Flood Re has urged government, insurers, lenders, and homeowners to join forces to make Property Flood Resilience (PFR) mainstream, warning that simple, affordable measures could protect millions of homes and save the UK economy as much as £740 million a year.
This comes from new analysis undertaken by JBA in collaboration with Flood Re, which shows that nearly three-quarters of the UK’s housing stock is suitable for PFR based on construction type and floor level.
Of these, the analysis noted 3.1 million homes are exposed to flood depths of up to 60cm, which is reportedly the range where PFR measures are proven to work.
“National uptake of PFR could reduce annual flood losses by up to £740 million, while targeting the most frequently flooded properties could still deliver £238 million in yearly savings,” JBA and Flood Re’s analysis said.
The analysis explained that PFR doesn’t replace major defences but reduces damage when flooding occurs and helps families recover faster.
Measures include flood doors, non-return valves, raised electrics, waterproof finishes and removable kitchens.
“Importantly, PFR isn’t just for affluent homeowners. Terraced houses, bungalows and ground-floor flats—often in more deprived areas—show the greatest potential savings when resilient measures are installed,” the analysis added.
For more than 50,000 households, the cost of installing PFR is reportedly lower than the average expected annual loss from flooding.
Kelly Ostler-Coyle, Director of Corporate Affairs at Flood Re, commented, “This new evidence shows the difference that simple, affordable resilience measures can make, not just to householders, but to the UK’s ability to withstand future floods.
“A £10-£20 airbrick cover can help to stop water entering, yet scaled-up adoption of property-level resilience could save the UK hundreds of millions every year. That’s why we are urging government and industry to treat resilience with the same urgency as insurance and defence investment – because families can’t afford to wait.”
Dr David Wood, Managing Director at JBA Risk Management, added: “This study provides clear evidence of the benefits of Property Flood Resilience.
“By quantifying the savings from only relatively modest interventions, we have demonstrated the value that PFR brings in both reducing the losses from floods and enhancing national flood resilience.”
