Flooding

If you are at risk of flooding (to check, see: Flood risk, maps and warnings), being prepared is your best defence. On this page we provide links to information and guidance to help you.

It is your responsibility to protect your property, particularly if it is in an area that is known to be at risk of flooding.

How to prepare for flooding

Find out what you can do to protect your property, and what it helps to know, before flooding occurs.

Prepare for flooding: Protect your property (gov.uk) (opens new window)

Prepare your own personal plan with this guide: Personal flood plan (gov.uk) (opens new window), keep it in a safe place with other essential items, like spare medication, important documents and contact details.

See our Flood protection products and sandbags page for information on flood protection products and where you can get them.

Get insurance

If you're a homeowner, you can:

• get insurance advice from the Household insurance (nationalfloodforum.org.uk) (opens new window) or Flood insurance - getting the right cover (moneyhelper.org.uk) (opens new window)
• Find an insurer (floodre.co.uk) (opens new window) lower cost home insurance for properties in a flood-risk area
• Contact us (biba.org.uk) (opens new window) insurance for properties that are difficult to insure

Find local support

Find out what support is available in your local area, for example:

• flood action groups - volunteers who work with local councils and agencies to reduce flood risks and represent local people
• community flood wardens - volunteers who monitor a specific local area and tell residents when flooding is likely to happen
• community hubs - where you can find food, clothing, shelter and advice during a flood

See also:

• Flood guidance for towns and parishes
• become a flood warden: Flood Wardens - Prepared Communities (wiltshireandswindonprepared.org.uk) (opens new window)
• Wiltshire's Operational flood working groups

What to do during a flood

For information on what to do during a flood, see: 

What to do before or during a flood (gov.uk) (opens new window)

Immediate actions to take if you're about to be flooded:

• turn off your gas, electricity and water supplies, if it's safe to do so - do not touch an electrical switch if you're standing in water
• move your family, vehicles, pets and important items to safety, for example upstairs or to higher ground
• if you have them, use flood protection products, for example flood barriers or air brick covers
• follow advice from your local council or the emergency services - you may be asked to evacuate

Where they can, the council, emergency services and Environment Agency will help, but if the flooding is over a large area, they may not be able to respond to every call. 

What to do after a flood

Follow the government advice for what to do after a flood, including guidance for those who rent their property. 

What to do after a flood (gov.uk) (opens new window)

Remember, safety is key:

• do not turn on your water, gas or electricity - get your utilities company or a qualified engineer to check they are safe first
• do not drink your tap water if you notice a change in the colour, taste or smell - contact your water company if this happens
• do not eat any food that has been contaminated by flood water

Financial support

There may be financial support from the government after a storm or a flood. Check our Storm grants and support pages for details.