A new report is warning over the impacts of increasing flood risk resulting from climate change on UK citizens.

The report - Home Truths - How climate change is impacting UK homes - by the Climate Coalition, says that the most significant early impacts of climate change for the UK are increases in the frequency and severity of extreme weather.

It goes on to warn that heatwaves and flooding, and possibly storms and drought, all pose a major risk to homeowners.

The report points out that according to the Association of British Insurers, the average household flood claim is likely to be around £31,000. In addition, the Environment Agency says that one in six homes are now at risk of flooding, which is currently leading to more than £1 billion of insured losses a year to UK residents. However, most people are not yet aware of the elevated flood risk UK homeowners now face.

Introducing the report, Rebecca Pow MP, Minister for Flooding at the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs said:

“As this report shows so graphically, the consequences of climate change such as increased flood risk are already having devastating effects on people and businesses.

“Adapting to the inevitable changes in our climate is vital, and we are taking robust action to improve the resilience of our people, economy and environment, including by investing £2.6 billion over six years to better protect our communities from flooding and erosion.

“Tackling climate change and the impact on our environment is both a national and international priority.”

The report says that around 1.8 million people are already living in areas with significant risk of flooding – and that this number could increase to over 40% to 2.6 million in as little as 20 years if the current rate of warming continues.

According to data provided to The Climate Coalition by the Environment Agency, the past dozen years (2007-19) has seen a major flood event nearly every year with almost 100,000 properties damaged in England alone. Coastal, surface or river flooding is causing more than £1 billion worth of damage a year in the UK, the report says.

The report also draws attention to the fact that in addition to flooding, climate change has brought increased risks of extreme heat to homeowners.

“The heatwave experienced in the UK last summer was made ten times more likely - and between 1.5°C and 3°C warmer - because of climate change, according to climate scientists,” the report says.

The record-breaking heatwave in July 2019 also coincided with extremely heavy rainfall in the UK - the intense rainfall led to flooding across large parts of northern England.

The report highlights Environment Agency estimates that, in England alone, an average annual investment of £1 billion will be necessary up to 2065 to manage increasing flood risks from all sources.

Commenting on the report, Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency said:

“As we have been seeing with some of the extreme weather in the UK over the past few years, and as this important report reminds us, the climate emergency means we are faced with rising sea levels and more frequent and intense flooding.”

“We must act now to adapt to these challenges.”

Click here to download Home Truths - How climate change is impacting UK homes