Flood Re welcomes public accounts committee’s recommendations to tackle flood risk

Flood Re welcomes today’s report from the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) on their inquiry into Managing Flood Risk, which calls for a number of recommendations to tackle the UK’s flood risk.

Andy Bord, Chief Executive of Flood Re, said:

“I am delighted that the Public Accounts Committee recognises the importance of overcoming barriers to installing property flood resilience measures. I welcome the PAC highlighting the key role that our proposals for Flood Performance Certificates (FPCs) can play in addressing this by providing information to homeowners.

“I also welcome the report’s call for a long-term funding commitment to invest in, and maintain, flood defences across the UK.

“As we approach COP-26, we believe that this report is another good example of how the UK can lead the world in tackling the effects of climate change and building a resilient housing stock fit for the future.”

Several of the recommendations echo the suggestions made by Flood Re in its written evidence, submitted to the inquiry in January 2021, including for:

• A better understanding of how to overcome the obstacles to property flood resilience (PFR) uptake.
• Longer-term funding cycles for flood defences and more funding dedicated to maintenance of new and existing assets.
• Reforming building regulations to make flood resilience measures mandatory in new build properties and that they are insurable.
• A stronger voice for the Environment Agency in checking compliance with planning policy guidance.

The report also highlights Flood Re’s proposals to Build Back Better after flooding and to offer discounted insurance premiums to those with Property Flood Resilience measures already installed, as first proposed in Flood Re’s quinquennial review (QQR) in July 2019.

Kindly shared by Flood Re