Research and analysis

FloodReady - an action plan to build the resilience of people and properties

Updated 16 October 2025

Applies to England

Chair’s summary

Flooding presents a significant and growing risk to people, properties and businesses. According to the latest Environment Agency national flood risk assessment, around 6.3 million properties in England are now at risk. Of this, some 4.6 million are at risk of surface water flooding. This is predicted to grow to around 8 million or 1 in 4 homes by the middle of the century.

The impacts of flooding are severe and long-lasting, both emotionally and physically. Flooded homes and businesses can also suffer financially through:

• reduced market value
• higher insurance premiums
• difficulty finding insurance

These consequences also disproportionately affect the most vulnerable in society, leaving families, business owners and communities in difficult circumstances.

Property flood resilience (PFR) measures can significantly reduce the impacts of flooding. They help people and businesses recover quickly, particularly in places that experience surface water flooding where the depth of flood water tends to be shallower.

In 2016, I chaired and published a government commissioned PFR Review and Action Plan. This set out several recommendations and actions to prepare better for what was (now confirmed) to be a significant challenge for the future. Returning to this area of work, I have been delighted to find that many of those actions have been progressed. This is thanks to the work of amongst others:

• the PFR Roundtable
• Defra
• Environment Agency
• Flood Re

They have provided a strong foundation for the next phase of action and should be commended for their work. This demonstrates how with the right governance, clarity and purpose, progress can make real change happen over a considerable period. This FloodReady Review, commissioned by the Environment Agency, builds on that progress and sets out a clear path for the next 10 years.

This new Review and Action Plan, focuses on practical, straightforward and cost-effective measures to reduce flood risk at the property level, both inside and outside. It aims to align those actions with the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) National Strategy. It also complements existing flood management strategies and emergency response systems. The Review and Action Plan considers 3 areas:

• resistance – keeping as much water out of the property as possible using measures like flood doors and barriers, self-closing air bricks and non-return valves
• recoverability – making internal adaptations, such as having tiled floors, raised electrics and a flood resilient kitchen, so if water does enter the property, it causes as little damage as possible
• reduction – reducing water runoff by retaining and improving drainage at the property level through, for instance, encouraging permeable surfaces, rain gardens and rainwater harvesting

These types of approaches can be collectively described as PFR. They are widely recognised by the professional flood sector.

However, now it is essential that PFR becomes normalised by:

• householders
• business owners
• builders
• developers

Beyond physical interventions, true resilience also depends on flood preparedness by ensuring individuals understand their risk and know when and how to respond.

This means everyone can and will take action to manage flood resilience, now and into the future.

This review has focused on identifying practical, achievable steps to improve PFR. The Environment Agency and Defra will share the findings and recommendations with devolved administrations.

Through extensive engagement and discussion with many stakeholders, this work has:

• brought together significant players
• developed targeted recommendations
• outlined the actions needed to make a meaningful impact over the next decade

To support the review, a Leadership Group has been established to guide this work. This comprises senior representatives from sectors needing to act together to take forward the recommendations of this review.

The sectors are:

• demand side - the demand side - drives market growth through the purchase and installation of PFR
• supply side - the supply side provides trusted PFR products and services
• research and regulation - those involved in PFR research and regulation play a critical role by enabling industry innovation and setting standards

Examples of the actors operating in these sectors are included in the next section.

These leaders have worked within their sectors and across disciplines to shape the recommendations in this Review. They have also proposed the underpinning actions required to implement them.

Alongside the Leadership Group, there have been many other participants and contributors to this work. A full list is in Appendix C. This has included many of those who already work in the flood sector and others for whom flooding has become an increasing concern and who wish to act.

Examples include:

• flood volunteers
• flood affected residents
• information providers
• local authorities
• researchers
• professional institutions
• government offices
• Members of Parliament

Through the Leadership Group and additional engagement, information and knowledge on impacts and problems were collated. This included ideas and solutions to drive the ambition for the future. Every single organisation and participant we spoke with was constructive and positive about the aims of this Review. This gives hope that with the right governance, leadership and commitment to making progress on the FloodReady recommendations, a lasting difference can be made.

What has been particularly heartening and encouraging is the willingness of each sector to:

• consider what others must do
• reflect on their own role in making progress

Government has a clear part to play and the recent funding commitments for flood and coastal risk management (FCRM) are a major catalyst for improving the nation’s flood resilience. Flood Re’s Build Back Better (BBB) initiative is another important driver of uptake for PFR. Stakeholders have also remarked that the introduction of a Flood Performance Certificate (FPC) could also be a stimulus. The FPC would provide details on how resilient a property is to flooding and suggest ways to improve its resilience.

However, long term success will depend on collaboration across all sectors. This runs from demand to supply, working in partnership with researchers, communities and the voluntary sector.

I would like to conclude this summary by thanking and acknowledging the very constructive support and contributions that have led to it. I would like to thank the Environment Agency for commissioning this Review and the leadership and support received from Minister Hardy. The Minister is so keen to better protect those at risk. Thanks also to all members of the Leadership Group who have engaged so constructively with the work of this review. In addition, thanks to the PFR Roundtable who, since 2016, have led done so much to progress work including that of this review. I am grateful to the many other participants and contributors who were part of this work and are listed at Appendix C. Finally, sincere thanks go to the the FloodReady project team from the Environment Agency, Defra and Flood Re, who have worked so diligently and hard to bring together this work.

This includes the secretariat:

• Tatiana Chilovsky
• Richard Taylor

It also includes:

• Jonathan Kassian
• Rachael Hill
• Ben Plummer
• Gavin Rumsey
• Wing Crawley
• Hazel Durant
• Julie Foley

Together they have been an outstanding team. ## Main recommendations

This Review, its recommendations and actions are focussed across 6 themes.

1. A coherent and growing demand – a consistent, reliable and knowledgeable market for PFR must be established.
2. Trusted and accessible products and services – products and services must be proven, available and provided by competent and trusted professionals to protect the consumer.
3. Trusted sources of information – consistent and accessible PFR advice and information must be available to all.
4. Reducing water runoff at property level – the use of permeable surfaces and other methods to capture and retain rainwater must be supported and encouraged.
5. The regulatory and legislative framework – frameworks and standards must incentivise and require PFR into existing and new homes in ways that protect consumers and builds a trusted market.
6. Research and innovation to enable a thriving PFR market – support must be given for innovation, testing and certification ranging from multidisciplinary research through to near market testing.

By acting now, many more people and properties can help themselves from the growing threat of flooding. This will also create new opportunities for innovation and resilience across the UK. This will need action and leadership across all sectors – public, private and third sector partners working together. In this review we refer to these sectors as:

• demand side
• supply side
• regulatory and research partners

Demand side

The demand side drives market growth through the purchase and installation of PFR. It includes:

• government
• insurers
• lenders
• housing associations
• property owners
• risk management authorities (RMAs)

Supply side

The supply side provides PFR products and services. It includes:

• construction professionals
• training and professional bodies
• builders’ merchants and DIY stores
• product manufacturers

Research and regulation

Those involved in PFR research and regulation also play a critical role by enabling industry innovation and setting standards. This includes:

• academic experts
• regulatory bodies

We have summarised the 1, 5 and 10 year ambitions and desired outcomes this Review is seeking to achieve in the next section.

Year 1 – ambition and desired outcomes

By year 1, the ambition is that tangible progress has been made towards the main recommendations of FloodReady. This should have a consequential positive impact on those at risk of flooding.

The desired outcomes are:

• a register of competent professionals trained in PFR available to those operating from the demand side
• PFR continues to be included in the EA investment programme with opportunities for collaboration with the wider demand side
• major DIY stores, builders’ merchants and suppliers have PFR products visible in store and online
• a UKRI funded PFR research network
• a prototype FPC available for piloting
• continued efforts to mainstream BBB by insurers

Year 5 – ambition and desired outcomes

By year 5, the ambition is that demand streams are working more coherently, catalysed by a robust EA pipeline of PFR projects and widespread BBB. This should create a stable demand for PFR.

The desired outcomes are:

• a register of certified and approved products available for deployment
• PFR is normalised to manage risk by other significant demand side stakeholders – for example housing associations, lenders, insurers, homeowners, businesses
• there is strong availability of competent construction professionals (including surveyors, loss adjustors, builders, designers, damage management contractors) with up-to-date training, accessible through clear registers
• there is a comprehensive and growing register of PFR products that have been proven for use through certification and approval. And that these products are stocked and supplied by builders’ merchants whose employees are trained for competency in PFR products
• FPCs are being piloted at reasonable scale as an important part of PFR implementation
• BBB is mainstreamed through insurers
• a PFR research roadmap has been created
• a strong research network has been built to support future innovation for PFR and its use
• work by government to strengthen PFR in the regulatory framework is underway along with other standards, guidance and codes of practice that support a safe and effective use of PFR
• government is exploring how PFR can best be integrated into the planning system and building regulations

Year 10 – ambition and desired outcomes

By year 10, the ambition is that PFR is as common as insulation, fire safety and security. This will result in properties and businesses that are flood resilient, saleable and have access to affordable insurance.

The desired outcomes are:

• PFR is integrated into the planning system and building regulations so that new homes and businesses are resilient to flooding and can recover quickly
• FPCs are normal and used as a benchmark for protecting people and properties from climate related change impacts
• any building retrofit project considers whether flood resilience needs to be introduced at the same time
• research and innovation work is part of highly regarded international collaboration where knowledge is shared to support communities around the world with appropriate PFR measures and the UK is recognised as a leading player
• the supply chain and knowledge of products and professionals is highly regarded creating export growth for the UK

 1. The independent review

1.1 Why is the review required? 

Flooding is one of government’s top 5 priorities for managing the impacts of climate change. Defra and the Environment Agency are working to increase the resilience of people, homes and businesses from increasing flood risks. Mortgage lenders, insurers and other stakeholders also recognise the need to act. Flooding causes significant financial and emotional harm, especially for vulnerable people and more must be done to reduce its long-term effects.

In 2016, a review and action plan set out steps to improve PFR. Since then, good progress has been made (Appendix A). However, nearly 10 years on, we need to build on and accelerate that work. To meet this challenge, the Environment Agency asked Professor Peter Bonfield to review progress to date and put forward new recommendations and actions. Professor Bonfield was also Chair of the 2016 Review and Action Plan.

As shown in Appendix A, many organisations have helped increase the use of PFR measures in flood-prone buildings. However, uptake remains low. A 2023 report by Flood Re assessed the total size of the sector to be £20 to £25 million per year. It has grown since then but remains small within the UK.

To scale up adoption, we need:

• stronger and more consistent demand
• greater trust in the effectiveness and cost of PFR
• easier access to reliable suppliers and products

These changes will help grow the market and make it easier for people to make their homes more resilient to flooding.

