Defra announces £2.65 billion funding to boost rural flood resilience

Recently, the government also confirmed that over 12,700 farms have benefitted from £60 million through our Farming Recovery Fund.

It was specially set up on a one-off basis to help farmers restore their land to its pre-storm condition following storms Babet in 2023 and Henk in 2024. Almost all of these recovery payments have been paid, Defra confirmed.

In addition to the £2.65 billion investment, the government said it has allocated £50 million to internal drainage boards (IDBs) as part of a one-off £75 million IDB Fund. This funding will mean the boards can manage water levels effectively for agriculture and environmental needs, ensuring their crucial role in flood and water management is supported for years to come.

A Defra spokesperson said: “This government inherited flood assets in their poorest condition on record, as years of underinvestment and damaging storms left 3,000 of the Environment Agency’s 38,000 high-consequence assets at below the required condition.  

“As part of the Plan for Change, the government is committing a record two-year investment of £2.65 billion, with 52,000 properties set to benefit from new defences by March 2026.

“To shore up creaking defences in need of repairs, funding will be reprioritised for investment in much-needed maintenance, benefitting a further 14,500 properties. This means a total of 66,500 properties will benefit from this funding.”

READ MORE: Flooding fund opens to support affected farmers  

‘Protecting farmers’ businesses and homes’

Farming minister Daniel Zeichner added that he recognises the profound impact that extreme weather has had on farmers.

“Farmers are at the very heart of our rural communities, underpinning our food security – which is why it’s essential to protect farmers’ businesses and homes from the threat of flooding.

“That’s why as part of our plan for change, we are dedicating £2.65 billion over the next two years to the maintenance, repair, and construction of flood defences. We will accelerate this work through our Floods Resilience Taskforce, which includes active representatives of the farming sector,” he concluded.  

Defra explained that as well as protecting families from the devastation of flooding, the investment supports economic growth by protecting businesses, supporting jobs, and supporting a stable economy in the face of the increasing risk of flooding as a result of climate change.

It is also set to protect farmland, which has been badly hit by recent storms, in turn helping to safeguard farm businesses and farmers’ profits.

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