Exclusive: 839,000 homes in urban areas face threat of surface-water flooding, with social housing tenants most vulnerable to costs
Eight in 10 of the homes that are at high risk of flooding in England are now in towns and cities, according to analysis by the National Housing Federation (NHF), which said social housing tenants are disproportionately vulnerable to the financial cost.
Research found that 839,000 homes in urban areas are now classed as being at high risk of surface water flooding, a threefold increase since 2018.
Constituencies in Thurrock, Basildon, Bootle, Sefton and Southport had the highest proportion of at-risk homes. Areas of London, including Hackney, Barking and Tottenham, also featured in the top 10, and also had the highest proportion of social housing tenants.
Alistair Smyth, the director of policy and research at the NHF, said: “With surface-water flooding a fast-growing threat in towns and cities, this poses a direct risk to people and families living in social housing.