1.1.1 The impact of flooding on people

This Review recommends practical steps to encourage and enable more use of PFR. But the most powerful insights have come from people directly affected by flooding.

Their experiences go far beyond physical damage. Flooding can cause lasting emotional and financial harm, especially for vulnerable individuals and communities.

These voices must remain central to the work. They are a vital reminder of why action is needed and why it must be urgent, coordinated and compassionate.

1.1.2 Ambition

There is a need to build on recent progress and ensure more homes, businesses and infrastructure, such as hospitals and schools are resilient to flooding. This is a priority for government and the Environment Agency. The National FCERM Strategy (2020) sets out a vision of a nation ready for, and resilient to, flooding and coastal change – today, tomorrow and to the year 2100.

This Review supports that vision. It recognises that alongside large-scale flood defences, individual buildings must be flood resilient.

This can be done through:

• resistance – keeping as much water out of the property as possible using measures like flood doors and barriers, self-closing air bricks and non-return valves
• recoverability – making internal adaptations, such as having tiled floors, raised electrics and a flood resilient kitchen, so if water does enter the property, it causes as little damage as possible
• reduction – reducing water runoff by retaining and improving drainage at the property level through, for instance, encouraging permeable surfaces, rain gardens and rainwater harvesting

The ambition is for PFR to become as familiar and routine to property owners as insulation, fire safety and home security.

It is important to recognise that PFR is just one of the ways in which we can mitigate and manage the effects of current and future flood risk. In some places, PFR will not always be the most effective way of managing flood risk.

FloodReady does not cover other flood resilience measures such as:

• engineered flood and coastal defences
• natural flood management (NFM)
• highway drainage
• the use of flood storage

It also does not include flood incident management, response during flood events or the remit of the Flood Re scheme.

A holistic approach to flood resilience goes beyond just physical measures. It depends on people:

• understanding their flood risk
• preparing through taking early action
• responding to flood warnings

1.1.3 Strategic drivers

This Review comes at a critical time for the PFR market. The UK is facing increasing risks of flooding due to climate change and the need for housing growth. Without action, more homes, businesses and infrastructure will be exposed to greater damages caused by flooding.

In December 2024, the Environment Agency published their latest national flood risk assessment. It shows that with climate change, up to 8 million properties, around 1 in 4, could be at risk of flooding by the middle of the century. Surface water flooding is a growing concern. Improvements in flood data and modelling techniques now mean there are estimated to be 3 times the numbers of properties at high risk compared with the previous assessment.

There is an opportunity to target PFR investment in places at high risk of surface water flooding. This is particularly the case where traditional defences are not technically viable. It is estimated that 83% of the 1.1 million properties in areas at high risk of surface water flooding will likely flood to less than 30cm. These are conditions where PFR can be particularly effective.

In December 2024, government announced reforms to the planning system to support the building of 1.5 million new homes. While planning policies aim to steer development away from high-risk areas, some building will still occur in areas at risk of flooding. In these cases, it’s vital to ensure new properties are:

• flood-resistant
• recoverable
• designed to reduce risk from water runoff

This is essential for protecting people and property. It is also vital for maintaining confidence among insurers, mortgage lenders and the public in the insurability and saleability of homes.

Data provided by Flood Re at the time of this review shows that a property with a recent flood claim in an area at high risk of flooding will pay about £950 to £1,200 per year. This is for combined buildings and contents insurance.

Before Flood Re, in 2016:

• 60% of recent flood claim properties would have had to pay an average of £4400 per year
• 40% could not obtain insurance at all

The increase in insurance costs over the last decade is due to:

• climate change
• cost inflation to rebuild properties
• other factors

It means that without Flood Re, insurance costs could realistically be about £8,000 to £10,000.

Public investment in flood defences will continue through government’s national flood and coastal risk investment programmes. However, this review highlights the need to also provide practical, cost-effective measures for resistance, recovery and risk reduction at a property level.

Achieving these goals requires a coordinated effort. No single organisation can do this alone. Success depends on collaboration and action by all, including:

• government
• finance sector
• businesses
• supply chains
• local authorities
• voluntary organisations such as local flood action groups
• individual property owners

Many of the solutions are practical, affordable and ready to be implemented. Working together, a more flood-resilient future can be achieved.

1.1.4 Growing investment to scale up the property flood resilience market

Government funded PFR schemes are a crucial part of its Flood and Coastal Risk Investment Programme. They support communities where PFR is the most effective way of managing flood risk.

The total project costs of standalone PFR schemes put into place through the Investment Programme between 2015 and 2024 was over £26 million. Central government funding provided around half the funding. The rest was obtained from other sources, notably local levy provided by Regional Flood and Coastal Committees (RFCCs).

Government will continue to support the use of PFR measures within its Investment Programme. This should be done where these provide the most appropriate and effective solution for communities.

The Government has recently consulted on proposed changes to the funding rules for the next Investment Programme. The changes explored could, over the longer term, result in more opportunities for PFR projects to come forward and receive funding, compared to previously. This potential increased investment in this space is welcome. This is because it will:

• support those at risk
• build confidence in the supply chain
• build trust for property owners to adopt PFR measures

Government funded PFR will also require and drive the standards we expect to see from suppliers and installers.

This comes alongside a government commitment to invest £7.9 billion over 10 years. This will further protect homes, small businesses and vital infrastructure from the growing risk of flooding.

This will create a significant positive impact. It is essential that the players especially from the supply side deliver trusted products and services to protect consumers and help build a trusted market.  

The market cannot however be entirely reliant on public funding. Long term growth will come from the take up of PFR by individuals, businesses, developers and others.

This government investment and the expansion of BBB by the insurance industry create a strong foundation to support growing the PFR market. It will encourage access to trusted products and services and help PFR measures to be seen as normal encouraging further take up by individuals.

1.2 Approach

In undertaking this review, Professor Peter Bonfield was supported by a dedicated team from the Environment Agency, Defra and Flood Re. He worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders to develop the recommendations and actions in the review report. The process was inclusive, collaborative and open, bringing together voices from both within and beyond the flood resilience sector. Participants shared valuable insights, challenges and ideas that helped shape a clear understanding of the opportunities and barriers to improving the take up of PFR.

This engagement was essential for identifying the:

• challenges
• opportunities
• recommendations

It also agreed the practical actions that this now strong community of organisations and individuals have committed to doing.

Stakeholder mapping was carried out to identify the organisations and individuals who play an important role in supporting flood resilience. This helped connect people and sectors who do not regularly come together to discuss challenges and identify solutions. A full list of participants is contained within Appendix C.

One of the initial challenges was encouraging stakeholders to take ownership of the actions required, rather than relying on others to lead. What helped make progress was a shared recognition of the need to help people be more resilient to flooding.

The review included a series of workshops, webinars and meetings with a wide range of stakeholders. These were designed to identify problems, needs and solutions. The Leadership Group, made up of senior representatives from many sectors, was critical to motivating change. The outcomes and recommendations from the review are in section 2.

1.2.1 The Leadership Group

The Leadership Group was formed to support this Review and develop an action plan. It brought together experts from sectors whose skills, experience and networks are essential to expanding the use of PFR and building a trusted, sustainable market.

Members of the Leadership Group included:

• government sector - Environment Agency (Julie Foley) and Defra (Hazel Durant)
• insurance - Association of British Insurers (ABI) (Mark Shepherd) and Flood Re (Martin Lennon)
• lending - UK Finance (Charles Roe)
• products - the Construction Products Association (Peter Caplehorn)
• builders and merchants - the Federation of Master Builders (Brian Berry) and the Builders Merchants Federation (Brett Amphlett)
• the PFR Roundtable - Ian Gibbs (Chair)
• skills and innovation – the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) (Paul Shaffer)
• construction professionals - Construction Industry Council (Graham Watts)
• research - UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Andy Lawrence)
• social housing - the National Housing Federation (Alistair Smyth)
• expert advisors – Scottish Building Standards (Stephen Garvin) and climate resilience (Emma Howard Boyd)

The group convened in March, May and June 2025 to define short, medium and long-term outcomes for mainstreaming PFR.

This included:

• identifying sector-specific priorities
• highlighting knowledge gaps
• agreeing on practical actions to engage their members and create change

1.2.2 Developing the detailed recommendations and actions

As described above, every discussion, consultation, workshop and meeting was designed to ask the right questions and gather meaningful insights. This structured approach enabled the development of a clear and coherent set of recommendations and actions. This helped build consensus across sectors and highlighted the need for cross sector working to act on the recommendations and actions from the review.

2. Recommendations

This section presents the recommendations from the review. They are grouped across 6 main themes.

1. A coherent and growing demand

The demand side must work together to promote the use of PFR. This includes:

• government
• Environment Agency
• mortgage lenders
• insurers
• housing associations
• housebuilders

A coordinated and trusted approach is needed to drive uptake across sectors.

2. Trusted and accessible products and services

Demand must be supported by qualified professionals, suppliers and products. These must meet high standards and provide effective outcomes. This will protect consumers and build confidence in the PFR market.

3. Trusted sources of information

Both demand and supply sides need access to accurate, user-friendly information to make informed decisions.

This includes:

• access to flood risk information
• guidance on products, installation and maintenance

4. Reducing water runoff at property level

PFR resistance and recovery measures must be complemented by the use of property level SuDS to manage water runoff.

This includes:

• permeable paving
• rain gardens
• rainwater harvesting

5. The regulatory and legislative framework

Appropriate regulatory reform needs to be considered to further embed the use of PFR in existing and new buildings to protect consumers and help build a trusted market.

6. Research and innovation to enable a thriving property flood resilience market

Research and innovation are needed to underpin the mainstreaming of PFR.

To support all the recommendations, strong leadership is essential. Stakeholders should continue to work together to grow a trusted market. This should be supported by:

• robust data
• research
• continuous learning

The remainder of this section outlines the specific recommendations. They are supported, where relevant, by actions which the Leadership Group have committed to doing (Appendix B).

2.1 A coherent and growing demand

This theme will help to integrate the demand side for PFR that is required to create a sustainable and trusted market. It draws out the roles and actions different demand side stakeholders need to play. It also reflects the state of readiness of the different demand players. It recognises the pivotal role early adopters already play. These include:

• Environment Agency
• local authorities
• the insurance industry

2.1.1 Environment Agency pipeline and property flood resilience framework

Government investment in FCRM has played an important role in developing the PFR industry. Programmes led by the Environment Agency and administered by RMAs have included both standalone and hybrid PFR projects. Hybrid projects combine PFR with other flood risk management solutions.

Between 2015 and 2024, more than 2,600 properties were better protected through standalone PFR projects funded by these programmes. A further 1,100 were better protected by PFR as part of hybrid projects.

Using the latest evidence from the national flood risk assessment, the Environment Agency has identified a pipeline of opportunities for further PFR investment. These will help inform the next flood and coastal investment programme starting in April 2026.

