What happened

Flood Industry reported on 12 October 2026 that Britain’s new Flood and Drought Resilience Taskforce would bring Floods and Drought Minister Emma Hardy together with representatives from more than 50 organisations for its first meeting on 14 October. The report did not specify a venue.

The Environment Agency and Met Office are among the participants, according to Flood Industry. Membership also draws on mayoral authorities, fire and rescue services, and the farming, water and insurance sectors.

Beyond the opening meeting, the taskforce is intended to support a longer-term strategy covering both flooding and drought, the report said. Members will contribute expertise on risk and readiness, with protection of communities and the economy among its stated aims.

Flood Industry reported that the winter assessment would examine how members had changed their responses since last year. It described the country as better prepared than a year earlier, although it did not provide measures supporting that comparison.

The National Drought Group’s technical knowledge and experience will inform the taskforce’s strategic work, according to the report. The 2 groups are expected to maintain close links as the new body develops its approach to resilience and preparedness.

Hardy said the government wanted water management to address flood and drought risks together, rather than treat them separately. She also identified businesses, alongside communities, as a focus of that approach.

The background

A wet winter followed by a prolonged hot summer preceded the country’s 3rd drought in 5 years, Flood Industry reported. It described July as the driest in almost 2 centuries and said a wetter, more intense winter was anticipated.

The government committed at least £10.5bn to flood protection between 2024 and 2036, according to the report. Flood Industry described the programme as England’s largest to date, with homes, businesses and critical infrastructure among the assets it is intended to protect.

For 2026/27, the report put spending on construction and repairs to flood defences at £1.4bn. It also stated that each £1 invested in defences prevents about £8 of economic damage, without setting out the calculation behind that estimate.

Earlier government measures responding to the drought included pressure on water companies to cut leakage, Flood Industry said. The report did not give a leakage reduction target or quantify the water savings achieved.

Support for agriculture included £65m to help farmers build resilience, according to Flood Industry. The report also said rules had been changed to ease construction of on-site reservoirs, but did not identify the provisions amended or give a timetable for reservoir delivery.

What people are saying

Hardy also cited £4.2bn for existing and new flood defences, saying the investment would extend protection to more people. Flood Industry did not explain how that figure related to the funding commitments outlined earlier, so it cannot be treated as an additional allocation.

According to Flood Industry, the taskforce’s approach to community engagement is intended to bring the experience of people affected by flooding and drought into policy development. The report did not identify the community organisations involved or explain how their contributions would be gathered.

What happens next

Beyond reviewing readiness, members will discuss whether lessons emerging from the ongoing drought point to changes that could improve resilience to both water shortages and flooding, Flood Industry reported. The report did not identify specific changes for consideration.

Flood Industry supplied no timetable for recommendations or subsequent meetings, and did not specify whether the opening meeting’s assessment or any resulting actions would be published.