Recommendation 14

The government has a record of providing the Agency with long-term capital funding settlements, with two six-year settlements covering 2015–16 to 2020–21 and 2021–22 to 2026–27. However, the Agency only has a revenue funding settlement covering the next financial year (2021–22). Revenue funding covers people and running costs including the on-going maintenance of existing flood defences. The Agency is currently in discussion with the Department over its revenue allocation for 2021–22. While the Department expects there to be a spending review in autumn 2021, it is not clear whether the outcome of that will be a multi-year revenue funding settlement.15