The Environment Agency uses a supplier framework that is also available to other RMAs. The current framework began in January 2024 and will run for 4 years.

The latest version of the framework introduced new standards for suppliers and products including that:

• suppliers must demonstrate competence on the Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA) PFR Code of Practice by completing training developed by CIWEM
• products must have a British Standards Institution (BSI) Kitemark or hold equivalent certification

While the framework has helped raise standards, suppliers have reported that some procurement processes are overly complex and can delay action. They also noted that the pipeline of upcoming projects varies significantly across the country. Some areas have clear plans, while others are less developed.

Public investment in PFR remains essential, particularly to support vulnerable communities. It is important that:

• robust standards continue to be applied to ensure value for money and effective outcomes
• improved tracking and reporting of PFR installations is in place to demonstrate progress

Recommendation 1: Government and Environment Agency investment in FCRM should be targeted so that PFR measures are used where they are the most effective way of managing flood risk and are the best value for public money.

Recommendation 2: The Environment Agency’s public procurement of PFR should use suppliers, installers and products that are aligned to industry best practice as well as ensuring its procurement processes are rigorous and efficient.

Case study 1:  Environment Agency - Hampshire and Isle of Wight PFR project

80 homes were identified by the Environment Agency as being at significant risk of flooding at locations in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. These properties were at risk and had suffered flooding from various sources, including:

• tidal
• fluvial
• surface water flooding

After assessing different ways to manage the flooding, the team decided that PFR would provide the most benefit.

Each eligible property had a bespoke survey to determine the most appropriate measures. These included:

• flood doors or barriers
• air brick covers
• flood resistant walls or finishing

Measures were tailored to their specific risk and designed to provide greater flood resilience up to 600mm water depth. 68 property owners chose to have these measures installed.

Funding was provided by a combination of government Grant-in-Aid and a Green Recovery Fund.

Through undertaking the scheme, homeowners became better prepared to respond to future flood events. They had increased awareness and confidence in the measures installed. The schemes help to:

• limit the extent of damage during flood events
• reduce recovery time
• reduce associated financial and emotional impacts

Following completion of the scheme, measures were subsequently tested during the Isle of Wight’s highest tides on record. From speaking to residents, we estimate that at least 10 of the 35 properties fitted with PFR measures on the Isle of Wight would have flooded internally had the measures not been in place. Other properties in the scheme were not affected by the tidal flooding.

2.1.2 The insurance industry and Build Back Better

Insurance plays a vital role in helping people recover from flooding. Without intervention, homeowners in many areas of the UK would struggle to obtain affordable insurance due to the frequency and severity of flooding.

To address this, the UK government and the insurance industry created the Flood Re Scheme. This makes sure insurance continues to be available and affordable for eligible households. The Flood Re scheme is funded entirely by the insurance industry and carries no financial liability for the UK Treasury. The scheme is scheduled to end in 2039, after which insurance will become fully risk reflective.

In the same way that good security on a home is now part of an insurance company’s risk assessment, PFR helps householders demonstrate they are taking action. This leads to reduced risk and continued access to affordable insurance. This is likely to be particularly true for homes that:

• have recently flooded
• have high reconstruction costs
• retain residual risk despite flood defences

A major innovation since the 2016 Action Plan is the introduction of the BBB initiative. This was developed by Flood Re and supported by the insurance industry. BBB allows households to install PFR measures worth up to £10,000 as part of the repair process following a flood. It means as many flooded properties as possible are made resilient during the reinstatement process.

Flood Re secured Defra’s approval to implement BBB and the ABI helped encourage insurers to adopt the scheme. Today, over 70% of the UK insurance market offers BBB to high-risk customers. The initiative has won multiple awards and is recognised internationally as a model for increasing resilience.

Providing PFR through BBB has proven more complex than expected.

This is due to:

• low uptake – only around one-third of eligible policyholders accept the BBB offer, which is partly due to long and complex rebuild processes and limited awareness of BBB
• technical challenges – BBB can be used for both resistance and recoverability, however there is limited guidance for insurers and suppliers on suitable recoverability options

Flood Re is working with insurers to research why some households decline BBB. Early feedback suggests barriers such as procurement delays and concerns about aesthetics.

Improving the BBB offer will require:

• clearer communication at the point of claim and improved signposting during the customer journey
• better training across insurers and their supply chain
• improved tracking and reporting of PFR installations, including through FPCs

Insurers have largely had to develop their own approaches to providing PFR. They often work with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and navigate competition law constraints. Strengthening the PFR market and creating consistent demand will help improve the use of BBB and support wider resilience goals.

Recommendation 3: The ABI and Flood Re should continue to work together with all home insurers to mainstream the offering of BBB, or some form of equivalent flood resilient reconstruction.

Recommendation 4: Knowledge and awareness of PFR and the BBB offer should improve amongst claims handlers and loss adjustors.

2.1.3 The role of lenders

Homes in areas at risk of flooding are posing a growing challenge for mortgage lenders.

Flood risk is a top 5 consideration for lenders. There is increasing concern that some properties may not retain their value due to flood risk. This could have wider implications for housing growth and investment in new developments. Stakeholders have raised concerns about access to insurance in flood risk areas being a potential impediment to new housing growth plans.

In April 2025, the Bank of England published a consultation paper titled “Enhancing banks’ and insurers’ approaches to managing climate-related risks”. The paper warns that flood damage could reduce property values and affect borrowers’ ability to repay loans. This could lead to higher mortgage rates and insurance premiums in affected areas. It sets expectations for financial institutions to manage these risks, although the physical risk remains the responsibility of the homeowner.

There is growing interest in the role that FPCs could play in:

• supporting lending decisions
• improving transparency around flood risk

Financial stakeholders have commented that any lender requirements for an FPC would be subject to lenders’ policies and risk appetites. However, with the expectation that the current Flood Re scheme will end in 2039, the use of FPCs could help provide clarity and confidence for both lenders and insurers. They could support more informed decision-making and long-term resilience. This will enable lenders to support continued access to affordable insurance for those who take steps to improve resilience of their property.

Recommendation 5: Insurers, lenders and Flood Re should explore mechanisms to incentivise or require the uptake of PFR in existing and new build properties, including through the introduction of a FPC.

2.1.4 Housing associations

Housing associations are not-for-profit social landlords that manage millions of homes across the UK. As longstanding organisations motivated by a social purpose, they are well placed to invest in flood resilience measures. This is particularly as they also construct many new dwellings annually.

The National Housing Federation, a member of the Leadership Group, represents around 600 housing associations. Together, they provide nearly 2.7 million homes for approximately 6 million people.

The Federation has highlighted growing awareness among housing associations of the increasing flood risk and the need to act. Social landlords face several challenges.

These include:

• ensuring residents have access to the right advice and support
• rising insurance premiums or inability to secure insurance
• data gaps
• disruption to services
• the cost of retrofitting homes and refurbishing them where flood damage has occurred
• difficulty securing temporary accommodation

The Federation’s involvement in this review supports its new business strategy (2025–2030), which prioritises climate resilience and adaptation. Housing associations are supportive of PFR because it empowers them and their residents to manage flood risk more effectively. Community-led approaches to installing PFR also aligns well with the values and operating models of housing associations.

Housing associations already have access to a comprehensive Flood Toolkit based on the experience of those who have been through significant flood incidents. This forms a good basis to build on to better prepare for and recover from flooding.

Some housing associations are already leading the way in this space. Case study 2 below highlights how PFR is included in housing strategies to support long-term protection and resilience.

Case Study 2: Gas Street, Sandiacre – PFR in new build social housing 

Gas Street in Sandiacre is a new affordable housing development. It is led by Nottingham Community Housing Association (NCHA) and constructed by Moorbridge Developments Ltd. Built on a brownfield site, formerly occupied by a gasworks and industrial facility, the development will include 53 homes. 22 are for shared ownership and 31 for social rent. The site is located adjacent to the River Erewash and the Erewash Canal.

Recognised as being within Flood Zone 2, the site had previously experienced flooding. In collaboration with the Environment Agency, the project team built flood resilience into the design from the outset. This included raising floor levels and installing permeable paving.

Following the release of new national flood risk data in January 2025, NCHA reconsidered the flood mitigation for the site. They decided to install additional PFR measures into the partially built plots. These passive, low-maintenance solutions were selected to suit social housing customers and provide added reassurance. Retrofitted measures included:

• self-closing air bricks
• one-way cavity weep vents
• sealed service entry points
• moisture-resistant plasterboard
• moisture-resistant skirting boards

The total cost of adding these PFR measures per plot was less than £1,200. These interventions are designed to enhance the resistance of properties to flooding and to support quicker recovery afterwards. The retrofit measures used here are scalable and suitable for wider application across existing housing stock.

Recommendation 6: Social landlords should develop clear and coordinated strategies to prepare for and mitigate flood risk for their tenants and homes. They should consider how PFR measures could be taken alongside those to improve energy efficiency, building safety and decency.

2.1.5 Property owners and others

Homeowners, tenants, business owners and building occupants can be more resilient to flooding by:

• understanding their flood risk
• knowing how to plan and prepare for flooding
• knowing how to use PFR measures as part of everyday life

When people understand their risk and know how to act, they are better equipped to protect themselves and their properties.

Property owners can use a variety of ways to make their property more resilient to flooding. These can include:

• simple, low-cost actions such as keeping valuable items on high shelves and sealing around pipe entry points
• more costly measures like flood doors and resilient kitchens

Knowledge of what measures may be appropriate for the property and when is best to implement them, is crucial for the property owner to make informed decisions. For example, it may be more cost-effective to lay resilient flooring either after a flood or when other home renovations are taking place.  Access to trusted information and professionals is vital to support property owners in feeling confident to take effective actions themselves.

Private landlords should provide sufficient information to their tenants on the risk of flooding to the property and how to prepare and respond. This should include details of any PFR measures along with how they should be stored and operated. The property owner should ensure regular maintenance of the products in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Builders and surveyors play an important role by understanding how to reduce water entering buildings and support recovery. Action from insurers and mortgage lenders, alongside the introduction of FPCs, will also help raise awareness and encourage proactive behaviour. They can offer practical advice to customers looking to improve or extend their homes.

Community-led efforts are equally important and commendable. The work of flood volunteers and local action groups have helped raise awareness and provide tailored support. These groups are particularly effective because they understand the specific needs and risks of their local communities.

This review supports the Environment Agency’s annual “Flood Action Week” campaign. This campaign promotes awareness and preparedness to everyone living or working in areas at risk of flooding.

Volunteers, community groups and advocates are vital to improving flood resilience. They should be included in future work, particularly through the PFR Roundtable, to ensure that public engagement remains central to making progress on the recommendations and actions.

