From national industry discussions in Westminster to community engagement in Tenbury Wells and new flood protection research, we reflect on a busy and inspiring Flood Action Week.
Flood Action Week is an annual UK campaign led by the Environment Agency to raise awareness of flood risk and encourage people to prepare for flooding and protect their homes, businesses and communities.
Throughout the week we were proud to support events across the country, share practical flood preparedness advice on LinkedIn and celebrate the progress being made across the wider Property Flood Resilience (PFR) sector.
From exciting research developments to conversations with residents about protecting their homes, here are our highlights from our activity.
Monday 12th October: Free Flood-Ready Guide and PFRnet+ Funding News
We kicked off the week by sharing our practical advice to help home and business owners prepare for flooding ahead of winter.
Our Free Flood-Ready Guide highlighted simple but important steps people can make, including moving valuables to higher places, communicating with neighbours and creating a community flood action plan, knowing where gas and electricity shut-offs are located and understanding your property’s flood risk.
It also included a challenge which encouraged everyone to be more flood-ready in five minutes, using Flood Action Week as the perfect opportunity to start conversations.
- Check your flood risk
- Sign up for flood warnings
- Save emergency contacts
- Identify your utility shut-offs
- Speak to one neighbour
Monday also brought exciting news for the wider PFR sector, with funding approved for PFRnet+, a national research network that we are proud to be supporting as a Founding Partner.
What is PFRnet+?
PFRnet+ brings together five UK universities, UWE Bristol, the University of Hull, the University of Birmingham, the University of Leeds and the University of York, alongside industry, government and community partners.
Its aim is to accelerate the development and adoption of Property Flood Resilience by strengthening research, improving testing and standards, encouraging innovation and turning evidence into practical solutions for homes and businesses.
The network will also work towards a national PFR research and innovation roadmap, helping guide future research and investment over the coming decade.
For us at RAB, this is an important opportunity to contribute to a collaborative effort that makes effective flood resilience measures more accessible and widely adopted.
Click here for more information on PFRnet+
Tuesday 13th October: Driving Collaboration and Raising Awareness
Tuesday saw us in London for not one, but two events geared towards strengthening the PFR industry and improving public understanding of flood risk.
IPFRA Executive Committee Strategy and All Members Meeting, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Westminster
RAB Managing Director Russell Burton and Principal PFR Consultant Andy McHugh joined colleagues from the International Property Flood Resilience Association (IPFRA) to review progress and discuss priorities for increasing the adoption of PFR.
Since launching at Flood & Coast 2025, IPFRA has established itself as a recognised trade body giving the industry a collective voice.
During the meeting, achievements were highlighted including establishing governance, membership and a Code of Conduct, contributing to policy discussions around Flood Performance Certificates, funding and integrated resilience and bringing together government, the Environment Agency, Flood Re, insurers and industry professionals. Technical and policy groups are also working on practical improvements to installation, safe egress, pumps and handover processes.
The Executive Committee also agreed that the next priority is to strengthen IPFRA’s industry voice and establish the Association as the organisation that sets standards for PFR. Discussions with members and supporters followed, exploring how to turn this ambition into action.
BeFloodReady Parliamentary Reception
After a day at RICS, Russell and Andy met up with RAB Flood Risk Consultant, Beth-Irwin Jones at Westminster for the BeFloodReady Parliamentary Reception hosted by Flood Re.
A key highlight was the launch of BeFloodReady as a UK-wide flood-resilience information platform, introduced by Flood Re’s new Chair, Simon Green. The UK’s flood-resilience information platform helps people to get informed, prepared and take action to protect their homes and businesses.
The event also heard from Emma Hardy MP, Minister for Water and Flooding who outlined the Government’s plans to strengthen flood resilience, including £4.2 billion of investment in flood and coastal erosion resilience between April 2026 and March 2029, with a target to better protect 200,000 properties.
