The Government should initiate consultation on statutory requirements for assessing the cumulative impact of development on flood risk within local and regional plans by the end of 2025. These requirements should be introduced by 2027, ensuring land use policy and planning decisions are aligned with catchment-scale flood management strategies. Delivery should be supported through spatial planning frameworks and statutory, regularly updated Strategic Flood Risk Assessments. To address persistent weaknesses in implementation, the system must also include stronger compliance and enforcement mechanisms for both strategic and site- level Flood Risk Assessments, with requirements for post-construction inspections to ensure mitigation measures are delivered in practice. In addition, we recommend: • That water companies should be made statutory consultees on major planning applications. • That Defra work with the Environment Agency and farming bodies to develop a standardised approach for compensating farmers who host floodwater or implement natural flood management measures, recognising this as a public good. • That the Environment Agency publish clear guidance for riparian landowners on their statutory obligations and available support, and report annually on enforcement and compliance. • Defra should ensure that the Land Use Framework explicitly incorporate agricultural land and food production as strategic considerations in flood planning, including mechanisms to safeguard productive land and support multifunctional land use. (Recommendation, Paragraph 89)
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Government response AI summary
The government will consider whether further changes are necessary to manage flood risk and coastal change when it consults on planning reform later this year. It states the Land Use Framework will set out a strategic approach for land transformation and that agricultural land is …
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29
Recommendation
4th Report – Flood resilience in England
Deferred
A single national flood reporting and information service is not just a communications improvement; it is a strategic necessity. Without a clear, accessible point of contact, the public remains confused, response is delayed, and resilience efforts are undermined. Establishing this service will provide clarity, coordination, and confidence during flood events, …
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A single national flood reporting and information service is not just a communications improvement; it is a strategic necessity. Without a clear, accessible point of contact, the public remains confused, response is delayed, and resilience efforts are undermined. Establishing this service will provide clarity, coordination, and confidence during flood events, and must be treated as a core component of national flood strategy. (Conclusion, Paragraph 101)
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the principle of improving support and coordination, stating an action group of the Floods Resilience Taskforce will identify options in 2026 for improved communication and coordination around flood reporting and information.
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30
Recommendation
4th Report – Flood resilience in England
Deferred
The Government should establish a single, widely promoted national flood reporting and information service by March 2026. This service should build upon and expand the existing Floodline system to provide a clear point of contact for all types of flooding, offer consistent guidance, and be accessible via phone, SMS, and …
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The Government should establish a single, widely promoted national flood reporting and information service by March 2026. This service should build upon and expand the existing Floodline system to provide a clear point of contact for all types of flooding, offer consistent guidance, and be accessible via phone, SMS, and online. It must be co-designed with flood- 65 affected communities and delivered in partnership with local authorities, water companies, and emergency services, supported by a national awareness campaign. (Recommendation, Paragraph 102)
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the need for clear flood information and improved community support, committing to establish an action group within the Floods Resilience Taskforce in 2026 to identify options for improving public communication and coordination around flood reporting.
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32
Recommendation
4th Report – Flood resilience in England
Deferred
The Government should establish a national support framework for local flood groups and volunteers by March 2026. This must provide: • Core funding to cover basic operational costs, provided through local authorities or Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, • Formal recognition in local resilience plans and flood response structures, • …
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The Government should establish a national support framework for local flood groups and volunteers by March 2026. This must provide: • Core funding to cover basic operational costs, provided through local authorities or Regional Flood and Coastal Committees, • Formal recognition in local resilience plans and flood response structures, • Standardised training, equipment, and guidance, • A national toolkit to support group formation, continuity, and coordination, and • Targeted outreach to harder-to-reach communities, ensuring equity across rural, deprived, and low-participation areas. (Recommendation, Paragraph 109)
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the principle of improved support and coordination, stating an action group of the Floods Resilience Taskforce will identify options in 2026 to improve communication and coordination, building on existing work with community groups.
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37
Recommendation
4th Report – Flood resilience in England
Deferred
Flood insurance is not just a financial product but a cornerstone of household and market stability. Without reform, growing risk and the eventual withdrawal of Flood Re will leave vulnerable households uninsured, businesses exposed, and communities at risk of economic decline. Uninsurable or repeatedly flooded properties risk becoming unmortgageable, depressing …
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Flood insurance is not just a financial product but a cornerstone of household and market stability. Without reform, growing risk and the eventual withdrawal of Flood Re will leave vulnerable households uninsured, businesses exposed, and communities at risk of economic decline. Uninsurable or repeatedly flooded properties risk becoming unmortgageable, depressing local housing markets and trapping families in unsellable homes. The Government must act now to secure a fair, resilient insurance system that underpins recovery, incentivises resilience, and sustains access to housing and finance in a changing climate. (Conclusion, Paragraph 127)
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Government response AI summary
The government recognises the impact of climate change on flood insurance and commits to reviewing, by the end of this Parliament, whether a return to a price-reflective market from 2039 remains viable. The review will explore how to ensure a fair, resilient, and accessible insurance …
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38
Recommendation
4th Report – Flood resilience in England
Deferred
The Government should begin work with the insurance and mortgage sectors to ensure the continued availability and affordability of flood insurance beyond 2039, when the current Flood Re scheme is due to end. This should include options for a successor scheme (“Flood Re 2.0”) that recognises resilience measures, supports low-income …
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The Government should begin work with the insurance and mortgage sectors to ensure the continued availability and affordability of flood insurance beyond 2039, when the current Flood Re scheme is due to end. This should include options for a successor scheme (“Flood Re 2.0”) that recognises resilience measures, supports low-income households, and enables a fair transition to a more risk-reflective market. (Recommendation, Paragraph 128)
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Government response AI summary
The government commits to reviewing the viability of a price-reflective insurance market beyond 2039 by the end of this Parliament. This review will explore how to ensure accessible and affordable flood insurance, including considering extending the Flood Re scheme or alternative approaches.
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