Record investment to protect thousands of UK homes and businesses from flooding
- Published 4 February 2025
- From: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and HM Treasury
Government announces £5.2 billion investment to protect 336,000 properties in England from flooding and coastal erosion.
The government has today (4 February 2025) announced a record £5.2 billion investment to better protect 336,000 properties in England from flooding and coastal erosion.
This unprecedented investment in flood and coastal defences will mean:
- £3.1 billion investment in major capital works, including new and improved flood defences in high-risk areas such as Hull, Leeds, York and the Thames Estuary
- £820 million to maintain and improve existing flood and coastal erosion risk management assets
- £1.3 billion investment in local flood risk management projects, such as property-level flood resilience measures
The investment will be delivered through a combination of new funding and reallocated funds from existing programmes.
This major investment will protect homes, businesses and infrastructure from flooding and coastal erosion and support economic growth.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:
“Protecting people and businesses from the impacts of flooding and coastal erosion is a priority for this government. This record investment will help to protect hundreds of thousands of properties and provide peace of mind to communities across the country.”
Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey MP said:
“This is a huge investment in flood and coastal defences which will better protect hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses from the increasing risk of flooding.
“Our landmark Environment Act places a duty on government to reduce the risk of flooding and coastal erosion. This funding will help us to deliver on that commitment and create a more resilient country that is better prepared for the future.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt MP said:
“This £5.2 billion investment demonstrates the government’s commitment to protecting communities from the increasing risk of flooding and coastal erosion.
“It will help to protect homes, businesses and infrastructure, and support economic growth in areas at risk of flooding.”
The government is also investing in research and innovation to develop new and improved flood and coastal erosion risk management techniques.
Minister for Water Rebecca Pow MP said:
“We are committed to using the latest research and innovation to develop new and improved flood and coastal erosion risk management techniques.
“This will help us to better protect communities from the increasing risk of flooding and coastal erosion.”
The government’s investment in flood and coastal defences is part of a wider programme of work to tackle the impacts of climate change.
The government is also investing in:
- renewable energy to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels
- energy efficiency to reduce our energy demand
- tree planting to capture carbon and improve water quality
- peatland restoration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
These measures will help to reduce the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions and support the transition to a net zero economy.
Record investment to protect thousands of UK homes and businesses
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