Committee publication · Correspondence · 28 May 2025
Letter to Chancellor and Defra Secretary of State on flood budget, dated 28 May 2025
From: Environmental Audit Committee
Inquiry: Flood resilience in England
Summary
The Environmental Audit Committee writes to the Chancellor and Defra Secretary of State seeking clarity on flood resilience funding. The Committee has heard testimony from flood-affected communities expressing fear and frustration with an underfunded, reactive system. It welcomes the £2.65 billion March 2025 announcement for 1,000 flood schemes (2025–2027) but raises concerns about confirmation in the forthcoming Spending Review and seeks assurances on long-term investment trajectory beyond April 2026.
Key findings
- Committee received testimony from flood-affected individuals and communities describing the system as 'failing us' and expressing concern that current flood risk management is not keeping pace with escalating climate change impacts.
- UK experienced severe storms in 2024 (Henk, Kathleen, Pierrick, Bert, Darragh) causing widespread destruction to homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure including transport, water, and energy systems.
- Government announced £2.65 billion investment in 1,000 flood schemes for 2025–2027 on 31 March 2025, but funding for schemes starting in 2026–2027 remains subject to confirmation in forthcoming Spending Review.
- October 2024 budget noted significant funding pressures in flood protection, stating the Government would 'review these plans from 2025-26 to ensure they are affordable,' creating uncertainty about long-term investment.
- Committee seeks confirmation of announced funding, economic/infrastructure risk assessments, baseline funding assumptions beyond April 2026 across all flood sources, and assurances that flood-affected communities receive sustained investment rather than reactive support.
Tone
CriticalTopics
Key actors
Environmental Audit Committee, Toby Perkins MP, HM Treasury, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Flood-affected communities
Notable line
“… failing us," and questioned why "it's the community that bears the brunt" of a system they perceive as underfunded, reactive …”
Key Quotes
“"living in fear of the next flood," expressed frustration that "the system is failing us," and questioned why "it's the community that bears the brunt" of a system they …”
“… current flood risk management is not keeping pace with the escalating impacts of climate change, and that public investment is falling short of the scale of the challenge”
“… deeply disappointed flood hit communities would be if the Government failed to confirm even its initial announcement of schemes to protect them, particularly coming after many years of reduced budgets previously .”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