On 7 May 2026, the Environment Agency officially launched a comprehensive review to update its statutory blueprint for long-term climate resilience, initiating a major refresh of the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England. Originally mandated by the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, this national strategy serves as the governing framework for how the country prepares for, responds to, and recovers from flooding and coastal change. The existing strategy, which was published in 2020, established a progressive vision to create a nation fully resilient to these escalating environmental threats through to the year 2100. It operates alongside a detailed delivery roadmap that coordinates the tactical activities of various risk management authorities, including local councils, internal drainage boards, highway authorities, and water companies, ensuring that operational decision-making across the sector aligns with the latest government policies.
The decision to refresh the strategy satisfies a legal requirement to periodically review the national framework, but the timing is also driven by significant developments that have occurred over the last six years. The Environment Agency recently completed a new national assessment of flood and coastal erosion risk, providing the sector with a much more advanced understanding of the current and future threats posed by rivers, surface water, the sea, and coastal degradation. Furthermore, substantial practical progress has been made since the baseline strategy was set, with over ninety percent of the original roadmap objectives now completed or on track, and hundreds of completed projects successfully protecting more than 116,000 properties across England. This update allows policymakers to integrate fresh evidence, learn from recent extreme storm events, and incorporate insights gained from the national flood and coastal innovation programme into an updated long term vision that extends out to 2050.
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To ensure the refreshed strategy is robust and representative of the entire sector, the Environment Agency has established a dedicated strategic advisory group featuring key national bodies and infrastructure providers. Throughout the spring and early summer of 2026, officials are conducting targeted engagement with industry stakeholders to help shape the core objectives. This collaborative phase will be followed by a comprehensive public consultation in the autumn, allowing the wider industry and local communities to submit their feedback before the final revised strategy is formally laid before Parliament in early 2027. Check out the updated guidance pages on the main GOV.UK website.
[Main image credit: JordanCrosby / shutterstock.com]