New national network to accelerate UK flood resilience

With co-investigators from the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds and York, a new property flood resilience (PFR) network will bring together experts from government, industry, academia and communities to strengthen the evidence behind PFR, identify research priorities and accelerate innovation.

PFRnet+ delivers on a UK Research and Innovation's (UKRI) commitment published during Flood Action Week 2025, to establish a national research network focused on property flood resilience. The FloodReady Action Plan warned that 6.3 million properties in England are already at risk of flooding, with that figure projected to rise to around eight million by the middle of the century.

The network will bring together expertise from engineering, environmental science, social science, economics, data science, policy and practice, while working closely with insurers, local authorities, government agencies, professional bodies and communities.

Professor Stuart McLelland, Professor of Water Science at the University of Hull and joint lead of PFRnet+, said: “Flooding is one of the most significant environmental challenges we face. Responding to the scale and urgency of flood risk requires greater coordination between researchers, industry, government and communities.

“By bringing that expertise together around shared priorities, we can accelerate innovation and build the evidence needed to make properties and communities more resilient to flooding.”

The University of Hull already plays a leading role in property flood resilience testing through its Property Flood Resilience Innovation and Testing Laboratory (PFRlab), developed with the Environment Agency and Flood Re. The facility supports the development and testing of products designed to reduce flood damage and improve recovery.

Professor Jessica Lamond, Professor of Real Estate and Climate Risk at UWE Bristol and joint lead for PFRnet+, said: “We know that flooding is the most costly and widespread natural hazard in the UK, and we need to develop greater capabilities to inform a national response to the issue which affects millions of people.

“At UWE Bristol we work with stakeholders to build expertise and confidence in PFR. The PFRnet+ is a crucial next step, bringing academia and industry together to understand what works and why.

“The network will develop a research and innovation roadmap that will direct activity and implementation of property flood resilience for the next decade and drive forward a much-needed step-change. Through a national hub that brings together research findings, performance data and best practice, we want the evidence gathered to unlock greater public and private investments in PFR.”

PFRnet+ will focus on five priorities:

• improving flood protection products, testing and standards;
• developing flood-resilient buildings, materials and retrofit solutions;
• using data, modelling and technology to support better decision-making;
• putting people and communities at the centre of flood resilience; and
• unlocking investment and incentives through insurance, finance, policy and regulation.

Through a programme of workshops, training, special interest groups and funded projects, PFRnet+ will connect researchers, industry, government and communities to accelerate the adoption of property flood resilience measures across the UK. A dedicated Flexible Fund will support innovative research, knowledge exchange and practical solutions that reduce flood risk and improve recovery.