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£1.6m project funded by local authorities and government grants supports flood victims from Storm Babet and Storm Henk.

The Environment Agency has helped to install property flood resilience measures in 100 homes across the East Midlands. 

Among the measures are flood resilient doors and barriers, self-closing air bricks, underfloor sump pumps, and self-closing non return valves on pipework and toilets. 

By equipping properties with these measures, the scheme aims to reduce the long‑term impacts of flooding on homes, livelihoods, and wellbeing. 

Multiple funding streams have contributed to the £1.6 million project, including funding from local authorities, Trent Regional Flood and Coastal Committee and the government’s Frequently Flooded Allowance. 

Homeowners were able to apply for grants following the flood impacts of Storms Babet in October 2023 and Storm Henk in January 2024. 

Jon Atkey, Environment Agency’s flood and coastal risk advisor for the East Midlands said: 

From the outset of this project we wanted to increase the resilience of the residents living in flood-hit communities.   

We did this by ensuring flood groups were established and had flood wardens in place, and by helping people understand their own flood risk and supporting them in putting in place place their own personal flood plans. 

We can’t always prevent flooding, but we can help people understand it, be better prepared and hopefully recover quicker. 

This project forms part of the Environment Agency’s wider commitment to strengthening flood resilience across the East Midlands.

The properties are located across the region: in Bradwell and Denby Bottles in Derbyshire; Girton, Collingham and Pleasley in Nottinghamshire;  and Redmile, Braunstone and Sileby in Leicestershire. 

News of the completed project comes as the Environment Agency launches Flood Action Week (w/c 12 October) to help protect the nation. The campaign urges people to check their flood risk, draft a flood plan, and sign up for flood warnings. 

Following a wet winter and a historic summer drought - the driest July in nearly 2 centuries - the nation is now bracing for an intensified, wetter winter. A new Flood and Drought Resilience Taskforce has been launched by the government, and the Environment Agency is ready to respond to both ongoing drought conditions and any winter flooding incidents. 

A one stop shop for flood advice has been unveiled, with a focus to help people understand their home’s flood risk and take practical action to reduce this.   

You can also: 

• Get flood warnings if your home or business in England is at risk of flooding: Get flood warnings by text, phone or email - GOV.UK.   

• Find out more about how to protect your home, belongings and loved ones:  What to do before or during a flood - GOV.UK. 

Background

• New taskforce to boost Britain’s resilience to flooding and drought - GOV.UK 

• New ‘one stop shop’ for flood preparedness launched as we approach more weather whiplash - GOV.UK

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/100-east-midlands-homes-benefit-from-flood-resilience-measures