Recommendation 7: The PFR Roundtable should consider how best to engage with local flood groups and charities to make use of their local knowledge and capabilities in facilitating the uptake of more PFR in communities at risk of flooding.

2.1.6 The role of risk management authorities

RMAs play a leading role in managing flood risk. These include:

• lead local flood authorities (LLFAs, unitary or county councils)
• highways authorities
• water companies
• internal drainage boards (IDBs)
• Environment Agency

The priority of PFR in their plans and programmes is not as well advanced as more traditional flood risk management methods. This must be strengthened to improve outcomes and support wider uptake.

Local authorities are well placed to understand local needs and engage directly with communities. They can support the rollout of PFR measures in several ways, through:

• identifying and managing local flood risks from surface water, groundwater and ordinary watercourses through a local flood risk management strategy which can integrate PFR
• using national frameworks like the Environment Agency’s PFR Framework to access surveys, designs and installations
• raising public awareness through campaigns like BeFloodReady and supporting residents in understanding their flood risk
• sharing best practice and lessons learned across councils to improve consistency and impact
• conducting post-flood investigations which can help demonstrate the effectiveness of PFR and support future schemes

Water companies also have a direct interest in increasing the uptake of PFR to reduce damages caused by sewer flooding. Between April 2024 and March 2025, they collectively invested almost £16 million in PFR. This is a positive step. If it is aligned with the work of local authorities and the Environment Agency, it offers strong potential to expand and mainstream the use of PFR.

Case study 3: Collaboration to better protect vulnerable properties

PFR measures were installed in bungalows in Newark, Nottinghamshire where internal flooding had taken place for several years following heavy rainfall.

Nottinghamshire County Council, in partnership with Severn Trent Water, led the jointly funded project. The work involved:

• the installation of flood-resilient doors and an external pump
• putting a waterproof sealant on the brickwork

A relative of an elderly resident of one of the properties to have benefited said the work undertaken will give “peace of mind” and reduce anxiety when it rains heavily.

The Council has a PFR programme which aims to help reduce the risk and consequences of flooding to properties across the county. 282 properties have been better protected in the last 4 years, with a further 50 in progress.

Recommendation 8: RMAs, particularly local authorities and water companies, should work collaboratively on their respective investment plans and strategies to optimise the delivery of PFR.

2.1.7 Export opportunities 

The UK’s PFR sector is relatively small but internationally distinctive. It offers specialised capabilities to provide property level flood resilience that are not widely available in other countries.

The 2023 PFR Market Study identified early signs of export activity, primarily among product manufacturers operating within international supply chains. These businesses often import and distribute through the same networks.

The establishment of the International PFR Association (IPFRA) in 2025 provides a platform for coordinated global engagement. This includes:

• trade missions
• knowledge exchange

Recommendation 9: The Department of Business and Trade should consider supporting and championing the international promotion of this industry once the domestic PFR market has scaled up.

2.2 Trusted and accessible products and services

Behavioural insights research commissioned by the Environment Agency has shown that many homeowners do not consider PFR.

This is due to:

• perceptions of high costs
• concern about aesthetics and how it works
• difficulty getting started

In the recent past, the reputation of PFR suffered due to poor quality products as well as installation by people with little or no expertise in flood resilience. This particularly occurred after major floods. 

The 3 main components to achieving public trust in PFR are set out in this section.

2.2.1 Trusted products

Flood resilience products, such as water-resistant plasterboards and flooring, play a vital role in protecting buildings from severe water damage. Some are designed to prevent water from entering, while others help minimise damage and support faster recovery after a flood. There are 2 categories of measures, each supported by British Standards:

• resistance measures aim to keep water out of buildings – British Standard 85118 sets out the testing requirements for these products, including flood doors, barriers and other defences
• recoverability measures help reduce the impact of flooding inside buildings – British Standard 85500 provides guidance on how these measures can be used effectively

Standards are essential to make sure products perform as intended. In the past, poorly designed or incorrectly installed products have failed, leading to costly damage and undermining public confidence in PFR.

British Standard 85118, last updated in 2021 helps ensure products can withstand various flood conditions. These include:

• water depth
• wave action
• impact

However, few products have successfully passed the test and received certification under the BSI Kitemark scheme.

Industry feedback suggests the standard may be too demanding for shallow, short-duration surface water flooding, where PFR is often most effective. A proposed solution is to introduce a rating system. This would be similar to that used for fire doors and better reflect product performance across different flood scenarios.

Manufacturers have also raised concerns about the availability of testing facilities and the complexity and cost of certification.

There are limited, independent PFR testing facilities. The Environment Agency, Flood Re and the University of Hull have worked together to open a new facility at The Deep in Hull. This supplements test labs at HR Wallingford and other private facilities, enabling more products to be tested. In addition, stakeholders have highlighted that navigating the product certification process can be very challenging for SMEs. IPFRA should engage with certifying bodies to gain a better understanding of:

• the testing and certifying process
• points of contact at the certifying body
• pricing

Once certified, products should be listed in a publicly accessible register. This would help consumers identify and choose products that have been independently tested and verified for flood resilience.

It is essential that as this work develops the focus on consumer protection is the overriding priority so that consumers are fully protected which in turn will enable the development of a trusted market for PFR.

Recommendation 10: PFR product suppliers should ensure products, which are designed specifically to manage flooding, are appropriately tested and certified to protect consumers and to build trust to support take up.

2.2.2 Competent professionals and services

Improving skills across the PFR supply chain is essential to increasing the uptake and mainstreaming PFR. Those involved in the design, installation and promotion of PFR must be appropriately competent. This includes:

• suppliers
• builders
• surveyors
• installers
• loss adjusters

Upskilling the workforce ensures high-quality, fit for purpose installations and helps build public trust in PFR solutions.

The main challenges identified by stakeholders include:

• low awareness among construction professionals of flood risk and resilience measures
• limited training for loss adjusters and valuers, who need to understand and recommend appropriate PFR solutions
• geographical gaps in the availability of qualified surveyors and installers
• lack of licensed builders who have demonstrated competence in PFR
• unclear maintenance requirements for installed PFR measures

All professionals working on buildings, whether in construction, renovation, or post-flood recovery, should be able to:

• assess whether a property is at flood risk
• recommend appropriate PFR measures based on building type and risk
• install or advise on the installation of those measures, including any operation and maintenance requirements
• access specialist PFR support when required

This capability is needed both before flooding occurs and during reconstruction or refurbishment after a flood.

Recommendation 11: Relevant professional bodies should provide training, continuing professional development and certification where appropriate to improve the PFR skills and capability of their members.

Recommendation 12: Insurers, RMAs and other procurers of PFR measures should only use construction and other relevant professionals who meet the requirements of recommendation 11 above.

Recommendation 13: Government and others should explore how PFR knowledge and skills can be embedded into education, training and apprenticeships.

2.2.3 Accessible products and solutions

Improving access to trusted flood resilience products and services is essential to increasing uptake across households and businesses. Builders, residents and property professionals need to be able to source effective solutions easily. There should be clear information on how to use them.

Specialist PFR suppliers are predominantly SMEs. Therefore, accessing their services in all parts of the country can be difficult. For example, a homeowner in north London told the review that their PFR supplier came from the Midlands to fit measures. Increased uptake in PFR can help to address this by:

• helping to grow the existing industry
• enabling the wider construction sector to diversify into PFR

The ability of a property owner to access products and services within their local area is an important factor in enabling greater uptake. Increasing the availability of PFR both through specialist suppliers and more general outlets is important.

Retailers, builders’ merchants and DIY suppliers play an important role in this. By stocking certified products and providing guidance, they help connect demand with trusted supply. This supports better resistance and recovery from flooding.

Local aftercare is also essential. Property owners need to feel supported in the operation and maintenance of resistance measures. Through the review, it has become clear that many people feel that PFR products are “fit and forget”. However, products designed to keep floodwater out of a property require managing and maintaining.

This includes:

• correct storage
• regular visual checks
• maintenance by competent professionals

Suppliers of products and services should provide sufficient information to consumers to enable them to operate, manage and maintain their PFR products effectively. Component parts of PFR products should be available to ensure repairs can take place without needing full product replacements.

Recommendation 14: Builders’ Merchants, DIY and other relevant retailers and suppliers should work together to have the necessary information and stock availability supported by a coherent marketing approach, both in store and online, to help construction professionals, the public and others to identify and procure PFR products.

2.3 Trusted sources of information

Clear, consistent and accessible information is essential to support individuals, businesses and professionals in increasing the uptake and mainstreaming PFR. This includes:

• Environment Agency flood risk information and digital services
• public-facing guidance on how to prepare for and recover from flooding
• registers of certified products that have been independently tested and approved
• directories of qualified professionals who can provide trusted flood resilience services
• new tools, such as FPCs, which could drive long-term behavioural change, similar to the impact of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in the energy sector

2.3.1 General information

The behavioural insights research, mentioned in a previous section, concluded that when taking action feels difficult, people are more likely to disengage. Clear, simple information is needed to empower individuals to act.

Insights from the PFR Pathfinder projects also show that people are more likely to trust and act on information from government or local authority websites. These are seen as authoritative and reliable. While no single source can meet all needs, consistent messaging across multiple trusted platforms can build confidence and encourage action. Aligning advice and resources across organisations will help make sure that everyone, from homeowners to professionals, can access the right information at the right time. A common use of branding such as ‘BeFloodReady’ could also help with this.

While current information sources are fragmented and not yet fully integrated, several valuable platforms have emerged and improved since the 2016 Action Plan. These include:

• Environment Agency check your long-term flood risk service
• Environment Agency flood alerts – real-time warnings and updates
• BeFloodReady – practical advice for households and businesses
• CIWEM’s BeFloodReady Community of Practice – professional knowledge sharing
• National Flood Forum’s Blue Pages – directory of flood products and services
• Flood Mary – public awareness campaign and PFR directory
• The Flood Hub – regional flood information and resources

Recommendation 15: All PFR information owners should provide and promote consistent and accessible PFR information ensuring different building types and user needs are met.

2.3.2 Flood performance certificates

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings has been supported by the successful rollout of EPCs. These link government regulation with lending, building practices and property sales. A similar approach is now being scoped and piloted for PFR through FPCs by FloodRe.

This will help to support and enable coherent practices for PFR.

An FPC will help homeowners understand how vulnerable their property is to flooding and what measures could be taken to reduce this risk.

It will outline:

• the property’s current level of flood resilience
• the potential impact of different flood depths
• existing resilience features
• recommended PFR improvements

FPCs could provide a consistent way to document flood resilience, which has not previously been tracked systematically. They could also support decision-making for homeowners, insurers and mortgage lenders by making flood risk and resilience more visible.

Flood Re has led the development of FPCs, publishing a report in 2020 and a Roadmap in 2024. An FPC, like an EPC used for energy efficiency measures, could be a powerful enabler of systemic change and improvement. 

