Government taskforce meets in Hull on winter flood risk
On Thursday 18 December 2025, the government’s Floods Resilience Taskforce met in Hull to check how ready the UK is for the rest of winter. Ministers, the Met Office and the Environment Agency compared notes after weeks of heavy rain. Floods Minister Emma Hardy stressed the value of bringing key teams together so communities are better protected.
The Met Office told the meeting that high pressure is likely to settle in next week, bringing a calmer spell over Christmas and into the New Year. That pause does not erase risk: the odds of a wetter, windier end to winter remain higher than normal, and rainfall will vary by region. Treat late December as a breather while preparations stay in place.
The Environment Agency reviewed its recent response to Storms Claudia and Bram. Clearing debris and installing temporary barriers helped protect more than 18,000 properties in England during the heaviest rain, while severe flood warnings were issued in parts of Wales. Early action cuts risk, but it never removes it entirely.
Maintenance dominated the practical updates. The government says £108 million has been reprioritised into keeping flood assets in working order after inheriting them in the worst condition on record. That shift has maintained or restored the expected level of protection for a further 14,500 properties. Assets are the pumps, walls, gates and culverts that quietly keep water where it should be.
The meeting took place at The Deep in Hull, home to the new Property Flood Resilience Laboratory. Property flood resilience means designing buildings to withstand water and recover faster-think flood doors that fit quickly, raised electrics, sealed floors and non‑return valves. For households and small businesses, this can mean less damage and a quicker return.
Insurance guidance is being refreshed to reduce confusion and tackle misinformation. If you have a policy, check today whether flood damage is covered, what the excess is, whether alternative accommodation is included and how to record damage safely before clean‑up. Speaking to your insurer early helps claims move faster.
Transport resilience featured too. The Department for Transport’s Climate Adaptation Strategy for Transport sets a long‑term direction so roads, rail and ports keep people and goods moving during extreme weather. Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister Keir Mather said the strategy gives industry clear steps to prepare for today’s climate.
The Taskforce will also create a new action group to improve how floods are reported to the public, following a recommendation from Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee. The aim is to make alerts easier to understand, more consistent across channels and more useful for quick decisions close to home.
Members provided an update on work with flood action groups, insurers and housebuilders to deliver the independent FloodReady Review. The focus is on practical changes communities notice-better building choices in high‑risk areas, clearer information and quicker support after flooding.
Several technical upgrades are already in place. The National Flood Model used by the Met Office and Flood Forecasting Centre now offers a 30‑day outlook, up from seven days in 2024, giving planners more time to prepare. Between June and October, the Centre ran a Rapid Flood Guidance service to flag short‑notice surface water risks, similar to events seen in Texas and Valencia.
Training has stepped up, with more than 1,500 responders taught to interpret flood warnings confidently, and new national guidance issued for caravan parks, which can be especially exposed to fast‑rising water. London has published a Surface Water Strategy through a partnership led by the Environment Agency and the Mayor of London.
Local recovery should speed up as well. The housing department has amended the Flood Recovery Framework so eligible areas can be identified faster and produced a toolkit to help councils run support schemes. The Environment Agency has launched a new Flood Warning Service for England covering rivers, coasts and groundwater so people receive targeted alerts.
If you’re learning or teaching this week, try a short exercise: find your nearest river catchment on a map, check your property’s flood risk on the government service, then write a simple household plan-who grabs medicines, where pets go and which neighbour needs checking in on. Photograph key documents and keep chargers, torches and medication together in one grab bag.
Media literacy matters here. A 30‑day outlook shows direction of risk, not a daily script. Weather warnings and flood warnings are different tools-one signals likely weather, the other signals potential impacts from rivers, coasts or groundwater. Use both, keep an eye on local updates and act early when advice changes.
The message from Hull is steady and practical: enjoy the likely calm around Christmas, stay ready for a wetter late winter and keep checking official updates from the Met Office and the Environment Agency. We’ll continue to track what the Taskforce delivers on funding, maintenance and communication as the season progresses.