The short answer
Check your flood risk and sign up for free flood warnings: through GOV.UK or Floodline (0345 988 1188) in England, Natural Resources Wales in Wales, and SEPA Floodline in Scotland. Make a flood plan, pack a grab bag, put documents in waterproof bags and learn how to turn off gas, electricity and water. When a flood warning is issued, move people, pets and valuables upstairs and turn off the supplies if it's safe. Never walk or drive through flood water. Afterwards, photograph the damage, mark the water level on the wall, and speak to your insurer before you repair or throw anything away.
Official advice first
Flood warnings are free, and they are the single most useful thing you can set up today. Where you sign up depends on where you live:
| Nation | How to get warnings | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| England | GOV.UK: sign up for flood warnings by text, phone or email | Floodline 0345 988 1188 (24 hours) |
| Wales | Natural Resources Wales flood warning sign-up (free) | Floodline 0345 988 1188 |
| Scotland | SEPA Floodline registration (needs an email address) | 0345 988 1188, option 2 for Scotland |
| Northern Ireland | We didn't find a sign-up warning service on nidirect. To report flooding on roads, burst mains or blocked drains, call the Flooding Incident Line | 0300 2000 100 (24 hours, not for emergencies) |
In every nation, call 999 if anyone is in immediate danger.
Before a flood
- Check your long-term flood risk from rivers, the sea, surface water, reservoirs and groundwater (GOV.UK; SEPA has a postcode check for Scotland).
- Sign up for flood warnings (table above). If you have a disability or need extra help, Be Ready says Floodline can send warnings to a friend or relative too.
- Make a personal flood plan and keep it with your medicines, documents and contact details (GOV.UK).
- Pack a grab bag: medicines, first aid kit, documents, torch, bottled water, warm waterproof clothes and baby items (Be Ready). See our go bag checklist.
- Put documents in resealable waterproof bags, and move valuable or sentimental things upstairs or up high (Be Ready).
- Learn where and how to turn off your gas, electricity and water (Be Ready).
- Check your home insurance covers flooding (Be Ready). See Flood Re below.
- Think about flood-proofing, such as barriers or air brick covers, and check whether the work needs permission (Be Ready).
What each warning means (England)
The Environment Agency uses three levels:
| Level | What it means | Usual notice | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood alert | Flooding is possible. Get ready | 2 to 12 hours | Be ready to follow your flood plan. Get insurance papers and medicines ready. Avoid walking, cycling or driving through flood water |
| Flood warning | Flooding is expected. Take action straight away | 30 minutes to 2 hours | Move people, pets and valuables upstairs or to higher ground. Turn off gas, electricity and water if it's safe. Put flood protection in place |
| Severe flood warning | Danger to life | When flooding threatens life | Stay somewhere safe and be ready to leave. Follow the emergency services. Call 999 if you're in immediate danger |
During a flood
- Never touch an electrical switch while standing in water (GOV.UK, Be Ready).
- Leave if the emergency services or council tell you to. Be Ready says delaying can put your life, and the lives of rescuers, at risk.
- Don't put yourself at risk to move cars or belongings once a severe flood warning is in force (GOV.UK).
- Never walk, cycle or drive through flood water. It may hold sewage, and it can hide rubbish, uneven ground and open drain or manhole covers (GOV.UK).
- On the road, turn round. Be Ready says driving through flood water is the number one cause of death in floods. The Environment Agency has said just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float a car.
- Report severe river or coastal flooding in England on the Environment Agency's 24-hour line, 0800 80 70 60 (Be Ready).
After a flood
- Keep out of flood water unless you have no choice. Levels can rise and fall for weeks, and the water can be much deeper than it looks (Be Ready).
- Wash your hands with warm, soapy water after touching flood water, sewage or anything that's been in it (Be Ready).
- Photograph or film all the damage, and mark the water level on the walls before it goes down (Be Ready).
- Get your insurer's approval before repairs, and don't throw anything away until they say so. Insurers may pay for somewhere to stay and for the clean-up (Be Ready).
- No insurance? Ask your council about hardship grants or charities that may help (Be Ready).
- Can't live at home? Ask your council about emergency accommodation (Be Ready).
Flood Re, in plain words
Flood Re is a joint scheme between the Government and insurers. It aims to make the flood part of home insurance more affordable. You don't sign up to it yourself: your insurer decides whether to use it for your policy. Flood Re's website has a tool to check whether your home is eligible and to find an insurer that uses the scheme.
Pets and floods
Bring pets inside and upstairs when a flood is predicted, and keep their food, bedding and water dry (RSPCA). See what to prep for your pets for a full list.
