Deteriorating flood defences blamed on Environment Agency budget shortfalls

MPs find agency has reduced number of properties it aims to protect in England despite more new homes being built on floodplains

Deteriorating flood defences mean more than 200,000 homes in England are at risk of flooding, with MPs blaming Environment Agency budget shortfalls.

A report by MPs on the public accounts committee said the EA had failed to meet a target of maintaining 98% of “high consequence” flood defences. The agency has had to downgrade the number of properties it aims to protect by 2027 from 336,000 to 200,000.