Flood Resilience in England: Facing a Systemic Challenge

Flooding in England is no longer a localised hazard - it is a national systems challenge. Recent parliamentary reports, including the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee’s latest Flood Resilience in England (HC 550, October 2025), deliver a blunt assessment: the country remains “locked in a pattern of reactive flood management” despite escalating climate risk and growing social and financial costs.

The report highlights that England’s approach is fragmented, underpowered, and overly reliant on short-term capital projects. Without a statutory framework for resilience, clear accountability, or consistent funding, it warns that the system “will remain reactive and costly” - a situation that is “no longer tenable under escalating climate risk.”

The Scale of the Challenge

England currently has approximately 6.3 million properties at risk from river, sea, or surface water flooding, a figure expected to rise sharply due to climate change.

Projections foresee a 90% increase in properties at highest risk from river and coastal flooding and a 200% rise in surface-water risk by the 2080s. Vast areas of the country are now considered potentially floodable under certain conditions, reshaping exposure for both the public and private sectors.

Flooding currently costs the UK an estimated £2.4 billion annually, projected to rise to £3.6 billion by 2050, with wider economic disruptions possibly reaching £6 billion per year. Beyond financial costs, displacement, uninsured losses, and long-term mental health impacts represent human consequences that current policy metrics inadequately capture.

Fragmented Responsibility and Unclear Leadership

Flood risk management in England is divided among multiple bodies - the Environment Agency, Lead Local Flood Authorities, water companies, drainage boards, and councils. Despite the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 aiming to clarify roles, the system remains “opaque and inconsistent.” The report calls for statutory duties covering all risk types and the creation of a permanent national coordinating body to provide strategic oversight.

Consistent interpretation and application of Flood Risk Assessments in planning require better alignment between national oversight and local implementation to ensure effective risk management.

Surface Water: The Overlooked Risk

Surface-water flooding now threatens an estimated 4.6 million properties, three times more than previously understood. Responsibility for managing this risk is divided with limited data-sharing and no standardisation. Notably, Schedule 3 of the 2010 Act - which would mandate Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in England - has yet to be enacted.

Recent updates to national SuDS standards and surface-water drainage strategies are positive steps, but the report stresses surface-water flooding must “no longer be treated as a second-tier issue.”

Catchment-Based and Nature-Based Solutions

The Committee advocates moving catchment-based planning from pilot schemes to formal principles, coordinating land, water, and infrastructure decisions across entire river systems. Examples from the River Severn Partnership and Dutch water management models demonstrate how collaboration reduces downstream risk while supporting biodiversity and agriculture.

Nature-based solutions, such as wetland restoration, leaky dams, tree planting, and soil improvement, remain underfunded despite proven multiple benefits. The report urges funding reforms and measurable uptake targets for nature-based solutions by 2026. This complements growing adoption of green SuDS and nature-based drainage designs to deliver resilience alongside broader ecosystem and community benefits.

Development in Flood Zones and Policy Gaps

Alarmingly, 110,000 new homes built in the last decade lie in high-risk flood zones without adequate insurance protection. This tension between housing development and flood-risk policy exposes financial vulnerabilities for homebuyers and the housing market overall.

The Committee demands statutory cumulative-impact tests in local plans, mandatory updates to Strategic Flood Risk Assessments every five years, and immediate commencement of Schedule 3 to make SuDS compulsory in all new developments. These reforms will strengthen risk assessment and management, reinforcing principles of evidence-led development control.

People, Preparedness, and Flood Awareness

Effective flood resilience extends beyond infrastructure. Public awareness remains inadequate - less than half of those receiving flood warnings understand how to respond, and confusion persists about which agency to contact during flood events. The report advocates a single national flood-reporting and information service and major awareness campaigns through local groups, schools, and emergency services.

How SuDS Designs by JMS Engineers Can Help

SuDS Designs by JMS Engineers specialises in delivering resilient, compliant, and sustainable drainage solutions that address England’s urgent challenges in flood risk management. Our services include:

• Detailed SuDS and Flood Risk Assessments in line with the latest standards and policy requirements

• Tailored drainage strategies minimising surface water flood risk and supporting planning approvals

• Innovative, nature-based designs incorporating green infrastructure to enhance community and ecological value

• Guidance through regulatory processes ensuring smooth approvals and long-term compliance

By partnering with SuDS Designs by JMS Engineers, developers, planners, and local authorities gain the expertise needed to design flood-resilient developments that meet escalating climate demands today and into the future.

The Time to Act Is Now

England’s flood resilience system is at a turning point. The path forward depends on integrated planning, robust standards, and effective investment in sustainable solutions like SuDS. SuDS Designs by JMS Engineers stands ready to guide your projects in meeting these challenges head-on - delivering real resilience for communities and safeguarding investments for decades to come.

For enquiries or advice on flood resilience and sustainable drainage design, contact SuDS Designs by JMS Engineers today.