Flood Re, a joint initiative between the UK government and the insurance industry designed to improve access to affordable flood insurance for households at risk, has announced plans to expand BeFloodReady into a national platform dedicated to flood resilience.
The company intends to develop the platform into a central online resource offering reliable information, practical advice, expert support and access to research and innovation. The aim is to help households, communities, local authorities, charities, organisations and businesses better understand flood risks and identify ways to prepare for potential flooding.
Flood Re announced the initiative during Flood Action Week, with support from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and Floods Minister Emma Hardy MP. As part of the plans, Flood Re has acquired the BeFloodReady brand, which was originally established through an Environment Agency Pathfinder project and subsequently owned by Cornwall Council.
Flood Re said that although advice and assistance on flood resilience are available from various organisations, finding relevant information and identifying appropriate measures can be difficult for individuals and communities. The company plans to address this by bringing existing resources together in one place, giving users access to practical guidance, specialist knowledge, tools and resilience services.
The proposed platform will focus on helping people take practical steps to manage flood risk, rather than simply raising awareness. Flood Re said BeFloodReady will aim to help individuals and organisations assess their risks, make preparations to protect properties and businesses, and improve their ability to recover following a flood.
Flood Re’s longer-term ambitions extend to professional development and wider industry collaboration. The company plans to support work on Flood Performance Certificates, expand training and accreditation opportunities for resilience professionals and insurers, and improve connections between property owners and trusted Property Flood Resilience providers.
The platform is also intended to bring together research, evidence and new approaches to flood resilience, creating opportunities for policymakers, researchers, businesses, industry representatives and local communities to share information and expertise.
Kelly Ostler-Coyle, Director of Corporate Affairs at Flood Re, commented: “Flooding can have a devastating impact on people’s lives, homes, businesses and communities. But while we cannot prevent every flood, there is much more we can do to help people prepare, reduce the damage and recover more quickly.
“BeFloodReady exists to make flood resilience easier to understand, easier to access and easier to act on. It’s about creating awareness and turning it into action. Our ambition is to create a trusted place where people can find practical guidance, expert support and clear information before, during and after flooding.
“By bringing together organisations from across the resilience community, we can help more people take simple steps that reduce damage, speed up recovery and build greater confidence for the future.”
Flood Re has identified 22 April 2027 as the date for the official launch of BeFloodReady, which will take place alongside its inaugural conference, Preparing Today, Protecting Tomorrow, in Birmingham.
The conference is expected to attract representatives from government, the insurance sector, local authorities, academic institutions, community groups and businesses involved in flood resilience. Flood Re said the event will feature practical demonstrations, research findings, new developments and discussions focused on approaches to preparing for and managing flood risks.
According to Flood Re, the conference is intended to become an annual event for the UK flood resilience sector, providing an opportunity for stakeholders to exchange knowledge, discuss emerging solutions and consider how preparedness and property protection can be improved.
Through the development of BeFloodReady, Flood Re aims to strengthen access to flood resilience information and support collaboration across the sector, with a focus on helping people make informed decisions before flooding occurs and improving their capacity to manage its consequences.
