Flooding

Flooding can have a devastating impact on homes, businesses, and communities. Around five million properties in England are at risk, and due to climate change, flood events are becoming more frequent and severe.

You can check if your home or business is in a flood risk area and learn the steps you can take to protect yourself, your family, and your property.

Types of flooding

Flooding can happen in several ways:

• River flooding
  • When rivers or streams overflow their banks
• Surface water flooding
  • When heavy rainfall overwhelms drainage systems
• Sewerage flooding
  • Caused by the sewerage system overflowing
• Groundwater flooding
  • When water levels beneath the ground rise and reach the surface

Before a flood

• Sign up for flood warnings on the government website
• Check your insurance covers flood damage
• Clear drains, ditches, and watercourses on or near your property and report any blockages
• Consider flood protection products such as door barriers, air brick covers or sandbags you can buy from local suppliers
• If you are at immediate risk of flooding, find out how to request sandbags in an emergency and who is prioritised for delivery on our deploying sandbags webpage

During a flood

• Report incidents of flooding or standing water
• Listen to local news or call Floodline for updates on 0345 988 1188
• Move people, pets, and valuables to a safe place, such as upstairs or higher ground
• Use flood protection equipment if you have it
• Avoid walking or driving through flood water – it can be deeper and faster-moving than it appears
• Turn off gas, electricity and water if it’s safe to do so
• Take your emergency grab bag with essential items. Learn how to build one on our preparing yourself and others for an emergency page.

After a flood

• Only turn utilities back on once checked by a qualified professional
• Contact your insurance company or landlord and follow their advice
• Take photos of any damage before starting clean-up
• Report flooding to the Council or contact the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60
• If your water supply is discoloured or you are concerned, contact your water company

More information

Visit our flooding webpages for more information about flooding, drains, and sewers.

Stay prepared and informed

See how you can build personal resilience before an emergency, including creating a grab bag and knowing who to contact, on our preparing yourself and others for an emergency page.

Remember, if you need urgent support, help is always available. Call 999 in an emergency or 101 for non-urgent situations.

For trusted updates and local information during an emergency, visit our staying informed in an emergency page.