Flooding - The Facts 
 
Flooding is the greatest threat to the UK posed by climate change 
1 in 6 properties in England and Wales and 1 in 22 homes in Scotland are at risk of flooding, with as high as 1 in 4 properties in the London area 
Climate change and increasing urbanisation, building on floodplains and paving over gardens in towns for parking spaces, are all contributing factors that increase the occurrence of flash flooding 
The risk of all types of flooding is rising every year and reports of flooding are now on average twice as frequent as they were a hundred years ago in the UK 
In 2012 almost half a million flood insurance claims were made, totalling £1.2 billion worth of damage 
5.8 million properties across the UK are at risk of flooding from surface, groundwater, river, or coastal flooding 

How to prepare 

Flooding can happen anywhere and at any time even if you don't live near a river, the sea or a waterway. During extended periods of heavy rain, drains become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of water falling into them. If the ground is already waterlogged, even small amounts of rainfall will have difficulty in soaking away, causing run-off and flash flooding. 
 
Flooding can devastate lives and cause serious damage to your property. It is essential to be prepared in advance in case flooding occurs. 
 
If you are worried about flooding and want to find out if you are at risk, the Environment Agency website is a great source of information. 
 
If you think your home or business is in an area at risk of flooding, there are a number of easy steps you can take to prepare: 
 
Sign up for regular free flood warnings - The Environment Agency or your local council may provide this service. 
Make a flood plan - List the practical actions to be taken to reduce the risks and or potential losses due to floods. 
Install flood protection equipment 
Useful Flood Information & Support 
 
Floodline - +44 (0) 845 988 1188 
Environment Agency - https://www.gov.uk/government/... 
Consumer Council for Water - https://www.ccwater.org.uk/  
National Flood Forumhttps://nationalfloodforum.org.uk/  
Scottish Flood Forum - http://www.scottishfloodforum.org/  
Blue Pages directory - http://bluepages.org.uk/  
Association of British Insurers (ABI) - Tel: +44 (0) 20 7600 3333 www.abi.org.uk  
British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) - Tel: +44 (0) 870 950 1790 www.biba.org.uk  
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) - http://www.rics.org/uk/knowledge/consumer-guides/guide-to-flooding 
Know Your Flood Risk Campaign - http://www.knowyourfloodrisk.co.uk/ 
 
Don’t wait until it is too late.  
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