Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the new flood funding policy will change the Government Outcome Rate threshold that schemes in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich constituency must meet to qualify for Environment Agency capital funding.

In October 2025, following consultation, the government announced major changes to its flood and coastal erosion funding policy. The reforms will make it quicker and easier to deliver the right flood defences in the right places by simplifying our funding rules.

Under the new rules, which came into effect on 1 April 2026, flood and coastal erosion risk management projects are eligible for 100% for the first £3 million of their costs, and 90% above £3 million. Projects will be prioritised by their benefit-to-cost ratios to drive value for money, with partnership contributions boosting a project’s prioritisation.

To support our new floods funding policy, on the 3 March 2026 the Environment Agency published a suite of guidance to support the development of projects. The information is available on GOV.UK here.