Stories After the Storms: UK Resilience Charity Launches Flood Study

Stories After The Storms is a new research project that aims to ensure people affected by flooding in the UK, receive the best possible support in the future. The study has been designed by Lancaster University and the National Emergencies Trust, a UK charity that raises funds for those affected by UK emergencies.

People whose lives have been affected by flooding in the UK are being invited to take part in an online survey about the support they have received since, and how helpful they have found this. The Stories After the Storms survey is open to anyone aged 18 and over, whose life has been affected by flooding in the UK. The Trust is also inviting those with experience of flooding to take part in one-to-one interviews or focus group conversations as part of the study.

The Government’s national assessment of UK flood risk estimates that around 5.2 million properties in England, or one in six properties, are at risk of flooding. More than 5 million people live and work in 2.4 million properties that are at risk of flooding from rivers or the sea, one million of which are also at risk of surface water flooding. Annual flood damage costs are in the region of £1.1 billion across England.

Stories After The Storms is supported by the National Flood Forum and Scottish Flood Forum and aims to identify what support and services are most beneficial to those affected by flooding - both in the immediate and longer-term - so that people affected by flooding in the future receive the best possible care.

Stories After The Storms is open to anyone aged 18+ whose life has been affected by flooding in the UK. They can participate in an anonymised online questionnaire, available at https://nationalemergenciestrust.org.uk/stories-after-the-storms/

Anonymised findings will be shared later this year with organisations who can help to make a difference to those affected by flooding in the UK - from the government to healthcare providers, to other civic and charitable bodies.

REACT Disaster Response joined the National Emergencies Trust’s Charitable Partners Programme in August 2023. As part of the Programme, REACT has designed a tailored assistance package that can be activated quickly in the aftermath of a UK emergency, such as a flood, fire or terror attack. In the event of an emergency, REACT can deploy highly trained Responders within as little as four hours to provide early situational awareness, logistical support to vulnerable groups and wider incident management.