Property Flood Risk Index
UK Property Flood Risk Index 2026
We ranked 39English cities by the share of homes at flood risk, using the Environment Agency's latest National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA2). The finding most buyers get wrong: surface water — not rivers — is the dominant flood threat in 34 of the 39 cities.
Headline findings
- Bristol has the highest surface-water flood risk: 14.71% of homes in a High or Medium risk band.
- In Kingston upon Hull, 85.99% of all properties sit in an at-risk band from rivers and the sea — 126,452 homes.
- Surface water is the leading flood source in 34 of 39 cities.
Last updated: 17 June 2026. Editorially reviewed: 17 June 2026.
Media and citation pack
Use this flood-risk dataset in a story
Journalists, local publishers and property writers can cite the index freely with attribution to MyPropertyScan and the Environment Agency. The strongest local angle is surface-water flooding: it is less visible than river flooding and is the dominant risk source in 34 of the 39 cities ranked.
Top local hook
Bristol has the highest surface-water exposure, with 63,579 homes in an at-risk band.
Citation
MyPropertyScan analysis of Environment Agency NaFRA2 flood-risk data, 2026.
Downloads
Download CSV datasetIncludes ranks, local authorities, flood source, and high/medium risk percentages.
Suggested attribution
Source: MyPropertyScan analysis of Environment Agency National Flood Risk Assessment data. Full ranking and downloadable dataset: UK Property Flood Risk Index 2026.
Tool shortcut
Check flood signals for a UK address in 15 seconds
Flood-zone signals where available, with the manual follow-up checks spelled out.
Run a free previewHighest surface-water flood risk
Surface water (pluvial) flooding happens when heavy rain overwhelms drains, and it can affect homes nowhere near a river. It is the most under-reported flood risk for buyers because it rarely shows on the headline river map. Share of homes in a High or Medium surface-water band:
#1
Bristol
14.71%
#2
Cambridge
12.47%
#3
London
11.16%
#4
Luton
10.54%
#5
Gloucester
9.93%
The classic river and tidal flood cities
A handful of cities are dominated by river and coastal flood risk rather than surface water. Ranked by the share of all properties in any at-risk band from rivers and the sea:
- Kingston upon Hull: 85.99% of properties at risk (126,452 homes).
- Lincoln: 24.71% of properties at risk (14,606 homes).
- Chichester: 12.1% of properties at risk (10,049 homes).
- York: 10.39% of properties at risk (11,646 homes).
- Bath: 8.33% of properties at risk (8,742 homes).
Full ranking: 39 cities
Download the dataset (CSV)Ranked by the higher of the two “meaningful risk” figures (the share of homes in a High or Medium band, for surface water or for rivers and sea). Click a city for its local flood-risk guide.
| # | City | Surface water (H+M) | Rivers & sea (H+M) | Dominant source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol | 14.71% | 1.44% | Surface water |
| 2 | Cambridge | 12.47% | 1.56% | Surface water |
| 3 | London | 11.16% | 1.25% | Surface water |
| 4 | Luton | 10.54% | 0.44% | Surface water |
| 5 | Gloucester | 9.93% | 4.86% | Surface water |
| 6 | Lincoln | 9.77% | 9.86% | Rivers & sea |
| 7 | Leicester | 7.43% | 2.37% | Surface water |
| 8 | Derby | 7.36% | 1.53% | Surface water |
| 9 | Wolverhampton | 7.2% | 0.91% | Surface water |
| 10 | Milton Keynes | 6.94% | 0.39% | Surface water |
| 11 | Oxford | 6.86% | 4.59% | Surface water |
| 12 | Salford | 6.65% | 1.48% | Surface water |
| 13 | Elywider authority area | 6.59% | 5% | Surface water |
| 14 | Peterborough | 6.44% | 2.32% | Surface water |
| 15 | Kingston upon Hull | 2.91% | 6.19% | Rivers & sea |
| 16 | Coventry | 6.03% | 0.54% | Surface water |
| 17 | Manchester | 5.73% | 1.3% | Surface water |
| 18 | Worcester | 5.39% | 1.52% | Surface water |
| 19 | Leeds | 5.04% | 1.31% | Surface water |
| 20 | Newcastle upon Tyne | 5% | 0.17% | Surface water |
| 21 | Liverpool | 4.96% | 0.49% | Surface water |
| 22 | Northamptonwider authority area | 4.79% | 1.07% | Surface water |
| 23 | Stoke-on-Trent | 4.7% | 1.15% | Surface water |
| 24 | Nottingham | 4.66% | 4.49% | Surface water |
| 25 | York | 4.49% | 4.55% | Rivers & sea |
| 26 | Exeter | 4.46% | 1.85% | Surface water |
| 27 | Chichester | 2.54% | 4.4% | Rivers & sea |
| 28 | Guildford | 4.37% | 2.14% | Surface water |
| 29 | Birmingham | 4.26% | 1.38% | Surface water |
| 30 | Bradford | 4.26% | 1.35% | Surface water |
| 31 | Herefordwider authority area | 4.2% | 2.51% | Surface water |
| 32 | Sunderland | 4.16% | 0.22% | Surface water |
| 33 | Bathwider authority area | 3.7% | 4.15% | Rivers & sea |
| 34 | Shrewsburywider authority area | 4.13% | 1.39% | Surface water |
| 35 | Reading | 3.91% | 3.16% | Surface water |
| 36 | Sheffield | 3.77% | 1.51% | Surface water |
| 37 | Southampton | 3.69% | 2.27% | Surface water |
| 38 | Plymouth | 3.28% | 1.07% | Surface water |
| 39 | Winchester | 3.09% | 0.77% | Surface water |
England only. Welsh and Scottish cities are assessed by Natural Resources Wales and SEPA respectively and are not included. Four cities (Ely, Hereford, Shrewsbury, Northampton) sit inside a larger local authority, so their figures cover a wider area than the city itself.
