Refreshing the National FCERM Strategy for England

About the national FCERM Strategy

The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires the Environment Agency to develop, maintain, apply and monitor a national strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management in England.

The current National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Strategy for England was published in 2020. It sets out a long-term vision for “a nation ready for, and resilient to, flooding and coastal change – today, tomorrow and to the year 2100”.

The Strategy is underpinned by a Strategy Roadmap to 2026. This sets out the detailed delivery plan for all partners involved in achieving the Strategy’s outcomes.

This includes:

• the Environment Agency
• local authorities
• internal drainage boards
• water companies
• highways authorities
• other infrastructure providers
• farmers
• insurers
• environmental organisations
• community groups

About the refresh of the national FCERM Strategy

The Environment Agency has a legal responsibility to review the Strategy and committed to do this in 2026. Emma Hardy, the Floods and Water Minister has sent a letter to the Environment Agency setting out her priorities for the review.

As well as a legal commitment, there are several factors which mean that now is the right time to refresh the FCERM Strategy.

These factors include:

• a new assessment of flood and coastal erosion risk has been recently completed giving a better understanding of the scale of current and future flood risk from rivers, the sea, surface water and coastal erosion
• progress made on managing flood and coastal risk since 2020 - over 90% of the FCERM Strategy Roadmap actions are complete or on track and hundreds of FCERM projects have been completed since 2020 better protecting over 116,000 properties and over 160,000 hectares of agricultural land
• learning and innovation - since 2020 the Flood and Coastal Innovation and Natural Flood Management Programmes have been demonstrating new approaches to adapting to flood and coastal change
• strengthened government priorities and policies - a new FCERM funding policy as well as a 10-year flood investment programme, part of HM Treasury’s 10-year Infrastructure Strategy

How to find out more and get involved with refreshing the national FCERM Strategy

The Environment Agency is engaging with stakeholders through spring and early summer. We will also consult the public later in 2026.

You can find more detail on how to get involved at the Environment Agency’s digital engagement platform.