Programme of flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM) schemes
The Environment Agency manages government investment to reduce flood risk and coastal erosion in England.
Government has committed a 3-year investment of £4.2 billion to reduce risk from, and increase resilience to, flooding and coastal erosion. This investment covers the period from April 2026 to March 2029. Government’s new flood funding policy will be implemented from 1 April 2026.
The programme published on 17 March 2026 includes information about projects that will receive an allocation between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027.
This 3-year commitment will benefit homes and non-residential properties such as:
- shops
- business and industrial premises
- schools
- hospitals
- transport links
- utility sites
The Environment Agency is committed to reducing the risk of flooding. This includes the risk of flooding from:
- rivers
- the sea
- groundwater
- surface water
We develop projects to reduce flooding and coastal erosion by working with:
- local authorities
- internal drainage boards
- water companies
- local communities
- environmental non-governmental organisations
The regional flood and coastal committees (RFCCs) support this approach and have consented to the programme.
Future investment in multiyear projects is subject to change and the outcome of both annual RFCC consenting and the future spending reviews.
In June 2025, government announced further information on the longer-term investment programme with the publication of UK’s 10-year Infrastructure Strategy. This strategy commits to £7.9 billion of capital investment in building and repairing flood defences over 10 years from April 2026 to March 2036. This investment will benefit 840,000 properties by reducing the risk of flooding.
On 3 March 2026 the Environment Agency published the new flood and coastal erosion risk management funding policy guidance. This guidance explains how government’s new funding policy will work in practice for new project opportunities.