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Tens of thousands of households to benefit from better protection this winter, with £1.4 billion invested in flood defences this year, as part of the largest flood defence programme in English history.
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Millions of rail passengers and drivers will enjoy more reliable journeys this winter, with £2.6 billion invested in rail improvements and £24 billion committed to maintain and improve roads.
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Households to receive advice on simple steps to be more resilient in case of emergencies, including extreme weather, in a new public awareness campaign being launched by the Cabinet Office.
Communities and businesses across the UK will benefit from more resilient infrastructure this winter as the Government takes action to protect the country in case of extreme weather.
Following severe winter weather last season, such as storms Goretti and Chandra, the government is committed to ensuring the country is better protected this year, particularly as a strong El Nino could make wetter and stormier conditions more likely during late autumn and early winter.
To protect communities from heavy rainfall and coastal storms, the Government is delivering more than 600 flood defence projects across England. Together, they form part of the largest flood defence programme in English history, with £1.4 billion being invested in flood defences in 2026/27.
To keep the country moving, the Government is investing more than £24 billion in local road maintenance over the next four years, as well as investing £2.6 billion via Network Rail to climate-proof UK rail infrastructure.
This investment is beginning to be felt across the country, with £33 million having been invested in Durham, as well as £41 million across the North West, to stabilise embankments and protect against landslips.
To safeguard energy infrastructure, communities will see network operators out and about across the country, doing essential maintenance ahead of the winter. Small tasks like removing branches and deploying engineers to at-risk areas can help prevent big outages when storms strike.
All this work builds on outstanding delivery from network operators last winter. Following Storm Amy, 99% of electricity customers were reconnected within 24 hours.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said:
“Keeping people safe and our country moving is the first duty of government.
“Alongside major upgrades to reinforce our flood defences and transport networks, our new household campaign will equip communities with practical guidance to prepare for extreme weather.
“By pairing multi-billion-pound national defences with practical guidance for families, we are ensuring no stone is left unturned in building resilience right across the country this winter”.
This comes ahead of the government’s national campaign launching later this autumn to raise awareness of simple steps households can take in case of everyday emergencies, like severe storms.
This will include simple, low cost and free actions, such as preparing basic household items or joining the Priority Services Register, which helps vulnerable households to get help quicker in the event of electricity, water or telecom outages.
In late September, Security Minister Dan Jarvis visited Leicester to observe community-led resilience efforts firsthand. Insights gathered from Leicester and similar local campaigns have played a vital role in shaping the government’s approach, ensuring guidance directly aligns with communities’ needs.
To design the campaign, the Government has engaged more than 5,000 people and 400 partners, including councils, NHS England, British Red Cross, and National Emergencies Trust.
The campaign will bring the UK into line with almost every other European country, which run similar campaigns already. It will bolster long-running initiatives, such as Flood Action Week and the Met Office’s Weather Ready campaign, which already give households practical guidance to prepare effectively for extreme weather.
