Flooding: be prepared
Read our flood advice and guidance booklet for ways to prepare for a possible flood in your local area.
Plan ahead for possible flooding
Flooding in homes is rare, but sadly it does happen. By planning ahead, you can protect your family – and your possessions.
Read our flood advice and guidance booklet [PDF] for ways to prepare for a possible flood in your local area. The booklet also includes contact details for key organisations that you may need to contact if flooding occurs.
You don’t need to live near a river or a stream for your home to be at risk of flooding. Flooding can be caused by various factors, such as blocked drains or lots of heavy rain that falls over a short time period. Your home may be at risk if flooding has happened before in your area, or if your area is shown to be at risk on a flood map. You can check the flood risk for your area on the Gov.uk website.
If you’ve got questions or concerns about flooding, contact NCHA.
Flooding: useful tips
Plan ahead
- Check if your area may be at risk from flooding
- Sign up to flood warnings for your area
- Check you have the correct home contents insurance with an insurer that covers flood risk
- Know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water
supplies - Keep a list of useful telephone numbers you might need in
an emergency - Create an emergency flood kit containing essentials,
medication, clothes, etc - Make a household plan for moving important documents and items to higher ground.
If flooding is expected
- Always follow advice from your local council and
emergency services - Turn off your gas, electricity and water supplies if it’s safe
to do so - Take items upstairs if possible, and move people and pets
to safety - Use flood protection products if able (e.g. flood barriers)
- Take detailed photos of your home contents before any
flooding happens.
During and after flooding
- If there’s risk to life, call 999
- Move to a place of safety and don’t enter flood water as
there may be hazards - Do not turn on your water, gas or electricity
- Check with the emergency services it’s safe before returning
to your home - Be careful touching contaminated items that have been in
contact with flood water - NCHA will arrange for a Technical Inspector to assess any
damage for repairs - Contact your insurance company – don’t get rid of any
items until advised to do so.
Useful contacts
- Contact NCHA on 0800 013 8555. They will advise you of the support available and our emergency accommodation process (if you’ve been evacuated).
- Find your local council
- Find your local water company
- Floodline helpline: 0345 988 1188
- Citizens Advice Bureau
- National Flood Forum
