Flood warnings and flood risk in England

How to check flood risk by postcode in England

Use the Environment Agency's long-term risk service when planning for a home, workplace or regular journey. It covers risk from rivers, the sea, surface water and reservoirs, with groundwater information where available.

The result describes an area. It does not predict whether a particular house will flood, and it does not cover every problem with drains or pipes. Look beyond the front door: an access road, ground-floor entrance or route to a carer may also matter.

Open England's long-term flood-risk service (opens in a new tab)

Live warnings, forecasts and risk maps answer different questions

For conditions now, use the live flooding service. Read the affected locations, issue time and instructions inside each warning. River readings and a five-day outlook provide context, but a single reading is not a personal safety assessment.

For household planning, keep the long-term map alongside your written plan. A map helps you prepare; it does not tell you that a road is safe to use today. Recheck Environment Agency warnings and local travel updates before travelling during a developing incident.

What England's flood warnings mean

• Flood alert: flooding is possible. Check the local message, make contact with anyone who may need help and have your essentials ready.
• Flood warning: flooding is expected. Put your flood plan into action while it is safe; prioritise people and pets over possessions.
• Severe flood warning: there is a danger to life. Follow emergency-service instructions and call 999 if someone is in immediate danger.

Read the Environment Agency advice for a flood (opens in a new tab)

Why you still need a plan for surface-water flooding

England's free warning messages cover rivers, the sea or groundwater depending on the area. They do not provide warnings for surface-water flooding. Heavy rain can therefore create a problem even when you have received no flood message.

Check weather warnings as well as flood information. Consider the places water could collect around your entrance or normal route, and agree an alternative before bad weather. GOV.UK directs enquiries about local surface-water flooding to the council.

Check Met Office weather warnings (opens in a new tab)

A practical 20-minute flood plan for an English household

A useful plan names a person and an action. For example: one household member checks the warning, another contacts the neighbour who has agreed to help. Do not rely on everyone seeing the same message at the same time.

• First five minutes: look up your area, then write down the warning service and council contact you would use.
• Next five minutes: register for warnings from the responsible services where available. Agree who checks them overnight or when someone is away.
• Next five minutes: choose a safer meeting place and discuss how children, pets and anyone with mobility needs would get there.
• Final five minutes: put medicines, a torch, a phone charger and key contact details together. Add anything missing to your normal shopping list.

If flooding reaches your street

Follow local instructions and leave if told to evacuate. Move essential items only while it is safe. Do not touch electrical switches while standing in water or put yourself at risk to move a vehicle.

Once you are safe, use your household contact plan to tell others where you are. If returning home is not possible, seek local council advice about support and accommodation.