London Homes at Risk of Sinking Due to Climate Change, Research Finds

London homes at risk of sinking due to climate change, research finds

More than 1.8 million UK properties could be impacted by 2070 should current emission trajectories continue

Millions of homes in London, Essex and Kent at risk of sinking as UK heats up

More than 26 per cent of properties in London could be affected by subsidence by 2070, forecasts show

Millions of homes in four counties in England at risk of sinking

British Geological Survey (BGS) has found the ground under houses can shrink and drag down a property’s foundations.

Latest research emphasises climate-related subsidence risk to millions of British homes - British Geological Survey

Shrink–swell ground movement, typically reported as subsidence, is one of the most damaging geohazards in the UK today. Many soils contain clay minerals that absorb water and swell when they get wet, then lose water and shrink as they dry out. This natural hazard presents a significant and growing economic cost. In 2025, the UK experienced the warmest spring on record and the driest in more than 50 years. As a result, subsidence-related insuranc…

Millions of UK homes under threat of sinking due to climate change, study finds

Subsidence-related insurance claims totalled £153million in the first six months of 2025. Image: Shutterstock London, Essex and Kent are hotspots more vulnerable to hotter, drier weather, which makes the ground shrink and drags house foundations down By Victoria Heath Millions of homes in the UK – particularly across London, Kent and Essex – are at risk of climate-related subsidence, according to a new report by the British Geological Survey (BG…