Russell also got the opportunity to catch-up with Ed Barsley and his plans and progress for his epic Electric Overland Expedition that RAB are proudly sponsoring. Read more about the Electric Overland Expedition here.
Wednesday 14th October: Supporting the Tenbury Wells Community
Midway through Flood Action Week, and fresh from her evening in London, Beth Irwin-Jones travelled to Tenbury Wells where she joined the Environment Agency and Whitehouse Construction at a FloodMobile drop-in event. Here, they provided residents with an update on the Tenbury Wells Property Flood Resilience Scheme.
Held at Tenbury Community Swimming Pool car park, the FloodMobile gave residents the chance to receive an update on the Tenbury Wells Property Flood Resilience Scheme, meet the project team, ask questions and see PFR measures up close.
Local MPs, flood wardens and people who live and work in the community all turned up with conversations covering the programme of works, potential disruption and the types of measures that may be installed in residents’ homes.
Seeing products in person helped locals understand how different solutions work and how they could reduce the impact of flooding on their properties.
The event also welcomed a BBC Panorama filming crew, who were filming an episode expected to air in November 2026, with the date yet to be confirmed, so we’ll be sure to keep you updated when we get a date!
The day demonstrated the importance of community engagement in delivering successful PFR schemes. Clear communication helps residents understand their options, ask questions and feel informed as projects progress.
Thursday 15th October: Groundwater Guidance and New Flood Protection Research
Thursday brought together discussions on groundwater resilience and new research into low-cost, temporary flood protection products.
PFR Roundtable
Russell Burton contributed remotely to the PFR Roundtable at The Deep in Hull, presenting the ‘Living with Groundwater’ project, which we are delivering as part of Project Groundwater*.
Living with Groundwater is a suite of guidance documents aimed to help people better understand groundwater flooding, their responsibilities and the options available to improve property resilience.
This includes a homeowner guide, Living with Groundwater: A Guide to Understanding Your Rights, Responsibilities and Property Resilience, a position statement for Risk Management Authorities and guidance for professional industry suppliers.
The presentation provided an opportunity to share progress and consult with the wider PFR community.
* This project is funded by Defra as part of the £200 million Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes which is managed by the Environment Agency. The programmes will drive innovation in flood and coastal resilience and adaptation to a changing climate.
Flood Re Research Findings and Drinks Reception
RAB Flood Risk Consultant, Eleanor Widdows, attended a drinks reception hosted by Flood Re at the University of Hull’s PFRlab, which marked the publication of their research into ‘Testing the Performance of Low-cost, Temporary Property Flood Resilience (PFR) Solutions’.
The research tested products designed to reduce water entering properties through standard doors, with some encouraging findings.
‘Flood Putty Tape and wide duct tape reduced leakage by 97%–99% under the tested conditions’.
Performance varied according to factors including door-opening direction, material, condition and installation quality. The tapes also outperformed traditional sandbags in the study in terms of leakage reduction, ease of application and disposal.
These findings highlight the potential of affordable, temporary measures as part of a wider flood preparedness plan. However, results depend on individual circumstances, and no product can guarantee protection in every flooding situation.
The research reinforces the importance of testing and evidence in helping professionals and property owners make informed decisions about flood protection.
Looking Ahead to a More Flood Resilient Future
The week was another success and a valuable opportunity to share knowledge, strengthen partnerships and highlight progress across the PFR sector. Each of the events we attended reinforced the importance of collaboration. So, a big thank you to all the event organisers, our colleagues, industry partners and everyone who took the time to share. It was fantastic to see so many people and organisations working together towards a shared goal.
At RAB, we are proud to work alongside our partners and colleagues to support the progress happening in the industry. And while Flood Action Week may be over, preparing for flooding is a year-round priority, so let’s keep the conversations going. By raising awareness and helping people understand their options, we can continue working towards a safer, more resilient future.
Follow us on LinkedIn (RAB Consultants) for more updates on our work across the industry, or check back here for weekly news articles.