Residents at midnight about dangers posed by flooding

UK residents are unaware of the methods they’ll defend their properties from flooding and different sorts of excessive climate, in keeping with new analysis from Aviva.

A survey of two,000 UK residents reveals that regardless of nearly half (45%) of individuals pondering their house is in danger from flooding, lower than a 3rd (29%) know what steps they’ll take to make their residence extra resilient to a flood.

Issues about flooding stay excessive.  Over two in 5 (43%) admit they’re involved in regards to the impression of flooding on their residence and 57% of individuals would take into account flood threat when selecting a brand new residence.

Nonetheless, many are confused in regards to the dangers their property might face, even when properties are near water.  Whereas half (52%) say proximity to a river or stream would improve the danger of flooding, nearly a 3rd (30%) consider it might don’t have any impression, and worryingly, 9% assume it might lower the danger.  A  comparable image is introduced concerning proximity to sea.

Much less seen dangers additionally trigger confusion. Almost two in 5 (38%) consider a non-permeable driveway may have no impression on the flood threat to their residence, and slightly below half (44%) assume synthetic grass poses no threat.  Nonetheless, with nearly 1 / 4 (23%) of properties within the UK in danger from flooding – with floor water flooding posing the largest threat –  an absence of drainage attributable to synthetic grass or paved driveways could make issues worse.

Making properties climate-ready with flood resilience

The analysis additionally reveals that though consideration for flood resilience is excessive, this doesn’t translate into motion. Nearly all of individuals (85%) agree you will need to construct properties which can be resilient to flooding and 73% say they might search for resilience measures in the event that they had been on the lookout for a brand new residence.

Nonetheless, consciousness and set up of those measures stays low, with lower than a 3rd (29%) figuring out what steps to take to guard their residence. And fewer than half (48%) of residents say they’ve carried out flood resilience measures.  However there are indicators that take-up is slowly growing.  In an analogous survey final 12 months³, solely 33% had taken any steps to enhance resilience of their residence, exhibiting that some progress is being made.

Hannah Davidson, senior residence insurance coverage underwriter at Aviva, stated: “Our climate patterns have gotten more and more unpredictable but many individuals are unaware of the dangers to their residence. It’s worrying that even bodily indicators of water, together with rivers or proximity to sea, aren’t a warning to some residents that flooding may pose a threat to their residence. Many will hope that flooding received’t occur to them, however the actuality is that floods can and do occur wherever, so we should always all be ready.

“Taking steps to make properties climate-ready doesn’t need to be costly or intrusive. Easy measures, corresponding to putting home equipment on plinths or shifting valuables to increased cabinets might help if flood water enters the house. Different measures, together with changing plaster and floorings with extra waterproof equivalents, could make the clear up faster.

“But it surely’s additionally essential for individuals to think about flood threat when making adjustments to their exterior house.  Changing gardens with paved driveways or synthetic grass might look like low-maintenance choices, however the lack of drainage can improve the danger of flash flooding in heavy downpours.  Even a couple of centimetres of water could cause a variety of injury and will imply residents want to maneuver out of their residence.”

The survey additionally reveals that wider issues about local weather change amongst UK adults have dropped since final 12 months. Nearly two in 5 (38%) of adults consider local weather change will impression their residence within the subsequent 12 months, in comparison with 45% who stated this in 2022.  Issues about the long run have additionally decreased, with 50% saying they consider local weather change will impression their residence within the subsequent 5 years and 58% in ten years, in comparison with 59% and 65% respectively final 12 months. The autumn in concern this 12 months may relate to fewer excessive climate occasions in 2023 in comparison with 2022, which noticed heatwaves, flash floods and wildfires. Different points, together with price of residing pressures, is also impacting local weather issues.

Of those that consider local weather change will impression their residence inside a decade, warmth stays the largest fear, with 57% of individuals citing this as a priority. That is adopted by storms (48%) and flooding (33%).

Davidson provides: “Being ready and conscious of flood and local weather change dangers could make an actual distinction, serving to to minimize the emotional and monetary impacts that floods can deliver. Some insurers, together with Aviva, are collaborating in Flood Re’s Construct Again Higher scheme which helps individuals whose properties have suffered vital flood injury to entry property flood resilience in the course of the restore course of.  Making properties climate-ready by putting in resilience measures can cut back the danger of water coming into the house and assist to restrict the impacts of any future flood.”