Government sets out winter weather plans including £1.4 billion for flood defences

The Government has set out measures to protect communities across the UK from extreme weather this winter. These include £1.4 billion for flood defences in England in 2026/27 and a public awareness campaign to help households prepare for emergencies. The announcement does not name any specific projects in Newcastle.

The flood funding covers more than 600 projects across England, which the Government says form the largest flood defence programme in English history. It follows severe weather last winter, including storms Goretti and Chandra. The Government also warned that a strong El Nino could make wetter and stormier conditions more likely during late autumn and early winter.

On transport, more than £24 billion is being invested in local road maintenance over the next four years, and £2.6 billion is going via Network Rail to climate-proof UK rail infrastructure. This includes £33 million invested in Durham and £41 million across the North West to stabilise embankments and protect against landslips.

Electricity network operators are carrying out maintenance ahead of winter, such as removing branches and sending engineers to at-risk areas. After Storm Amy last winter, 99% of electricity customers were reconnected within 24 hours.

A national campaign launching later this autumn will set out simple, low-cost and free steps households can take in emergencies such as severe storms. These include preparing basic household items and joining the Priority Services Register, which helps vulnerable households get help more quickly during electricity, water or gas outages. More than 5,000 people and 400 partners, including councils, NHS England, the British Red Cross and the National Emergencies Trust, helped design the campaign.

Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: "Keeping people safe and our country moving is the first duty of government."