Am I at flood risk and what can I do about it?
With the increase of extreme weather and frequent reports of flooding across the UK in the news we understand that residents across East Sussex may be concerned about the risk of flooding they face.
Whilst flooding is often obvious to see, the processes creating that flooding can be complex and difficult to understand. Although many agencies are working together to better understand and manage flood risk across the county, there is no way to completely remove the risk of flooding from many areas. This is where home and business owners can also play a part.
Here you can check whether your property is at risk of flooding and if it is, find guides on how to prepare for flooding should it ever occur.
Check your flood risk
Check your flood risk from large rivers and the sea
The Environment Agency has produced flood maps showing areas which could be affected by flooding from rivers and the sea.
These maps were updated in early 2025 and are available to view online here: Check the long term flood risk for an area in England - GOV.UK.
Check your flood risk from heavy rain (surface water)
The Environment Agency has produced flood maps showing areas which could be affected by flooding following heavy rain (known as surface water or pluvial flooding). These maps show areas which could be flooded by rainwater running over land and where small streams/ ditches could become overwhelmed during heavy rain.
These maps were updated in early 2025 and are available to view online here: Check the long term flood risk for an area in England - GOV.UK.
Sign up for flood warnings
A national flood warning service is available for flooding from rivers, the sea and groundwater. You can sign up for this service for free at: Sign up for flood warnings - GOV.UK.
Unfortunately, due to the complex nature of flooding from heavy rainfall (surface water) there is currently no flood warning service for this source of flooding.
We advise all residents, and especially those at risk of surface water flooding, to be aware of any weather warnings issued by the Met Office. Weather warnings for the whole of the UK can be viewed online at: Warnings and advice - Met Office.
Be prepared
No flood defence or flood management scheme can ever remove the risk of flooding completely and flooding can occur quickly and with limited warning. It’s therefore important for residents and businesses to prepare for flooding in advance of an event reduce the damage and disruption flooding can cause.
Two important things residents and business owners in areas of flood risk can do in advance to help prepare are:
- Preparing a flood plan.
- Environment Agency guides are available online for personal, business or community flood plans by following the links below:
- BeFloodReady also have a template to help you create a flood plan for your home, available to download from their website at: Creating a personal flood plan - BeFloodReady.
- An Environment Agency guide to protecting your property is available online at Prepare for flooding: Protect your property - GOV.UK.
Property level flood resilience
Residents of East Sussex, especially those in areas of increased flood risk, may have come across the term property level flood resilience. Also known as PFR, this is an important element of flood risk management and includes measures installed into buildings to reduce the risk of floodwater entering the building.
The aim of PFR is to help residents and businesses reduce the damage caused by flooding, helping to speed up recovery and reoccupation.
You can find more information about PFR on the BeFloodReady website.
