
“The storms this winter have devastated lives and livelihoods,” Environment Secretary Steve Reed said.
“The role of any government is to protect its citizens.”
Between 2021 and 2024, the Conservative government spent just over £1bn a year on flood defences.
But last year, a cross-party committee of MPs said it had failed to properly maintain sufficient existing flood defences or build enough new ones.
In each of the next two years, if all the announced money is spent, that figure will rise to more than £1.3bn.
Nearly 1,000 projects will receive funding, with more than 66,000 of the most at risk properties set to be be better protected.
The projects include:
-
£43m for Bridgwater Tidal Barrier Flood Defence Scheme, in Somerset
-
£35m for a flood-risk-management scheme in Derby
-
£3.5m for the Poole Bridge to Hunger Hill Flood Defence Scheme, in Dorset
-
£2.5m to support property-flood-resilience schemes across Leics, Derbys and Notts
-
£2m to protect communities in Bewdley, Worcs
More than £100m has been earmarked to repair and maintain defences, some of which were damaged in last year’s floods.