UK Government announces drought support package for farmers

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced a support package to assist farmers facing extreme heat, wildfires, and drought conditions. The measures include an additional £50 million for the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 Window 2, bringing the total budget for that program to £290 million. To improve long-term resilience, the government is providing up to £15 million for the construction of on-farm reservoirs and aims to reduce barriers to reservoir building through updated planning guidance.

Additional relief includes temporary adjustments to Environmental Land Management (ELM) agreements. These changes allow farmers to cut and graze land to address shortages in fodder and bedding, and to create firebreaks to protect crops and livestock. The Environment Agency will also prioritize requests for short-term variations to abstraction license conditions to improve water access.

The response follows a summer of record-breaking temperatures and drought declared across two-thirds of England and all of Wales. Public reaction remains divided; a survey by Public First indicated that 45% of respondents felt the Prime Minister’s response to the crisis was too slow, while 36% believed he had acted quickly enough. Approximately 52% of the public expressed a desire for increased government investment in new reservoirs and water infrastructure.