Flood help: numbers, checklists and guidance

Practical resources for before, during and after flooding — alongside the live data on FloodRadar. Pair this page with the live map and current warnings.

If there is an immediate risk to life, call 999.
FloodRadar is not an emergency service. Always follow official flood warnings and emergency services instructions.

Emergency & helpful numbers

999Emergency — danger to life

101Non-emergency police

111NHS medical advice

0345 988 1188Floodline (24h) — England, Wales & Scotland. Textphone: 0345 602 6340

0800 80 70 60EA incident hotline (24h) — report flooding from rivers, reservoirs or the sea

105Power cut (free) — England, Scotland & Wales. NI: 03457 643643

0800 111 999Gas emergency (24h, free — Great Britain)

0300 2000 100Northern Ireland Flooding Incident Line (24/7)

Deaf or speech-impaired? Contact 999 via Relay UK on 18000, or register for emergencySMS to text 999.

Official flood information

Check current flood warnings (GOV.UK) → Prepare for flooding (GOV.UK) → Sign up for official flood warnings (GOV.UK) → Report flooding to the right authority (GOV.UK) → Power cut help (105) → Scotland: SEPA flood updates → Wales: Natural Resources Wales flood warnings →

Flood preparation checklist

Before heavy rain

Sign up for official flood warnings
Check your flood risk — try the postcode briefing on our homepage and the recorded floods map
Know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water
Keep important documents in a waterproof bag, somewhere high
Make a simple household flood plan (who does what, where you'd go)
Identify safe parking or high ground for vehicles
Check your insurance covers flooding (see below)

When flooding is possible

Move valuables, electronics and sentimental items upstairs or up high
Charge phones and power banks
Gather medicines, glasses, baby and pet supplies
Keep pets somewhere safe and easy to reach
Never walk or drive through flood water
Check on vulnerable neighbours — only if safe

After flooding

Photograph and video all damage before cleaning up
Contact your insurer as early as possible
Treat flood water as contaminated — wear gloves and boots
Ventilate and dry the property gradually and safely
Use reputable, traceable tradespeople for repairs

Flood preparation products — what helps and what to check

These are preparation aids, not guaranteed protection. No product suits every property, and none replaces acting on official warnings. We list categories and buying considerations — not specific brands.

Flood barriers & door guards

Slot across doorways to slow shallow water entering through external doors.

Limitations: must fit correctly; won't stop groundwater, sewage backup or water through walls/floors.

Check before buying: door width, threshold type, storage space, fitting time.

Sandbags & modern alternatives

Divert shallow surface flows away from openings. Absorbent "sandless" bags swell on contact with water and store flat.

Limitations: slow to deploy, limited height, won't seal a property.

Check: how many you need, dry storage, disposal after a flood (may be contaminated).

Air brick covers

Seal air bricks, a common entry point for shallow flood water.

Limitations: must be removed after flooding to restore ventilation; measure your air bricks first.

Non-return valves

Stop sewage backing up through toilets and drains during floods.

Limitations: usually needs professional installation; requires maintenance.

Water pumps

Remove standing water from cellars or gardens after flooding.

Limitations: pumping out too early can damage structures if groundwater is still high; electric pumps need safe power.

Wet/dry vacuums & dehumidifiers

Speed up clean-up and drying after water gets in.

Check: tank capacity, extraction rate, running cost — drying a flooded room takes weeks, not days.

Moisture meters

Track how walls and floors are drying before redecorating.

Limitations: cheap meters indicate trends rather than absolute values.

Waterproof document bags

Keep passports, insurance documents and irreplaceable photos safe and findable.

Emergency grab bag

Pre-packed essentials: torch, power bank, radio, first aid kit, medicines, water, snacks, spare keys, cash.

Check: review contents twice a year; include children's and pets' needs.

Torches, head torches & battery radios

Floods often bring power cuts. A wind-up or battery radio keeps you informed if mobile networks fail.

Waterproof boots & gloves

Flood water is frequently contaminated with sewage. Protect skin during any clean-up.

Pet carriers & supplies

A carrier per pet, plus food and medication, makes evacuation far less stressful.

Insurance guidance

Check both buildings and contents cover mention flooding explicitly, and check your flood excess — it can be higher than your standard excess.
Renters: the landlord's insurance covers the building only — you need contents insurance for your possessions.
Look for "trace and access" and "alternative accommodation" cover — flooding often means moving out while the property dries.
Businesses: consider business interruption cover, not just property damage.
If you flood: notify your insurer immediately, photograph everything before clean-up, and keep receipts for all emergency spending.
Flood Re is a joint insurance-industry/government reinsurance scheme (running until 2039) that helps households in flood-risk areas get affordable home insurance. Broadly, your home qualifies if it was built and council-tax-banded before 2009 and you live in it — most buy-to-let is excluded. Can Flood Re help me? →
Insurers participating in Flood Re (per floodre.co.uk's list, checked June 2026 — not exhaustive, as insurers can opt out of being listed): Aviva, Admiral, AXA, Ageas, Direct Line, Churchill, LV=, More Than, NFU Mutual, Halifax, Nationwide, NatWest, Sainsbury's Bank, Zurich, Hiscox, RSA and others — plus flood-risk specialists such as Flood Assist and HomeProtect.
Turned down by mainstream insurers? The British Insurance Brokers' Association runs a dedicated flood insurance directory and find-a-broker service: BIBA find-a-broker → or call 0370 950 1790 (Mon–Fri 9am–6pm).

This is general information, not insurance advice. Check your policy and speak to your insurer or broker.

For businesses, landlords and rural properties

Shops, cafés & restaurants: raise stock and electricals off the floor; keep a one-page continuity plan (suppliers, staff contacts, insurer) somewhere dry and digital.
Landlords & holiday lets: share the local flood warning area and this page with tenants/guests; check your policy covers loss of rent and guest relocation.
Offices: protect servers and paperwork first; agree a work-from-home trigger before water arrives, not after.
Farms & rural: plan livestock movement to high ground early — moving animals in flood water is dangerous; secure fuel/chemical stores so floods don't spread contamination.
Everyone: photograph premises now, while dry — "before" evidence makes claims faster.

FloodRadar summarises public flood data to help you stay informed. It is not an emergency service and does not replace official flood warnings, local authority advice or emergency services instructions. Phone numbers and links checked June 2026 — always verify with the official source.