Flood risk check by postcode

What Flood Zones 2 and 3 mean

The Environment Agency’s flood map for planning splits England into zones by the chance of flooding from rivers and the sea, ignoring flood defences.

Flood Zone 2 is medium probability: between a 1 in 1,000 and a 1 in 100 chance each year from rivers, or between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 200 from the sea. Flood Zone 3 is high probability: 1 in 100 or more each year from rivers, or 1 in 200 or more from the sea. Land outside both is Flood Zone 1, the lowest probability.

Live flood warnings

The check also lists any flood alerts, flood warnings and severe flood warnings the Environment Agency has in force within 10 km of the address right now.

A quiet day says nothing about the long-term risk, so read the warnings alongside the flood zone.

What this check does not cover

Surface water flooding (heavy rain that cannot drain away), groundwater and reservoir flooding are not included. The long-term flood risk service on GOV.UK covers those.

Ask the seller about any past flooding: the TA6 property information form asks directly, and your conveyancer’s environmental search goes into more depth.

Why flood risk matters when buying

Flood risk can raise buildings insurance premiums and affect what a lender will accept, so get an insurance quote before you commit. Flood Re helps many homes built before 2009 find affordable cover.

Questions

How do I check if a property is in a flood zone?

Enter the house number and postcode on this page. The check looks the address up on the planning flood map and shows Flood Zone 2 or 3 if either applies.

Is Flood Zone 3 a problem when buying?

Not always, but it is the highest probability zone, so check insurance quotes and speak to your lender early. The zones ignore flood defences, which may lower the real risk.

Does the flood check cover Wales or Scotland?

No. The flood zones come from England’s planning data. Natural Resources Wales and SEPA publish flood maps for Wales and Scotland.

Is the flood risk check free?

Yes. It uses free government data, with no account and no email needed.