A scoring framework was first piloted in East Peckham, Kent, with support from Middlesex University and the Environment Agency. This framework assesses how different features work together to protect a property. It is now being expanded to cover a wider range of home types across the UK.

Flood Re has also commissioned work to:

• define a standardised list of data points relevant to flood risk
• explore how FPCs can be integrated into the new build process

A prototype FPC is expected to be ready for piloting by 2026.

As part of this review:

• the Environment Agency has committed to facilitating access to relevant data from its suppliers
• Defra welcomes Flood Re piloting FPCs to test how these can support affordability and availability of flood insurance
• the ABI will co-sponsor the work in consultation with insurers
• insurers and mortgage lenders will help pilot the FPC once the prototype is complete

While primarily designed for householders, FPCs may also support the public sector. Currently, there is no consistent data framework for assessing or implementing PFR. Private companies use their own templates, which limits comparability and evaluation.

A standardised framework would:

• support stronger business cases for PFR
• enable better tracking and evaluation of resilience measures
• improve data consistency across sectors

Recommendation 16: Flood Re should continue to develop a FPC to support the move to a risk reflective insurance market. Insurers and lenders, conveyancers and surveyors should be fully involved to ensure it meets their needs as well as ensuring the needs of homeowners are met.

2.4 Reducing water runoff at property level

In addition to improving the flood resistance and recoverability of buildings, reducing water runoff at property level is essential for effective PFR. The 3 elements of resistance, recovery and reduction, must work together to build long-term resilience.

Permeable surfaces allow rainwater to soak into the ground, reducing runoff. Where these are removed and replaced with impermeable materials such as concrete, this increases the risk of surface water flooding.

Research by the Climate Change Committee (CCC) found that the total permeable area in England decreased by 70,000 hectares between 2001 and 2022. The proportion of permeable urban land fell from 63% to 54% over the same period.

During this review, stakeholders emphasised the importance of reducing water runoff at a property level through:

• use of SuDS such as permeable paving, rain gardens and rainwater harvesting measures
• avoiding the paving over of gardens and green spaces
• routine and effective drainage maintenance, with clear roles and responsibilities for local authorities, water companies and riparian landowners, especially during periods of high flood risk

Regulation is in place to limit the use of impermeable surfaces in front gardens. Permitted development rights changed in 2008 requiring planning permission for changing an area greater than 5m2 to an impermeable surface. Guidance was issued in 2009 outlining different approaches to constructing driveways or other paved areas to reduce rainfall runoff.  

New standards for SuDS were introduced in July 2025. These provide guidance for:

• designers
• developers
• local authorities
• sewerage undertakers

While this is a positive step, many stakeholders during this review raised that further action was needed to mandate SuDS in new developments and provide appropriate adoption mechanisms.

The implementation of Schedule 3, or an equivalent mechanism, was strongly advocated by stakeholders during this review. Schedule 3, or an equivalent mechanism, has been covered by other reviews including in:

• 2020 – the Independent review of surface water and drainage responsibilities recommended that the case be re-examined for bringing into effect Schedule 3

• 2024 – the London Climate resilience review concluded Schedule 3 should be commenced in England 

• 2025 – the Independent Water Commission recommended mandatory SuDS for new developments 

This review focuses on flood resilience measures at a property level for both new and existing buildings. Schedule 3 does not apply to existing properties. Therefore, going forward it is important for government to consider the implementation of Schedule 3 or equivalent mechanisms. These should apply not only to new build but also to existing buildings. This is reflected in the broader recommendation 17 at the end of this section.

Recommendation 17: Government and local authorities should consider how best to encourage existing property owners and new build developers to capture and retain rainwater at a property level.

Case study 4:  Flood resilient garden

In 2024, Flood Re commissioned a project to design and build a flood resilient garden which was to be displayed at the Chelsea Flower Show. The aim was to inspire visitors with a range of ways to manage and utilise water in the garden. It showed how any outdoor space can be adapted to cope with heavy rainfall, high groundwater levels and runoff by storing water and planting appropriately.

The garden demonstrated how choices in plants and landscape design can:

• offer both aesthetic value
• help to minimise physical damage and emotional strain when flooding occurs

Features included:

• a pond that doubles as a sump to collect and hold 100 bathtubs of water
• a smart rainwater tank that allows remotely controlled draining ahead of predicted rainfall
• re-purposed water tanks which doubled as cascading ornamental ponds, planted with bog plants

The garden, which won a silver medal at the Chelsea Flower Show, has now been permanently relocated to Howbery Business Park in Wallingford. The public can freely access the site. This gives them a blueprint for how outdoor spaces can help reduce flood risk.

2.5 The regulatory and legislative framework

2.5.1 Strengthening the place of property flood resilience in the regulatory system

In England, national planning policy clearly states that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided.

Where possible, new development should be steered away from flood risk areas. Local planning authorities must take full account of advice from the Environment Agency when assessing planning applications. 

Where development in flood risk areas is necessary, it must be made safe and resilient, without increasing flood risk elsewhere. Mitigation measures can be required as part of planning consent. These can include

• raised floor levels
• flood defences
• landscaping

However, flood resistant and recoverable construction should not be seen as a substitute for robust planning policy or effective insurance arrangements. 

The Building Regulations 2010 operate separately from planning. They apply to:

• new buildings
• extensions and significant alterations

They are designed to protect health, safety, welfare and accessibility. Flood resilience is not currently a standalone requirement in Building Regulations. However, relevant provisions exist in several Approved Documents.

These include:   

• Approved Document A (Structure) – covers structural elements including the foundations, walls, floors and roofs
• Approved Document C (Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture) – promotes flood resilient construction and references the 2007 guidance Improving the flood performance of new buildings in flood risk areas
• Approved Document H (Drainage and waste disposal) – supports the use of SuDS, including permeable driveways and rainwater pipes
• Approved Document M: (Access to and use of buildings) – includes recommendations such as raised electrical outlets and other equipment and room layouts and doors within a property that support easier clean-up after flooding

Building regulations also apply to renovation and reinstatement works, including repairs following flood damage. Insurance-funded repairs must meet current regulatory standards. Strengthening PFR within the regulatory framework could encourage the inclusion of retrofit solutions during maintenance, refurbishment or insulation upgrades. 

The 2016 PFR Review recommended exploring how building regulations could better support flood resilient construction. Since then, some progress has been made, but no statutory guidance has been introduced specifically for flood resilience. 

Stakeholders engaged in this review strongly support further action. This includes:

• lenders
• insurers
• developers

Many believe PFR measures should be standard in all new builds in areas at risk of flooding or areas likely to become at risk during the property’s lifetime.

Some developers have indicated that incorporating PFR measures from the outset is feasible and cost-effective. Others have raised concerns about potential costs and regulatory burdens.

Any future changes to building regulations must be proportionate, practical and cost-effective and should only be introduced where they cannot be achieved through other means.

Case study 5: Scottish building standards

Scotland takes a different approach to building regulations compared to England. Since 2005, mandatory Building Standard 3.3 requires that:

“Every building must be designed and constructed in such a way that there will not be a threat to the building or the health of the occupants as a result of flooding and the accumulation of groundwater.”

The Scottish Government has recently reviewed Section 3.3 of the Building Standards Technical Handbooks. The proposed updates aim to:

• help designers meet the requirements of Standard 3.3
• support building standards verifiers in assessing compliance
• provide guidance for repairing existing homes, even though the standard applies to new buildings and building work

The updated guidance includes:

• expanded flood risk assessment guidance (Clause 3.3.1)
• detailed construction guidance for flood resilience and recoverability including references to the CIRIA PFR Code of Practice standards (Clause 3.3.3)
• integration of CIRIA PFR Code of Practice standards throughout the section
• new Annex 3.B, which raises awareness of flood risk and outlines mitigation measures

These changes were developed with input from the PFR Delivery Group (PFRDG) and a dedicated working group that met quarterly between 2022 and 2024.

Scotland’s model provides a specific building standard for flooding, with supporting guidance which integrates flood resilience directly into building regulations. England’s system relies more on planning guidance and discretionary measures, which can lead to inconsistent implementation.

This difference presents opportunities for learning across jurisdictions, especially as climate risks continue to grow.

Recommendation 18: Government should continue to explore the regulatory options to secure flood resilience standards, including the use of PFR products and materials, for new builds and changes to existing properties. This should include updating government’s 2007 guidance on Improving the flood performance of new buildings in flood risk areas and consideration as to whether all or any part of this now needs to be translated into a statutory Approved Document.

In taking forward this recommendation, government should consider changes to the regulatory framework that will support both current and future flood risk. In doing so, it will be essential that the changes do not imply any dilution to the overarching planning requirements for building in flood risk areas.    

The Future Homes Standard (FHS) will be introduced in late 2025. It sets new rules to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy efficiency in new homes. The FHS will:

• require low-carbon heating systems, such as heat pumps
• set higher standards for insulation and ventilation
• ensure most new homes include solar panels
• make homes zero carbon ready, meaning they won’t need retrofitting to meet future net zero targets

These changes support the UK’s commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. 

The Future Homes Taskforce was set up in 2020 to create a long-term plan for the homebuilding sector. It includes:

• government
• industry leaders
• environmental groups

The Future Homes Hub, created by the Taskforce, now leads action on this plan. It brings together:

• over 40 major homebuilders
• supply chain and infrastructure partners
• finance sector representatives
• government support

The Hub’s work now also includes climate adaptation. Its roadmap covers:

• drainage and flood resilience
• water availability and quality
• long-term protection of homes and communities

Including flood resilience in new housing standards will help ensure that other improvements such as energy efficiency upgrades are also protected from future climate risks.

Recommendation 19: Government should consider how a similar approach to the Future Homes Standard could be used to further other climate resilience approaches, including for future flood resilience, into existing and new homes.

2.5.2 Retrofits: joining up energy efficiency, flood resilience and building safety

Homes that are ready for future climate risks need to be resilient in multiple ways. This includes being:

• water and energy efficient
• resilient to flooding
• able to cope with overheating and fire risks

There are opportunities to combine retrofit projects. Schemes like the Warm Homes Plan, which aims to improve energy efficiency in 170,000 homes over 3 years, offer a chance to include flood resilience measures. For example, when installing insulation or heat pumps in homes at risk of flooding, it may be cost-effective to add PFR measures at the same time.

Many householders prefer to carry out home upgrades in one go to avoid repeated disruption. Combining improvements can make the case stronger, both practically and financially. Recent research from Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership has explored how to integrate energy efficiency and flood resilience. However, awareness and practice in this area remain limited. Both types of retrofit focus on the building envelope, but there is little guidance on how to combine them effectively.

