Around here we know that the next flood is on its way – we just don’t know when, how deep or for how long. We also know that local land drainage infrastructure maintenance is lacking – and that the local flood defence projects are currently under review.
I asked Claude (Ai) to consider the availability of Natural Flood Management (NFM) funding. Here is the initial Ai response:
Let me search for more specific information about current NFM funding availability.
Based on my search results, yes, DEFRA Natural Flood Management funding is still available, though the landscape is evolving. Here’s what I found:
Current funding status:
The government is committing a record 2-year investment of £2.65 billion in flood and coastal erosion risk management. This covers April 2024 to March 2026. However, in the Autumn Budget 2024 the Labour Government said that it is providing £2.4 billion over 2024-25 and 2025-26 for flood defences, but added that “significant funding pressures” on this budget meant that “it is necessary to review these plans from 2025-26”.
Specific NFM programmes:
- Natural Flood Management Programme: Work will take place on these projects between now and 31 March 2027
- Rivers Trust funding: The Rivers Trust movement has been awarded a combined total of £5.6m from the Defra Natural Flood Management programme.
- Capital Grants: The Capital Grants offer is now open for new applications. This new round will make £150 million of funding available to farmers, land managers and rural businesses for practical environmental improvements across England.
Future changes: There’s currently a consultation on reforming flood funding approaches, with the new approach will be launched in time for the start of our new flood investment programme in April 2026.
I’d recommend checking the official GOV.UK Natural Flood Management programme page and contacting the Environment Agency directly for the most current application details, as funding streams and eligibility criteria can change frequently.
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