Method and sources
Figures are the percentage of properties in each local authority that fall in a High (≥3.3% annual chance) or Medium (1–3.3%) flood-risk band, from the Environment Agency's National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA2, published December 2024). Rivers and sea and surface water are reported separately because a single property can sit in both, so the two are never added together. Cities are matched to their local authority district; London uses the Office for National Statistics London region.
Data source: Environment Agency Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea and Risk of Flooding from Surface Water Key Summary Information, under the Open Government Licence v3.0. You are free to reuse this analysis and the dataset with attribution to MyPropertyScan and the Environment Agency.
Check a specific address
A city-level ranking is a starting point, not an address verdict. Flood risk varies street by street. Run the postcode through the flood risk checker and read the flood risk buying guide before you make an offer.
Run the check
Check flood signals for a UK address in 15 seconds
Flood-zone signals where available, with the manual follow-up checks spelled out.
Run a free previewFrequently asked questions
Which UK city has the highest flood risk?
Based on Environment Agency NaFRA2 data, Hull has the highest proportion of properties at surface water flood risk among major English cities, followed by Bristol and Leeds. For rivers and sea risk, Hull, York, and Nottingham have the highest share of homes in at-risk bands. Surface water is the dominant threat in 34 of the 39 cities ranked in this index.
What is the difference between surface water flood risk and river flood risk?
River flood risk (also called fluvial) is caused by rivers overflowing their banks, typically after sustained rainfall. Surface water flood risk (pluvial) is caused by heavy rainfall that overwhelms urban drains and runs off hard surfaces faster than the ground can absorb it. A property can be far from any river and still face significant surface water risk — this is the most commonly overlooked flood risk for UK buyers.
Does flood risk affect house prices in the UK?
Properties in flood-risk areas typically sell at a discount of 2–10% compared to equivalent properties outside flood zones, and flood insurance premiums are higher. Properties built after 2009 do not qualify for Flood Re, the government-backed scheme that caps flood insurance costs for older stock. The combination of price discount, insurance loading, and resale risk makes flood zone classification a key check before making an offer.
Where can I check flood risk for a specific address?
The Environment Agency provides a free online flood map for England showing river, sea, and surface water risk at address resolution. For Wales, use Natural Resources Wales; for Scotland, use SEPA. A paid environmental flood search (usually part of the conveyancer's search package) assesses all flood types for the specific address and is the document lenders and insurers rely on.
Keep going
Related guides
- Flood risk when buying a house , how to check all three flood types and what lenders and insurers look at.
- Subsidence risk when buying a house , the other major environmental risk to check before offering.
- House buying checklist , every pre-offer check in one place.
Editorial review
Reviewed by the MyPropertyScan editorial team. Editorial owner: BiteRight Ltd, operator of MyPropertyScan. We review buyer guides against UK public property datasets, RICS survey wording, lender requirements, and common buyer questions.
Pages are updated when source coverage, property-risk guidance, survey cost assumptions, or product checks materially change. Methodology and dataset limitations are explained on the MyPropertyScan methodology page.
Sources used
We use UK public and specialist sources where they are available. Public datasets can be incomplete, delayed, or missing for some addresses. Treat them as a starting point, not as a replacement for professional advice.
Source standard: preference goes to official government datasets, statutory bodies, professional standards, and primary dataset publishers. We cite the source family on the page and explain coverage limits rather than filling gaps with unsupported estimates.
- Check this with: Environment Agency long-term flood risk mapOfficial flood-risk service for England, including river, sea, surface water, reservoir and groundwater where available.
- Data source: HM Land Registry Price Paid DataRegistered residential sale prices for England and Wales.
- Official register: Energy Performance Certificate RegisterPublic EPC certificate lookup for an address, postcode, street or certificate number.
- Data source: British Geological Survey GeoSure shrink-swellPrimary BGS dataset page for shrink-swell clay susceptibility, a key subsidence indicator.
- Data source: Police.uk crime dataOpen street-level crime data for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Check this with: Ofcom broadband checkerOfficial checker for broadband availability and speeds.
- Check this with: Ofcom mobile coverage checkerOfficial predicted mobile coverage by network.
- Data source: Food Standards Agency food hygiene ratingsPublic register used to identify nearby food and drink venues.
- Official register: Ofsted inspection reportsSchool and provider inspection report lookup for England.
- Official register: Historic England National Heritage ListListed buildings, scheduled monuments and other protected heritage entries in England.