Case study 6: Co-ordinating property level surveys for climate resilience in Rochdale

The Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme (FCRIP), managed by the Environment Agency, has funded the Resilient Roch project. This project will address local climate challenges (including flood risk) faced by residents in disadvantaged communities using coordinated property surveys.

The target communities are penetrated by watercourses and host many properties at significant fluvial and surface water flood risk. This has heightened in recent years and is only set to increase. This is due to climate change and ever greater pressures on the urban environment and its green and blue infrastructure.

Many households in the target communities are subject to multiple disadvantages which leave people disproportionately vulnerable to flooding. These disadvantages impact:

• impacting health
• wellbeing
• the environment
• living standards

Some of Rochdale’s housing stock is in a poor state of repair. In addition, the energy efficiency of properties is often low. The project team established partnerships to test a streamlined process for conducting multiple surveys simultaneously on private properties. These included surveys of:

• PFR with ‘backyard’ SuDS
• property condition
• energy efficiency

This approach brought numerous benefits, including:

• improved coordination
• integrated interventions
• enhanced convenience and efficiency

There were also challenges, particularly regarding securing co-ordination and the need to develop a detailed knowledge base of properties and residents through thorough community engagement. This was supported by the National Flood Forum.

The Resilient Roch project (see case study 6) successfully combined different types of retrofit. Organisations like BRE, HR Wallingford and other research bodies have experience in evaluating building performance. However, gaps in standards and guidance, especially around trust, still make integration difficult.

Informed by this review, work is underway to:

• develop clear standards and practices
• identify public schemes with overlapping goals
• pilot integrated retrofit projects, building on examples like Rochdale

The Each Home Counts review (2016), commissioned by the UK government, highlighted the need for trusted standards and consumer protection in the retrofit market. This is especially true for schemes targeting fuel poverty.

There are opportunities for flood risk management to be considered when other building changes, including for energy efficiency, overheating or safety, are being considered and made. It is important that the outcomes of this review align with these wider efforts on energy efficiency and building safety. This ensures a joined-up approach to future-proofing homes.

Recommendation 20: Government and relevant sectors, for example insurers, lenders and construction professionals, should consider how the recommendations of this review complement and connect energy efficiency, building safety and decency.

2.6 Research and innovation to enable a thriving property flood resilience market

The UK has a strong and well-established flood research sector, with advanced capabilities in flood defence engineering and modelling. However, PFR remains an under resourced part of this wider flood research. Currently, only a handful of PFR-focused research projects are undertaken each year.

Despite this, there is clear potential to grow the sector. UK universities and Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs) have the expertise and infrastructure to support innovation and expansion of PFR. To unlock this potential, there is a need to:

• increase funding and support for PFR research
• connect and coordinate efforts across academia, industry and government

A thriving PFR research community will require collaboration across:

• academia – where individual research projects and interests can be strengthened through an integrated platform
• industry – particularly small businesses developing innovative PFR solutions, which would benefit from RTO facilities and wider support
• government – whose climate adaptation and funding programmes can help build sector capacity and provide applied resilience outcomes

Over the longer term, this research network can bring together the broad range of experts that can:

• build research and innovation capability
• prioritise research
• develop a roadmap for research and innovation

As the evidence base is built up, the possibility exists for a testbed to be developed. This will help to track the effectiveness of PFR measures over time and generate best practice guidelines.

UKRI are ideally placed to lead this work. They invest in research and innovation and have a strand which focuses on engineering and physical sciences. They can support new ideas and technologies which benefit our economy, environment and society.

Recommendation 21: UKRI establishes a well funded network of academics and applied researchers with supporting infrastructure to deliver against the evolving research and innovation needs of PFR.

UKRI establishes a well funded network of academics and applied researchers with supporting infrastructure to deliver against the evolving research and innovation needs of PFR.

3. Conclusions and next steps

This FloodReady report presents the outcomes of extensive engagement and work to identify how best to expand and mainstream PFR.

Making progress on these recommendations is achievable. It requires coordinated action from stakeholders working together with shared purpose and intent. This approach will improve outcomes for industry and government. More importantly, it will also help support the many individuals and communities who are at risk from flooding.

Success depends on strong leadership. The PFR Roundtable, established in 2016, has played an important role in advancing flood resilience. It should continue to support progress on the recommendations and actions. The recent creation of the International PFR Association (IPFRA) is another important milestone, enabling coordinated industry-wide initiatives.

The Floods Resilience Taskforce should have an important role in ensuring progress is made on the recommendations and actions from this review. Oversight from the Taskforce with regular monitoring and reporting is crucial for the ongoing success.

The ongoing efforts of government, Environment Agency, Flood Re, flood volunteers, campaigners and community groups will be vital in maintaining momentum. Their work brings energy, confidence and local insight to the national effort to improve flood resilience.

Recommendation 22: Defra should invite the FloodReady 2025 leadership group Chair and secretariat to provide regular and at least annual progress updates to the Floods Resilience Taskforce. This group should lead the delivery and implementation of the recommendations of this Review and needs to be underpinned by the PFR Roundtable which has been in place since 2016 now complemented by IPFRA.

4. Acknowledgements

FloodReady has benefitted hugely from the unequivocal, constructive and helpful support of the many participants listed in Annex C. Together, they have worked so hard to think about, consult with and contribute evidence, recommendations and actions that have resulted in this publication.

Very significant thanks go to everyone that has participated. Doing so has:

• strengthened existing relationships
• built new relationships
• improved shared understanding of purpose and how to work together

Again, the positive engagement that participants have made to build these relationships needs to be acknowledged and not underestimated.

Appendix A: Progress since the 2016 Action Plan

In 2015, Peter Bonfield was asked by Defra to Chair the development of a Review and Action Plan into how PFR could be better supported for people at risk of flooding. This work led to an action plan, published in 2016 which was steered by the PFR Roundtable.

This current FloodReady Review and Action Plan builds on this foundation, responding to a new context of increased demand and urgency. It is important to assess the progress made by different stakeholders in acting on the 2016 recommendations. It is also important to identify remaining gaps and opportunities for further action.

Encouragingly, substantial and meaningful progress has been made. Contributors across sectors deserve recognition for their collaboration and commitment. This has led to important milestones such as:

• a new Code of Practice
• updated standards
• reliable sources of information for property owners and professionals

Some gaps remain, but the groundwork laid since 2016 provided a strong platform for action. With increased urgency in 2025, stakeholders are now well-positioned to work together and make lasting change.

The 2016 Action Plan focused on 4 main recommendations, each considered individually below.

Strengthening understanding of what measures are best to adopt

One of the overarching recommendations from the 2016 PFR Action Plan was that more needed to be done to address the significant confusion about what property level resilience is. Actions to achieve this recommendation included: 

• the creation of a ‘one stop shop’ providing robust information on PFR
• a route-map for a set of flood resilience standards for building materials, services and products
• certification of building materials, components and products
• exploring the role of resilient repair in building regulations in England

Although progress was made with some of these actions (listed below), challenges continue to hinder market confidence. These include the certification, standardisation and accessibility of PFR products. This highlights the need for streamlined testing processes, clearer product guidance and reliable listings of approved solutions.

In 2021, government invested £2.9million to support 3 regional pathfinder demonstration projects. These boosted action to make homes and buildings more resilient and underpin progress with the 2016 Action Plan. These projects created demonstration sites and resources to engage with local communities and businesses. They also help them understand the cost and benefits of installing measures. 

The methods of engaging included: 

• PFR demonstration centres
• mobile community engagement assets
• training for businesses in managing climate risks
• online portals, including information and case studies

Face to face engagement was curtailed due to COVID-19 restrictions. However, many of the assets are still used and have been rolled out nationwide, successfully securing a legacy from the projects. These legacies have since fed into further projects such as:

• the Flood and Coastal Resilience Innovation Programme which includes  projects such as Resilience and Innovation Northants (RAIN)
• the BeFloodReady brand and website, which was developed as part of the South West Pathfinder, which has continued to grow since the projects closed.  Local authorities can sign up to having their own BeFloodReady portal where they can direct members of the public to find more information on PFR
• the Flood Mobile and Flood Pod which were developed by the Ox-Cam pathfinder project and South West Pathfinder

Although there is not a single one stop shop, greater amounts of PFR content have become available online. Many useful websites contain information and case studies to guide property owners into making good decisions. These include:

• BeFloodReady
• FloodMary
• the Flood Hub

In 2019, a Code of Practice (CoP) was developed by the PFR Roundtable and CIRIA. This set the benchmark for those involved in surveying for, or installing, PFR measures. The code:

• sets out 6 standards from the flood hazard assessment and property survey to design and construction, then handover and maintenance
• sets out expectations for work undertaken by surveyors, installers and contractors
• is intended to give customers greater confidence about the work being carried out

A new British Standard (BS 851188) was introduced in 2019 and updated in 2021. It specifies requirements for flood resistance products, including:

• testing
• factory production control
• installation instructions

A BSI Kitemark is also available which certifies that the products have passed the required testing for the standard. It also means they meet the required quality control and factory production systems. 

The CoP and BS 851188 represent significant and much needed achievements which set the required platform for future growth of a trusted market.

There are currently 2 organisations who offer a certification scheme for flood resistance products to give confidence to consumers:   

• the BSI have been involved in certifying PFR products for a number of years, awarding the Kitemark to products which have passed their rigorous testing scheme
• KIWA, a Dutch company involved in testing, inspection and certification, has introduced the KIWA Approved certification for PFR products, which is the equivalent of the BSI Kitemark

The Environment Agency, Flood Re and the University of Hull have collaborated on the establishment of a PFR testing facility at The Deep in Hull. The facility is only the second independent test facility for PFR products in the country, alongside HR Wallingford. It will allow PFR manufacturers to more easily and cost-effectively test their products to the British Standard (BS851188-1). The facility opened in 2025.

In May 2023, a national communications campaign called “Be Flood Smart” was launched as a collaboration between the Environment Agency and Flood Re. This campaign aimed to highlight how flood resilience measures could be incorporated within home improvements. It ran across mainstream, social and local media. The campaign had a reach of over 100 million people on mainstream media and 12 million on social media.

Improving the skill sets of those involved in making properties more resilient  

The second overarching recommendation from the 2016 Action Plan called for appropriate training programmes for those who have a role in promoting and providing resilient repair.

Actions under this recommendation included: 

• researching the potential for certification of resilient repair techniques
• better understanding of common principles of flood resilience for installers to ensure consistency of approach and application of standards
• the creation of a certification scheme for flood surveyors linked to continuing professional development training for relevant specialists

The good progress which has been made in this space, particularly in respect of those specialists managing PFR installations is set out below. However, a shortage of flood resilience expertise across the construction and insurance sectors is limiting the quality, consistency and accessibility of property-level solutions. This makes widespread upskilling and clearer professional standards a critical priority.

