The climate crisis is making extreme weather event more frequent and more intense(Image: PA)

Areas of England most vulnerable to extreme weather revealed in new report

Despite admitting having concerns about climate-related property damage, many Brits are unprepared for the impacts of extreme weather with nearly half admitted they'd never checked if their home insurance covers them

by · The Mirror

More than half of Brits have admitted that they would be ill-equipped to deal with flooding or heat damage to their homes made worse by the climate crisis, a new poll has found.

Floods are perceived to be the greatest risk in the next 10 years by 55% of those polled, followed by severe storms (48%) and rising sea levels (47%).

The report also found that homes and businesses in England with the highest chance of flooding face at least £818m in financial costs by 2055. But nearly half (48%) of those polled said they had never checked if their home insurance covered them for the effects of extreme heat, which can cause cracking and subsidence. Despite admitting having concerns about climate-related property damage, more than half (52%) of those polled said they would be unprepared to deal with the impacts of flooding or extreme heat on their property.

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Extreme weather events like flooding and heatwaves are becoming more frequent as the climate crisis intensifies( Image: Phil Mingo/PPAUK)
Hundreds and thousands of Brits are living in areas dangerously at risk of floodingHouseholds in these areas are at high risk due to a lack of flood defences and their location, with economic and social deprivation also often being a factor in affected areasNada Farhoud, 30 Apr 2023

The report also combined publicly available information with claims data from AXA to find the areas of England most vulnerable to climate risks posed by extreme weather, with London coming top of the table for both flooding and heat.

It warned how London is “the epicentre of extreme heat risks, comprising all of the top 10 most vulnerable constituencies” due to a combination of factors that increase their exposure, such as a lack of green space or higher levels of deprivation. Coastal areas of the East, Yorkshire and the Humber are also most vulnerable with Emma Hardy, the Flood Minister’s constituency of Kingston-upon-Hull West and Haltemprice, ranking third most vulnerable to flooding. It highlighted how the area is particularly at risk from rivers and sea flooding due to the presence of the Humber, and reasonably insufficient defences.

Other areas highlighted include Sheffield residents are at high risk for flooding but not heat and Bristol and Birmingham homes are vulnerable to heat but not flooding.

Map of England's areas most vulnerable to climate threats

These findings reveal the climate risks which may pose challenges to the Labour Government's ambitious target of building 1.5m homes before the next Parliament.

Tara Foley, CEO of AXA UK & Ireland , said: “We know that behind every headline about extreme weather is a human story, and we want to protect our customers from the impact of climate change and help them prepare for the future. This report maps out areas in England most at risk from flooding and extreme heat and calculates the associated costs, enabling decision makers to identify where future resources should be targeted and where urgent investment is needed. We support the Government’s ambitious housebuilding target but believe we must ensure existing homes are resilient and future-proofed, and new properties are not built in flood-prone areas. This is crucial to protect our future for generations to come.”