Amanda Blanc, chief executive of Aviva, has warned that new homes currently being built in flood-risk areas could become uninsurable in future decades as flooding threats intensify. She argues that with 115,000 homes expected to be constructed in flood zones over the next decade, building policies need to reconsider where properties are sited, as these locations are well-documented and developers have alternatives.

Currently, 6.3 million properties in England face flood risk, with this figure potentially rising to around 8 million (one in four properties) by mid-century as climate change accelerates. Aviva's research shows that nearly a third of homes built in 2024 will face some flooding risk by 2050, and one in seven will be at medium-to-high risk. The Met Office has also noted that severe winter flooding events have become significantly more frequent, shifting from occurring once every 80 years to once every 20 years.