The location of a home can give a misleading impression of its exposure to flooding. An urban address should prompt the same careful property checks as a home beside a river. This archive report has been reviewed against the National Housing Federation’s original research announcement.
What the research found
In its analysis published on 29 April 2026, the National Housing Federation reported that 80% of England’s homes classed as being at high risk of flooding were in towns and cities: approximately 839,000 homes. That does not mean that 80% of all urban homes face high flood risk.
The federation combined Environment Agency information on surface-water and river-and-sea flooding with household data from the 2021 Census. These are area-level findings, not a prediction that a particular home will flood on a particular date.
Check the property, not just the postcode
For a purchase or portfolio review, assemble a property-specific file. Useful questions include whether water has entered the building before, which access routes might be affected, and whether drainage maintenance has been recorded. Ask the surveyor to explain any uncertainties rather than treating an attractive location as evidence of low risk.
Keep separate notes for the building, its contents and any interruption to occupation. An insurance quotation should be examined for exclusions and excesses, not simply its headline premium. Obtain clarification from the insurer where the wording is unclear.
Turn the review into practical preparation
Owners and managing agents can use the findings as a reason to review emergency contacts, resident communications and arrangements for reporting blocked drainage. A short, accessible plan is more useful than an untested assumption that someone else will respond.
These are practical planning suggestions. The national research provides context; decisions about an individual property require local evidence and suitable professional advice.