This blog has been written by a member of the Newground Flood Team.
Flooding can have devastating impacts on businesses, not just financially, but also on staff, customers and the wider supply chain. Recovery is often long, stressful and expensive, with mental health pressures adding to the challenge.
Did you know that 40% of businesses never reopen after a flood? And for those that do, the average cost of a single flood event is £82,000. The good news is that by taking practical steps now, businesses can increase their flood resilience and significantly reduce both costs and disruption.
Step 1: Check Your Flood Risk
The first step in building resilience is to understand your flood risk. The Environment Agency provides online maps showing the potential extent of flooding from rivers, the sea, reservoirs and surface water in England. By entering your postcode, you can see whether your business is in a risk zone and find out who your Lead Local Flood Authority is.
You can also visit our Am I at Risk? page for more information and guidance
Step 2: Sign Up for Flood Warnings
If your business is at risk of river or coastal flooding, you may be eligible to sign up for the Environment Agency’s Flood Warning Service. Alerts are sent directly to your phone, giving you time to act. It’s important to understand the three different warning levels so you know when to put your flood plan into action. Find out more about flood warnings and what they mean on our ‘Am I at Risk?’ page here.
It’s worth noting that this service does not cover surface water or reservoir flooding. If you are ineligible, you can use alternative triggers, such as weather forecasts or river gauges, to decide when to act. Several alternative triggers can be found via our resource on The Flood Hub here.
Step 3: Create a Business Flood Plan
A business flood plan is essential if your premises are at risk. It sets out the actions to take when a trigger is met, ensuring you can respond quickly and efficiently. A good plan will:
Flood planning isn’t just about floods, it can also strengthen resilience to other emergencies such as pandemics, cyber-attacks or severe weather. You can download a free Business Flood Planning Guide and template from to get started. Information on continuity can be found on The Flood Hub here. Advice on creating a flood plan can be found in our “Business Flood Planning Guide’ here.
A blank template for a flood plan can be downloaded here:
Step 4: Secure Flood Insurance
Unlike households, businesses are not eligible for the Flood Re scheme, and flood cover can sometimes be harder to obtain. But it’s crucial to make sure your business and its contents are adequately insured, particularly if you hold expensive equipment or machinery.
Options include:
Installing property flood resilience (PFR) measures can also make insurance more accessible and affordable, as it shows insurers you are actively reducing your risk.
Find out more in our ‘Business Flood Insurance’ resource here.
Step 5: Protect Your Property with PFR
Property Flood Resilience (PFR) can significantly reduce the impact of flooding. Resistance measures aim to keep water out, while resilience measures focus on minimising damage if water does enter.
A professional PFR survey can identify the most suitable measures for your site, such as flood barriers, pumps, waterproof materials, or raised electrics. Every £1 spent on PFR typically provides a £5 saving on future damages. For more information, click here.
Building a Resilient Business
Flooding isn’t just a winter problem – it can happen at any time of year. By checking your risk, signing up for warnings, creating a flood plan, securing insurance and installing PFR, you can make your business far more resilient.
Visit The Flood Hub Business Page for resources, templates and guidance to help you get started today.
