Labour announces a £250m addition to flood defences, vowing to protect thousands more homes and businesses amid criticism of previous government actions

 The UK government has committed to investing a record £2.65 billion in flood defences across England, with a £250 million top-up announced by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to enhance flood protections. The additional funding is set to protect 66,500 more properties from the devastating impacts of flooding over the next two years.

Floods Minister Emma Hardy, speaking near her Hull constituency, condemned the previous Conservative government for under-investing in flood defences, calling their actions a “dereliction of duty.” She accused them of putting citizens, homes, businesses, and the economy at risk by neglecting the urgent need for flood resilience measures. Hardy pointed out that the infrastructure inherited by the current government was in the worst condition on record, leaving the country ill-prepared for increasingly severe weather events.

In response to escalating climate change-related risks, the government has approved 31 new flood protection projects, alongside an allocation of £36 million for urgent repairs to existing defences damaged by recent extreme weather. These investments aim to safeguard homes, businesses, farmland, and the broader economy, with a focus on reducing the growing risks posed by climate change.

The funding will also support farmers whose land has been devastated by storms between October 2023 and March 2024, with £57 million already distributed to over 12,700 farming businesses to help restore their farmland.

While the funding is primarily directed towards enhancing flood defences rather than addressing flooding at the source, such as through upland restoration, Hardy mentioned that the government is also reviewing the “flood formula” used to allocate funds. This review aims to prioritise natural flood management methods, which offer wider environmental benefits but are harder to quantify in terms of property protection.

Labour’s promise of enhanced flood defences has been met with criticism from the Conservative Party. Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins defended the record investment made under the previous government, accusing Labour of misrepresenting the funding. She questioned the source of the new money and whether it was a rebranding of previously allocated Conservative funds.

As climate change continues to exacerbate extreme weather patterns, the need for robust flood defences becomes ever more urgent. With rising sea levels and more frequent storms, the government’s £2.65 billion pledge is a step toward bolstering the UK’s defences against flooding and protecting vulnerable communities from future risks.

BBC

The UK government is set to increase spending on flood defences to a record £2.6 billion over the next two years, £250 million more than previously announced. This funding aims to protect homes and businesses in England, with a focus on projects like tidal barriers, flood walls, and nature-based solutions. The Environment Agency reports that 6.3 million properties in England are at risk from flooding, and this number could rise to 8 million by 2050 due to climate change. The new investment will fund nearly 1,000 projects, including £43 million for a tidal barrier in Bridgwater, £35 million for a scheme in Derby, and £3.5 million for Poole Bridge to Hunger Hill. Additionally, £100 million will go towards repairing and maintaining existing defences, with £2.5 million allocated to property resilience schemes in the Midlands. The government aims to ensure that funds target the most vulnerable communities.

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The UK government has announced an additional £200 million for flood defences in England, raising total spending to over £2.6 billion in the next two years. The funding will support nearly 1,000 projects aimed at protecting over 66,000 properties at high risk from flooding. Major projects include £43 million for the Bridgwater Tidal Barrier in Somerset, £35 million for flood defences in Derby, and £3.5 million for Poole, Dorset. Environment Secretary Steve Reed emphasised the government’s responsibility to protect citizens, especially as climate change increases the frequency of extreme weather events