The Environment Agency commissioned CIWEM to create an accredited professional PFR training programme, based on the code of practice. This includes a specific training module for staff in RMAs. Industry professionals completing the required training and demonstrating the relevant industry experience are then invited to apply to join a Specialist Register for PFR Professionals. The industry training and certification scheme for PFR professionals are live. 

The practical residential part of the certification scheme is held at a PFR demonstration centre at HR Wallingford. This demonstration centre was constructed as part of the government funded PFR Pathfinder Projects and is also home to the National Flood School.

The National Flood School provides courses on effective drying and restoration techniques. This is for those in:

• the property and building sector
• insurance and loss adjusting

It was rebuilt and relaunched in May 2023 to incorporate BBB. It has had an annual rate of around 550 industry people attend courses/view the PFR measures since that time. It has an advisory committee composed of PFR Roundtable members.

Flood Re also launched its Academy, which is a dedicated, online, e-learning platform providing free training on the Flood Re Scheme and the BBB initiative. 

CIWEM has collaborated with various partners to develop the BeFloodReady community of practice for professionals working on PFR. The community of practice and associated website provide support, guidance and tools for a range of audiences. These include:

• local authorities
• insurers
• building surveyors
• installers

This is to enable them to provide comprehensive advice to home and business owners in flood risk areas, including those at risk from surface water.

The PFR Roundtable has commissioned various information resources on the PFR sector. These include a:

• free e-book for householders outlining PFR techniques and case studies
• report on the Cumbria Flood Resilience Showcase Project

The PFR Roundtable advised on and began a Flood Resilient House project. This was ultimately administered by BRE and served as a showcase of flood resilience measures and resilient repair techniques. 

Normalising property level protection in the commercial world 

The third overarching recommendation from the 2016 Action Plan was the need for greater awareness across the commercial sector. This included those who:

• would directly benefit from installing PFR measures – for example business owners and landlords
• drive consumer interest – for example lenders, insurers and loss adjusters

Actions under this recommendation included:  

• establishing a working party of insurers and brokers to explore how they could act as a catalyst to promote engagement by their customers on flood risk awareness and preparedness
• developing a ‘health check’ for small businesses which will assess whether adequate insurance cover is in place, promote benefits of flood resilient measures and determine the overall cost benefit to the business
• developing a group of case studies to demonstrate the benefits of flood resilience for small businesses, ensuring relevance for householders
• working with lenders (banks and mortgage providers) to increase their understanding of the benefits to themselves and their role as a catalyst

Progress has been made in this space, the most notable of which has been the introduction of Flood Re’s BBB scheme.

Flood Re’s Build Back Better scheme was officially launched in April 2022. This was part of Flood Re’s broader mission to make flood insurance affordable and available across the UK. It is a UK insurance initiative designed to help homeowners recover from flooding in a smarter, more resilient way. Instead of simply restoring a property to its pre-flood condition, the scheme allows eligible policyholders to access up to £10,000 for installing PFR measures during repairs. These include:

• flood doors
• raised electrics
• non-return valves
• waterproof flooring

These upgrades aim to:

• reduce future damage
• speed up recovery
• give homeowners greater peace of mind

Government implemented the legislation to allow the scheme to provide the additional funding. The program launched with 5 major insurers at inception, which has now expanded to 12.

BBB will:

• help flooded households become more resilient to flooding
• enable homeowners to return more quickly after any future flooding
• help reduce the cost of damages after a flood

Insurers representing 77% of the home insurance market are signed up to offer BBB. More however needs to be done in this space to ensure the challenges of demand and quality assurance are overcome in the rebuilding process. It must also ensure the transparency of the BBB offer and improve householder uptake.  

Another recent welcome development was the establishment of the International PFR Association. This is now in place to:

• help set standards
• improve competencies
• drive improvements for the PFR industry

It is aligned with the recommendations of FloodReady.

Action following a flood event 

The fourth overarching recommendation was that lessons learnt from the current and previous use of PFR implemented after a flood event should be shared. It should also feed into the 2016 National Flood Resilience Review.

Actions under this recommendation included: 

• providing an advisory service to support households and local authorities to effectively use the £5,000 resilience grant arising from Storms Desmond and Eva
• working alongside the Environment Agency to prepare for future flood events
• feeding into government’s review of the winter 2015 flood recovery schemes to share experience of working with local authorities to help flood victims make their properties more resilient

The PFR grant is activated at ministerial discretion. It is done only when the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) initiate the Flood Recovery Framework (FRF) following widespread and large-scale flooding. MHCLG is the lead department for flood recovery. However, the FRF involves other government departments including Defra and Department of Business and Trade (DBT).

Since the storms in 2016, the FRF and the Defra PFR grant scheme have been activated 4 times. After every storm event, Defra undertakes a review and seeks feedback from local authorities who administer the scheme. This feedback is used to update guidance and provide clearer directions. Since the 2016 review, many internal improvements have been made to communication between government departments involved in the FRF. This enables more reactive and faster set up of the grants. An independent evaluation of the Defra PFR Grant Scheme was completed in 2022 and government is considering its findings. 

Defra provides direct advice to each local authority involved in any active scheme. This includes regular meetings with other government departments, local authorities and a dedicated email address for individual queries.

Appendix B: Recommendations and actions

Based on the evidence and stakeholder feedback gathered during the FloodReady review, the following recommendations and actions have been drafted. The recommendations and actions are grouped under 6 themes which reflect the Review’s intended outcomes.

A coherent and growing demand

Recommendation 1: Government and Environment Agency investment in FCRM should be targeted so that PFR measures are used where they are the most effective way of managing flood risk and are the best value for public money.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
1.1	Develop a pipeline of project opportunities where PFR projects are the most effective way to manage flood risk.	Environment Agency	Within 1 year
1.2	Provide support to LLFAs, other RMAs and other partners to help progress PFR projects in areas of surface water flood risk, where there is a growing source of risk.	Environment Agency	Within 1 year
1.3	Review project appraisal and business case processes to ensure they are streamlined and effective for enabling PFR delivery.	Environment Agency	Within 1 year

Recommendation 2: The Environment Agency’s public procurement of PFR should use suppliers, installers and products that are aligned to industry best practice as well as ensuring its procurement processes are rigorous and efficient.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
2.1	Share good practice from current PFR Framework with other RMAs, social housing providers and insurers.	Environment Agency	Within 1 year
2.2	Seek feedback from both suppliers and users of the current PFR Framework on how the next iteration could be further improved.	Environment Agency	Within 1 year
2.3	Develop a new PFR Framework to continue to deliver industry best practice on technical requirements, product standards and professional competency.	Environment Agency	Within 5 years

Recommendation 3: The ABI and Flood Re should continue to work together with all home insurers to mainstream the offering of BBB, or some form of equivalent flood resilient reconstruction.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
3.1a	Raise customer understanding for example website information to provide information on the benefits and opportunities offered for PFR and BBB.	ABI and Flood Re	Within 1 year
3.1b	Provide suitable customer information about BBB as soon as possible at the point of a flood claim, including if and how it can be provided and what benefits it may bring.	ABI	Within 1 year
3.2	Establish a forum/insurer delivery panel for insurers to share best practices and learnings on BBB delivery, address technical barriers and support innovations and ensure clear and transparent communication to consumers about the BBB offer.	ABI and Flood Re	Within 1 year
3.3	Explore whether information about PFR can be included during the quote journey on price comparison websites.	ABI and Flood Re	Within 1 year

Recommendation 4: Knowledge and awareness of PFR and the BBB offer should improve amongst claims handlers and loss adjustors.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
4.1	Support and promote the Flood Re Academy training to relevant insurers in order to embed knowledge as appropriate and in line with any needs assessments. This action will aim to improve and embed understanding of BBB further within insurers claims teams.	ABI	Within 1 year
4.2	Promote, amongst relevant insurers, good practice on suitable internal processes in order that underwriting teams can be more aware from claims teams about any known settlements that have involved the installation of PFR measures with existing customers.	ABI and relevant members	Within 1 year

Recommendation 5: Insurers, lenders and Flood Re should explore mechanisms to incentivise or require the uptake of PFR in existing and new build properties, including through the introduction of a FPC.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
5.1	Explore ways to enable increased awareness of relevant flood risk data and modelling, including through the use of the FPC.	ABI, UK Finance and Flood Re	Within 1 year
5.2	Develop a range of industry asks to respond to issues on mortgage lending and insurance and raise awareness for flooding issues/ risk, including via an industry statement.	UK Finance	Within 1 year

Recommendation 6: Social landlords should develop clear and coordinated strategies to prepare for and mitigate flood risk for their tenants and homes. They should consider how PFR measures could be taken alongside those to improve energy efficiency, building safety and decency.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
6.1	a. Support members to build up their flood risk / readiness through relevant tools, member forums and communications b. Undertake sector mapping on the current approach to flood risk / preparedness including members’ approaches to use of data. c. Update the flood risk toolkit and raise awareness of it among members and stakeholders through multiple channels. d. Continue to develop relationships with government and insurers on flood risk and begin to establish a shared approach.	National Housing Federation	Within 5 years
6.2	a. Support members to develop, where relevant, their own flood readiness plans and to embed flood resilience within risk management b. Refine the identification of homes which could benefit from PFR schemes, through working with the EA.	National Housing Federation	Within 5 years

Recommendation 7: The PFR Roundtable should consider how best to engage with local flood groups and charities to make use of their local knowledge and capabilities in facilitating the uptake of more PFR in communities at risk of flooding.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
7.1	Review how local flood groups and local charities can support in identifying ways to build trust and confidence in PFR amongst communities at risk.	PFR Roundtable	Within 1 year

Recommendation 8: RMAs, particularly local authorities and water companies, should work collaboratively on their respective investment plans and strategies to optimise the delivery of PFR.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
8.1	Work collaboratively on their respective plans, strategies and investment programmes to ensure join up and optimise the delivery of PFR measures.	RMAs, particularly local authorities and water companies	Within 5 years

Export opportunities

Recommendation 9: The Department of Business and Trade should consider supporting and championing the international promotion of this industry once the domestic PFR market has scaled up.