What we couldn't confirm
- We didn't find a public flood warning sign-up for Northern Ireland on nidirect, only the reporting line. Check with your council.
- The 30cm figure comes from an Environment Agency director quoted in a 2019 GOV.UK press release, not from the current flood guidance pages, which give no depth figures. The advice is the same either way: don't drive into flood water.
- We didn't read Flood Re's eligibility rules in full (the page didn't load), so use Flood Re's own checker.
What to buy
About these links: plain links to ordinary retailer pages. We may earn from some links in future; we don't now. We haven’t tested these and we don’t rank them: they are examples that were in stock when we checked. Prices change. Check what you already own first. Full kit list
Waterproof document wallet or resealable bags
Look for: Big enough for copies of passports, insurance details and medicine lists.
- Waterproof Document Pouch - Translucent PVC · EVAQ8 · £5.11 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
Torch or head torch, plus spare batteries
Look for: Runs on the same AA or AAA batteries as your other kit, so one spare pack covers everything. A head torch leaves both hands free.
- Alpkit Ionic 350 Lumen Head Torch · Alpkit · £15.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Intensity 155 LED Head Torch · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £19.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Alpkit Kula 550 Lumen Head Torch · Alpkit · £19.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Lifesystems Intensity 480 LED Hand Torch · Lifesystems (UK brand store) · £29.99 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
- Dynamo Powered Wind-Up Pocket LED Torch · EVAQ8 · £3.60 (price on 1 November 2026) Shop
A bag you can carry
Look for: Comfortable for a long walk, with room for medicines, documents, water, a torch and warm waterproof clothes.
Frequently asked questions
I live somewhere that floods. What should I do first?
Check your long-term flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings, and make a personal flood plan (Environment Agency). Then pack a grab bag and learn where your stop tap, gas valve and fuse board are (Be Ready).
What's the difference between a flood alert and a flood warning?
In England, a flood alert means flooding is possible: get ready. It's usually issued 2 to 12 hours ahead. A flood warning means flooding is expected: take action straight away. It's usually issued 30 minutes to 2 hours ahead. A severe flood warning means danger to life (Environment Agency).
How deep does water need to be to move a car?
The Environment Agency has said that just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float a car. Be Ready says driving through flood water is the number one cause of death in floods. If you meet a flooded road, turn round.
How do I get flood warnings in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland?
Scotland: register with SEPA's Floodline online, or call 0345 988 1188 (option 2 for Scotland). Wales: sign up free through Natural Resources Wales, or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188. Northern Ireland: report flooding on roads, burst mains or blocked drains to the Flooding Incident Line on 0300 2000 100, 24 hours. It isn't for emergencies: call 999 if anyone is in danger.
What is Flood Re?
Flood Re is a joint scheme between the Government and insurers that aims to make the flood part of home insurance more affordable. You don't apply to it directly: your insurer decides whether to use it. Flood Re's website has a tool to check if your home is eligible and to find an insurer.
Is it safe to walk through flood water?
No. Be Ready says flood water may contain sewage and hidden hazards, and can be much deeper than it looks. GOV.UK adds it can hide rubbish, uneven ground and open drain or manhole covers. Wash your hands well after touching it.
Sources
We opened each page on the date shown. Official advice changes: if a source says something different now, follow the source.
- GOV.UK: Prepare for flooding (read 1 November 2026)
- GOV.UK: What to do during a flood (read 1 November 2026)
- Environment Agency (GOV.UK): Flood alerts and warnings, what they are and what to do (read 1 November 2026)
- Environment Agency (GOV.UK press release, 19 December 2019): Driving complacency, 74% of drivers would risk life in flood water (read 1 November 2026)
- GOV.UK Be Ready: flooding (read 1 November 2026)
- Natural Resources Wales: Sign up to receive flood warnings (read 1 November 2026)
- SEPA: Floodline registration (read 1 November 2026)
- SEPA: Flooding (read 1 November 2026)
- nidirect: Reporting flooding (read 1 November 2026)
- Flood Re (read 1 November 2026)
- RSPCA: Keeping animals safe during floods (read 1 November 2026)
Related guides
- Flood alerts and flood warnings: what each level means and what to do
- Check your flood risk, and the other risks where you live
- Storm and flood preparation in the UK
- What to do after a flood: a calm, step-by-step guide
- How to turn off your gas, electricity and water
Free tools
We're an independent UK site, not the government. We check guides against official sources and link to them. In an emergency call 999.
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