Last summer's floods were no fluke, and Britain still faces the real threat of witnessing a repeat or worse unless urgent action is taken now.
Some experts have argued that councils should be allowed to start banging heads together so that they are better prepared to protect households.

Today’s report that mmore than half a million homes in England could become uninsurable unless action is taken to protect them against flooding, the insurance industry warned today. In a report published a year after thousands of homes in Hull were hit by flooding, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) warned that its members could stop offering flood protection as standard on all home insurance policies.

Insurers today were adamant that could not commit to covering the 517,000 homes identified by the Environment Agency as being at significant risk of flooding, unless the government announced plans for them to be adequately defended.
Already the ABI is concerned that without government action and stricter enforcement of planning controls to prevent new homes being built on flood plains, some properties could become "uninsurable, unsaleable and uninhabitable".

Their worry is heightened by the fact that last year's floods in Hull and Gloucester led to 180,000 claims for flood-damaged homes, businesses and vehicles, and that its members had dealt with four years' worth of claims in two months.

According to statistics, more than 17,000 policyholders were put up in temporary accommodation and a total of £3bn was paid out in claims. A survey of some of those living in the flood-hit areas revealed that eight out of 10 thought the danger of flooding was increasing, while three-quarters did not think enough was being done to tackle the problem.

Many people feel that improving drainage is a top priority for 98% of respondents, followed by tougher planning controls for new homes. Another three quarters are of the opinion that believed the government's target of 3m new homes by 2020 should be reduced if it would lead to more homes being at risk of flooding.

Nick Starling, the ABI's director of general insurance and health, said: “These findings reinforce our call for a long-term flood management strategy. “In particular, we must tackle the problem of surface water drainage. Planning for the future is essential if we are to minimise a repeat of last year's terrible floods, and to ensure that flood insurance protection remains widely available.”

But the government says that councils can enforce the tough new planning rules already in place, many homes could be prevented from flood risk. The news planning rules mean that the council will consult the Environment Agency, it will ensure that all homes are safe from flooding and sustainable for the future. Additionally, they would use the new rules to put in place effective surface water drainage and flood defences which must also be part of new housing infrastructure.”

After witnessing severe floods in England, many believe that more action is needed to rescue homes from the dangers posed by floods. The government says it was aware of that it was vital "to reduce the vulnerability of critical infrastructure".

But the Local Government Association now says that the law should be changed to introduce penalties for utility companies and other organisations who fail to take proper action to reduce the risk of flooding.