Almost three-quarters of England has now been declared in drought as historically dry and hot weather persists across the country.Officials at the National Drought Group met on Monday and determined that 71.3 per cent of England is now in drought, after half of England and all of Wales reached the criteria in July. They warned all regions of England are experiencing pressure on their water resources, with increasing impacts across agriculture, public supplies, navigation, and the environment. The East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Kent and East Sussex, and Solent and the South Downs today became the latest to move into drought status.The North East and Yorkshire have moved to prolonged dry weather – the stage before drought – with nowhere now deemed in normal status. Drought was already declared across East Anglia, Hertfordshire and London, Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, the West Midlands, and Wessex on 29 July.England and Wales recorded their driest July in records dating back to 1836, with 19 counties of England seeing no rain for the entire month, provisional statistics have shown.‘Situation facing farmers and growers is increasingly concerning’NFU deputy president Paul Tompkins said: “With no meaningful rain forecast in the coming weeks, the situation facing farmers and growers is increasingly concerning.“Many farmers have completed the earliest harvest on record, with poor yields in key crops reported in some areas of the country. Livestock and dairy farmers are already using winter feed because grass has stopped growing, while growers are working hard to keep fruit and vegetables watered, but many are struggling to access the water they need.“To help farmers and growers now, we need to see a risk register for vulnerable businesses and a more responsive abstraction licensing system. Longer term, a consistent and positive planning approach to reservoirs, further rounds of the Water Management Grant and targeted investment in climate adaptation will be vital to build farming's resilience to extreme weather.“Water plays a crucial role in food security and the resilience of our nation. By treating water for food as a strategic priority, government can work with farmers to protect crops, livestock businesses, and the UK’s long-term food security.”Dan Haygarth10 August 2026 17:32‘Drought conditions are worsening and will continue to do so’Tony Grayling, strategic drought lead at the Environment Agency and chair of the National Drought Group, said: “Drought conditions are worsening and will continue to do so until we see significant and sustained rainfall. “We know the hot and dry weather is taking a real toll on farming and there will be long-lasting impacts on our environment. “We want everyone to stay safe and hydrated over the summer, but we need everyone’s help in using a little less water to make sure our current water reserves last. Every drop we can save is a drop more for your local farmers, local wildlife and local rivers.”Dan Haygarth10 August 2026 17:31Almost three-quarters of England is now in drought The National Drought Group has warned all regions of the country are experiencing pressure on their water resources - with increasing impacts across agriculture, public supplies, navigation, and the environment - and conditions are worsening following a dry start to August.The East Midlands, Lincolnshire & Northamptonshire, Kent & East Sussex, and Solent & the South Downs became the latest to move into drought status today. Along with the areas announced last week, most of the country (71.3 per cent) is now experiencing a flash drought – which develops very quickly brought about by a combination of very low rainfall and higher temperatures.This takes the total to 45 million people in a drought area. Over 27 million people are now living under restrictions on water use.Dan Haygarth10 August 2026 17:31