Flood Resilience Grants for Property Owners, What Funding Is Available

What Is the Property Flood Resilience Scheme?

The Property Flood Resilience (PFR) scheme is a government-funded grant programme in England that helps property owners reduce the impact of flooding by funding resilience and resistance improvements. It is delivered by local authorities and regional bodies, with funding from the Environment Agency and Defra.

Unlike flood defence schemes that protect communities collectively, PFR funding is directed at individual properties to help them recover more quickly after a flood and, in some cases, to prevent flood water from entering the building in the first place.

Resistance vs Resilience

There are two broad approaches to protecting a property from flooding:

**Flood resistance (keeping water out):**

• Flood gates and flood barriers
• Automatic airbrick covers
• Waterproof render and coatings on external walls
• Non-return valves on drainage systems

**Flood resilience (limiting damage when water gets in):**

• Raised electrical sockets and consumer units
• Tiled or concrete ground floors instead of timber suspended floors
• Lime plaster instead of gypsum plaster on ground floor walls
• Waterproof insulation

A combined approach, resistance plus resilience, is recommended where properties are at high risk.

Who Is Eligible?

Eligibility varies by scheme and funding round. Generally, PFR grants are targeted at:

• Properties that have been flooded, typically by river or surface water
• Properties in designated flood-risk areas identified by the Environment Agency
• Residential and commercial properties in some rounds

The most recent nationally coordinated PFR programme was announced following significant flooding events. Local councils also run their own schemes using Flood Defence Grant in Aid funding.

How Much Grant Funding Is Available?

In recent national PFR rounds, individual properties have typically been eligible for grants of up to **£5,000** for flood resistance and resilience works, with some rounds offering up to **£10,000** for more severely affected properties.

Grants usually do not cover the full cost of works, property owners are expected to contribute or obtain additional funding from insurance pay-outs.

How to Apply

• Check with your **local council** or **lead local flood authority** (LLFA) for active schemes in your area
• The **Environment Agency** website and its flood risk mapping tools identify whether your property falls within an eligible area
• Some schemes require an assessment by a qualified surveyor before works are approved
• Works must typically be carried out by an approved contractor to qualify for the grant

Flood Insurance and PFR Works

Carrying out PFR works can improve your ability to obtain flood insurance and may reduce premiums. Some properties that are currently insured through the Flood Re scheme may benefit from reduced premiums following investment in resilience measures.

From 2022, Flood Re introduced a Build Back Better provision: insurers that are Flood Re members can now pay flood claims that include the cost of installing flood resilience measures, rather than simply returning the property to its pre-flood condition.

Property Passport UK and Flood Risk Data

Property Passport UK displays flood risk data from the Environment Agency for any property, helping owners and buyers understand their flood exposure and the level of risk before investing in resilience measures.