Trusted and accessible products and services

Recommendation 10: PFR product suppliers should ensure products, which are designed specifically to manage flooding, are appropriately tested and certified to protect consumers and to build trust to support take up.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
10.1	Develop the standards for flood resilience products to ensure they are fit for purpose, through establishing a FloodReady Products Working Group of appropriate stakeholders.	Construction Products Association and British Standards Institution	Within 1 year
10.2	Establish the principles and processes, costs and timeline for product testing and certification for PFR products.	Construction Products Association-led Products Working Group	Within 1 year
10.3	Identify and publish a list of certified or approved PFR products.	Construction Products Association-led Products Working Group	Within 5 years
10.4	Consider allied installer schemes and registered installers to ensure products are installed correctly through establishing a working group.	Construction Products Association and Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management	Within 1 year
10.5	Consider the potential synergies of bringing PFR installation under the Trustmark banner as has been the case for energy efficiency retrofits.	Construction Industry Council and Construction Products Association	Within 1 year

Recommendation 11: Relevant professional bodies should provide training, continuing professional development and certification where appropriate to improve the PFR skills and capability of their members.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
11.1	Produce sector guidance on PFR for those industries involved in construction, surveying or post-flood restoration (collaborating with CIWEM, PFR Roundtable, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the International PFR Association, Professional Bodies); Building industry led by Federation of Master Builders; Architects, designers and chartered surveyors led by Chartered Institute of Building; Insurance industry led by ABI	Various (see action)	Within 1 year
11.2	Explore opportunities to align on training and assuring competency of professionals through engagement with organisations like Federation of Master Builders, the Construction Industry Council, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters.	Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management	Within 1 year
11.3	Agree the approach for sector wide co-promotion of the Specialist Register for PFR Professionals.	Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, Construction Industry Council, Federation of Master Builders and other professional bodies	Within 1 year
11.4	Explore the development of a transferable PFR training module (for inclusion in general training offering) appropriate for sectors involved in construction i.e. builders, architects etc.	Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, Federation of Master Builders, Chartered Institute of Building, Construction Industry Training Board, Construction Industry Council	Within 1 year
11.5	Develop a licensing / accreditation scheme for building companies carrying out flood resilience measures.	Federation of Master Builders	Within 1 year
11.6	Ensure there is sufficient guidance and training on flood recoverability.	Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, PFR Roundtable, Construction Industry Research and Information Association	Within 5 years
11.7	Explore mechanisms by which surveyors can advertise their PFR services through the “Find a Surveyor” site.	Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors	Within 1 year
11.8	Develop a register of qualified professionals for the relevant disciplines required to support PFR implementation through establishing a working group with professional bodies such as CIWEM.	Construction Industry Council	Within 1 year

Recommendation 12: Insurers, RMAs and other procurers of PFR measures should only use construction and other relevant professionals who meet the requirements of recommendation 11 above.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
12.1	Review and where appropriate update internal guidance and processes to specify the need to use construction and other relevant professionals who meet industry best practice.	Insurers and other procurers of PFR	Within 1 year

Recommendation 13: Government and others should explore how PFR knowledge and skills can be embedded into education, training and apprenticeships.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
13.1	Explore how PFR knowledge and skills can be embedded into education, training and apprenticeships to secure a long-term pipeline of expertise into the future.	Defra, Environment Agency, Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, Construction Industry Council and Department for Education	Within 5 years
13.2	Explore how to embed PFR training into professional development programmes to build the next generation of PFR experts, working with professional bodies such as CIWEM.	Construction Industry Council	Within 1 year

Recommendation 14: Builders’ Merchants, DIY and other relevant retailers and suppliers should work together to have the necessary information and stock availability supported by a coherent marketing approach, both in store and online, to help construction professionals, the public and others to identify and procure PFR products.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
14.1	Develop the required information and marketing projects, both in store and online, to facilitate the procurement of trusted PFR products.	Builders Merchants Federation (working with retailers, builders’ merchants and DIY providers)	Within 1 year
14.2	Support those working within the sector to have awareness of and competency in the sale of PFR products through promoting the cross-industry training programme (action 11.4).	Builders Merchants Federation	Within 1 year
14.3	Continue to grow the engagement between product manufacturers, construction professionals and the insurance and public sector customers to ensure good and progressive working relations.	Builders Merchants Federation	Within 1 year

Trusted sources of information

Recommendation 15: All PFR information owners should provide and promote consistent and accessible PFR information ensuring different building types and user needs are met.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
15.1	Consider the most appropriate way of bringing existing and new information on PFR together so the public and industry professionals have clarity on where to find information on PFR measures, guidance and training.	PFR Roundtable	Within 1 year
15.2	Update PFR information on Gov.uk such as ‘Adapting your home or business to the risk of flooding’ to ensure those checking their long-term flood risk are signposted to the most effective information and thereafter regularly updated.	Environment Agency	Within 1 year
15.3	Encourage manufacturers and merchants to support PFR during the annual Flood Action Week or other initiatives into the future in their localities by overtly promoting products in stores and online (links to action 14.1 above).	Builders Merchants Federation	Within 1 year
15.4	Work in collaboration with others, for example the Environment Agency and Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to publish technical guidance on PFR for historic and traditionally constructed buildings to support surveyors, installers, project managers and local authorities.	Historic England	Within 1 year

Recommendation 16: Flood Re should continue to develop a FPC to support the move to a risk reflective insurance market. Insurers and lenders, conveyancers and surveyors should be fully involved to ensure it meets their needs as well as ensuring the needs of homeowners are met.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
16.1	Complete the development of a prototype FPC, underpinned by a robust scoring methodology, which can be piloted in conjunction with insurers, lenders and relevant RMAs.	Flood Re	Within 1 year
16.1a	Data to be provided on at least 100 homes from across PFR schemes to enhance data underpinning scoring.	Environment Agency PFR framework suppliers	Within 1 year
16.1b	Complete data standardisation prototype project and share the template with mortgage lenders and insurers to allow for piloting/adoption in existing processes.	Flood Re	Within 1 year

Reducing water runoff at property level

Recommendation 17: Government and local authorities should consider how best to encourage existing property owners and new build developers to capture and retain rainwater at a property level.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
17.1	Provide information or signposts on the use of property level SuDS, for example permeable surfaces, rain gardens, green roofs and rainwater harvesting.	Government and local authorities	Within 1 year
17.2	Consider the development of supplementary planning guidance, which includes property level runoff management, for example SuDS, when updating local plans.	Local Planning Authorities	Within 1 year

The regulatory and legislative framework

Recommendation 18: Government should continue to explore the regulatory options to secure flood resilience standards, including the use of PFR products and materials, for new builds and changes to existing properties. This should include updating government’s 2007 guidance on Improving the flood performance of new buildings in flood risk areas and consideration as to whether all or any part of this now needs to be translated into a statutory Approved Document.

In taking forward this recommendation, government should consider changes to the regulatory framework that will support both current and future flood risk. In doing so, it will be essential that the changes do not imply any dilution to the overarching planning requirements for building in flood risk areas.

Recommendation 19: Government should consider how a similar approach to the Future Homes Standard could be used to further other climate resilience approaches, including for future flood resilience, into existing and new homes.

Recommendation 20: Government and relevant sectors, for example insurers, lenders and construction professionals, should consider how the recommendations of this review complement and connect energy efficiency, building safety and decency.

Research and innovation to enable a thriving PFR market

Recommendation 21: UKRI establishes a well funded network of academics and applied researchers with supporting infrastructure to deliver against the evolving research and innovation needs of PFR.

Action number	Action	Who	Proposed delivery date
21.1	Form a network plus which specifically aims to coalesce academics around core research questions and offers a vehicle to perform short research/feasibility studies and involve industry and stakeholder groups to ensure relevance and adoption pathway for PFR sector.	UKRI (working with the academic community)	Within 1 year
21.2	Develop a detailed roadmap/programme of collaborative research, develop funding and alternative partners and implement an initial suite of prioritised and approved research projects and pilot developments, linked to Flood Re FPC work.	Academic Network Plus	Within 5 years
21.3	A test bed such as a flood resilient house should be developed to provide an experimental research platform for testing and evaluation of the effectiveness of PFR measures and approaches	Academic Network Plus	Within 5 years

Conclusions and next steps

Recommendation 22: Defra should invite the FloodReady 2025 leadership group Chair and secretariat to provide regular and at least annual progress updates to the Floods Resilience Taskforce. This group should lead the delivery and implementation of the recommendations of this Review and needs to be underpinned by the PFR Roundtable which has been in place since 2016 now complemented by IPFRA.

Appendix C: Contributors and participants

A

• Admiral
• Ageas
• Allianz
• All Party Parliamentary Group – Flooding and Flooded Communities
• All Party Parliamentary Group – Water
• Andel
• Ardent
• Asprey Homes
• Association of British Insurers
• Association of Directors of Environment, Planning & Transportation
• Aviva
• AXA

B

• Barclays
• Bradfords Building Supplies
• British Adhesives and Sealants Association
• British Coatings Federation
• British Damage Management Association
• British Gypsum
• British Red Cross
• British Standards Institution
• British Woodworking Federation
• Builders Merchants Federation
• Building Research Establishment
• Building Safety Regulator

C

• Carr & Carr (FMB President)
• Castles and Coasts
• Chartered Institute of Building
• Chartered Institute of Housing
• Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)
• Climate Change Committee
• Code for Construction Product Information
• Construction Industry Council
• Construction Industry Training Board
• Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA)
• Construction Leadership Council
• Construction Products Association

D

• DEFRA
• Direct Line Group

E

• Emma Howard Boyd
• Engineered Panels in Construction
• Environment Agency

F

• FMB Training Group
• Federation of Master Builders
• Fernco
• Flood Action Groups - sample groups from across UK
• Flood Mary
• Flooded People
• Flood Re
• Flooded members of the community
• Future Homes Hub

G

• Glass and Glazing Federation on behalf of National Home Improvement Council
• Green Finance Institute

H

• Halifax Bank of Scotland
• HB Fuller - Adhesives
• Hull University
• Huws Gray

I

• Ibstock Bricks
• Illman Young
• Imperial College
• Institution of Civil Engineers
• Insulation Manufacturers Association
• International PFR Association

J

• JBA
• JBA Risk

K

• Keystone Property Finance

L

• Leasehold Knowledge
• Lloyds Banking Group
• Lloyds Register Foundation
• Local Authority sample groups from across UK

M

• Marsh McLennan
• M3 Floodtec
• MKM Building Supplies
• Middlesex University
• MHCLG

N

• Natural Environment Research Council
• National Flood Forum
• Nat West
• National Flood School
• National Housing Federation
• National Residential Landlord Association
• Nationwide
• Northern Ireland Government
• Nottinghamshire Housing Association

O

• One Home

P

• PFR Roundtable
• Places for People
• Project RAIN
• Property Care Association
• Property Mark

R

• RAB Consultants
• Royal Institute of British Architects
• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
• Resilient Roch project
• Riverside
• Royal Academy of Engineering

S

• Scottish Flood Forum
• Scottish Government
• Southampton University
• Swan Homes

T

• TJAY Consultants
• The Environmental Design Studio
• The UK Green Building Council
• Torus
• Town and Country Planning Association
• Trustmark

U

• UK Finance
• UK Research and Innovation
• UNESCO - Disaster Risk Reduction & Resilience Engineering
• University of Cambridge
• University of West England

V

• Vida Bank

W

• Water UK Surface Water Management Network
• Watertight
• Welsh Government
• West Northamptonshire Council

Z

• Zurich