Climate change is reshaping the way we think about the landscape. With annual flood damage already costing the UK over £1 billion a year, the urgency to futureproof homes, businesses, and infrastructure has never been clearer. However, the quality of data guiding those decisions directly affects how easily mitigation projects can be costed, designed, and delivered. 

According to The Guardian, “Every constituency in Great Britain is projected to have increased flood risk in the future”. The article focused heavily on the possibility that some areas of Britain may eventually have to be abandoned if the cost of protection becomes too high. Scaremongering? No - a timely reality check and a reminder that flood risks are growing in both scale and significance. 

For homeowners, businesses, and local authorities, the stakes are immense - floods don’t just damage property; they erode property values, disrupt supply chains, and strain public services. By leveraging the right predictive data, stakeholders can shift from reactive recovery to a model that focuses on proactive mitigation, saving money and preserving livelihoods and communities in the process.

The role of data in futureproofing against floods

High-quality datasets provide a strong foundation for mapping current flood zones and projecting future vulnerabilities with confidence. That certainty is vital, as datasets show the UK is likely to receive more heavy rain more frequently - by as much as 20-30% in the coming decades.

Such resources help identify at-risk areas, from urban centers to rural floodplains, and inform policies such as flood defence investments or land-use planning. Granular, up-to-date, and verified data is critical for actionable insights. As part of that solution, Idox Geospatial is already a trusted provider of flood risk mapping and data to FTSE 100 companies, insurers, and over 4,000 UK businesses. 

Idox Geospatial helps clients to raise their data game

Through partnerships with experts such as JBA Consulting and Haskoning (Twinn, formerly Ambiental), we provide data solutions that leverage UKCP data and sophisticated modelling outputs - taking care of the complex data management processes that turn raw information into ready-to-use, actionable insights. Data solutions that help deliver detailed flood models for surface water, rivers, and coastal risks across Britain. Coupled with our customer-focused, responsive approach to service delivery, this makes Idox Geospatial an ideal data partner.

The datasets provide climate-adjusted projections for the 2020s, 2050s, and 2080s under various emissions scenarios, offering property-level insights into flood depths and probabilities for both defended and undefended areas. Available via web services, automated reports, or bespoke analyses, this data empowers all stakeholders in the property lifecycle to make informed decisions, from siting new developments to pricing insurance policies.