Nature-based solutions have a key part to play in reducing flood risk in future

Despite one in eight (12%) residents across the UK experiencing flooding in their home in the last five years, the majority (57%) have taken no steps to mitigate the risk to their properties, according to new research from Aviva.

The research, among 2,000 UK nationally representative consumers, also revealed that the biggest barrier to implementing measures is a belief that their homes won’t flood, with almost half (48%) citing this a reason.

Jason Storah, CEO UK & Ireland General Insurance at Aviva, said: “In spite of twelve named storms last winter, including Storm Babet which brought widespread flooding to many areas, residents are still unaware of the risks their property faces and many are not taking any steps to help limit the impacts. Flooding is disruptive and can be traumatic, but flood mitigation can be as easy as signing up to Government warnings when bad weather is due to arrive or moving valuables upstairs. The research also shows that more people would take steps if their home was at a higher risk, but for many people, that is already the case.

“As well as smaller steps that homeowners can take, there are solutions, which, if used collectively, could prevent, protect and mitigate flooding in high-risk areas. We need to start to think differently about how we manage flooding. As our climate changes and we experience heavier downpours in future, keeping a watchful eye on water levels and hoping flood barriers won’t be breached will not be enough.

“In many places, the volume of rainwater falling will overwhelm our rivers and drains and it won’t be possible to prevent flooding from happening. We believe a holistic approach, combining physical barriers with nature-based solutions and resilience, will give us the best chance of reducing the impact of flooding in years to come.”

The research also revealed that while awareness of physical barriers is high, knowledge of other solutions is lower. These include natural solutions, such as river and floodplain restoration and leaky dams, and resilience measures including use of water-resistant plaster and installing plug sockets above the water line to help reduce and mitigate damage. Three quarters (77%) of people are aware of sandbags being used to mitigate flood, but two fifths (45%) have no knowledge of nature-based solutions and almost half (49%) are unaware of flood resistant materials.

However, despite a lack of awareness, as many residents are supportive of investment in nature-based solutions to help reduce the impact of flooding (74%) as those supporting investment in physical flood defence barriers (75%).

Storah adds: “Greater awareness and more investment in natural flood management solutions will be needed to make change happen. They can be very effective at slowing the flow of water and our research shows there is public appetite to increase investment in more natural solutions in future.

“At Aviva we’ve already pledged over £80million towards nature-based solutions projects across the UK which will run for several years, working to capture carbon, contributing towards flood resilience and helping to restore natural habitats. They have a valuable part to play, not only in flood management but also in mitigating other climate risks, such as wildfires. By combining these natural measures with physical flood defences and resilience measures, we can protect more communities from future extreme weather.”  

Aviva has pledged over £80million towards nature-based solutions projects across the UK. These projects, including restoration of native rainforests, saltmarshes and peatland will help remove carbon and improve flood resilience.

Residents can also take steps to make their properties more resilient to flooding. Aviva has developed the following advice to help residents make their properties more flood resilient:

• Choose more permeable materials such as gravel or block paving. Using permeable materials – that allow rainwater to soak through to the soil below – can help reduce the risk from surface water flooding.
• Check if you need planning permission – you may need planning permission if you to intend to change an area of more than five square metres using non-permeable material.
• Keep drains clear – check the drains around your property regularly and ensure they are free of leaves, gravel or mud.  Report any blocked public road drains or culverts to your local council or authority.
• Consider making partial changes – having a border around a driveway or installing a drain will help rainwater to run off during heavy downpours, reducing the flow of water into street drains, and may help stop water from entering your property. Or consider using more permeable materials in part of your outside space to help with drainage.
• Collect rainwater – consider installing a water butt or other rainwater collection device to prevent water from overwhelming drains. Plants and wildlife prefer rainwater to tap water too and during droughts, rainwater collection devices can help to save water.
• Check your home’s flood risk – even if your home is nowhere near a river or the sea, it could still be at risk from flooding, so check your home’s status with the Environment Agency.

More advice and information about flooding and flood resilience can be found in Aviva’s Building Future Communities report.

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^{1. The research was conducted by Censuswide with 2,022 UK consumers (Nat Rep 16+) including 539 homeowners whose homes have been built within the last five years between 31.07.2024 - 08.08.2024.}