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Experts raise red flags over concerning new trend in housing market: 'Disparities are projected to grow'
Experts raise red flags over concerning new trend in housing market: 'Disparities are projected to grow'

Yahoo

time12-07-2025

  • Business
  • Yahoo

Experts raise red flags over concerning new trend in housing market: 'Disparities are projected to grow'

As flood risks rise and coverage dries up, experts warn that the housing market in the United Kingdom may be heading for troubled waters. According to Bayes Business School's Real Estate Research Center studied how flood risk and income levels affect home insurance. It found that low-income residents in flood-prone neighborhoods face an average annual loss from flooding that is 3.7% higher than that of wealthier neighbors. "These disparities are projected to grow to 4.4% by 2050, and low-income people have less capacity to relocate — increasing the likelihood of many becoming climate prisoners stuck in deteriorating, uninsurable homes," wrote the researchers. When insurance companies determine that a property's risk is too high, they may increase costs significantly or stop offering coverage altogether. More than 4 million homes across the U.K. fall into medium- or high-risk flood zones. Many are in regions like the Thames Estuary, southwest England, and parts of Yorkshire. For people who can't afford to move, these changes could force them to live in damaged homes without insurance support or the ability to relocate. The root cause of this problem is the burning of oil, coal, and gas. The resulting harmful carbon pollution warms the planet, which increases the severity of rainfall, flash floods, and coastal flooding. The risk to homes is rising alongside global temperatures. Bayes researchers recommend extending or replacing the U.K.'s joint government and insurance program, Flood Re, before it expires in 2039. This safety net helps cover high-risk properties. Without a replacement, millions could face a sudden loss of coverage and financial strain. The center is also working with insurers, mortgage lenders, and climate data companies to improve how risk is measured and priced. Better data can help homeowners understand their risks and can guide smarter policy decisions. Across the U.K. and beyond, governments are exploring similar solutions. Efforts such as community-based resilience funding or modernizing their homes to reduce their carbon footprint are just a few ways people can contribute. Do you think America is in a housing crisis? Definitely Not sure No way Only in some cities Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.

Peruvian Navy tall ship spotted on Thames near Southend for first time
Peruvian Navy tall ship spotted on Thames near Southend for first time

Yahoo

time07-07-2025

  • Yahoo

Peruvian Navy tall ship spotted on Thames near Southend for first time

THE largest sail training ship in Latin America was spotted sailing near Southend at the weekend. Peruvian Navy tall ship Bap Union has been visiting ports around the UK for the first time this summer, and was seen moored on the Thames Estuary near Mulberry Harbour on Saturday. The vessel is primarily used for training naval cadets, but also plays the role of ambassador, promoting Peru during voyages around the world. Camera club member Simon Murdoch hailed it a "rare sight" on the Thames near Southend. Bap Union is the first sail training ship of the Peruvian Navy and was launched in 2015 after a three year building project that took place in Spain. Its visit came as Nao Santa Maria, an authentic replica of Christopher Columbus' famous flagship from his 1492 voyage, was docked at Southend Pier last week welcoming visitors aboard for a tour of the iconic vessel. Sadly, the decision was taken for the ship to leave Southend ahead of schedule on Saturday, prioritising the safety of both crew and visitors due to challenging weather conditions at the end of the pier. The early departure disappointed many ticket holders who had planned to visit the historic ship during its stay in the city, however a spokesman insisted safety must always come first when dealing with maritime conditions.

Work to improve Canvey Island flood defences is completed
Work to improve Canvey Island flood defences is completed

BBC News

time07-07-2025

  • Climate
  • BBC News

Work to improve Canvey Island flood defences is completed

A £75m project to reinforce flood defences on an island has been completed after three years of work.A 3km (1.9 mile) stretch of revetment on Canvey Island in Essex has been renewed with new Environment Agency (EA) said the refreshed flood defences would protect 6,000 homes and businesses until at least operations manager James Mason said the defences would "easily be able to cope" if there was ever a repeat of the 1953 North Sea storm that killed 59 people on the island. "That said, if in a massive event they were to be over-topped... there are good emergency plans in place to ensure that we would do a safe evacuation of the island," he added. The revetment refers to the man-made material of asphalt placed on the slope leading from the shore, up to the sea of the previous revetment dated back to the steps to the beach and project information boards were installed, and a pathway between Thorney Bay and Chapman Sands was EA is improving flood defences along the Thames Estuary as part of the government's Thames Estuary 2100 plan. Mr Mason continued: "We've overlaid those older revetments, especially where they've blown and they've become void, and we've overlain it with this open stone asphalt which is a much more gradual slope which means that the wave energy is dissipated a lot more effectively which then reduces the likelihood of erosion."We've been using this method for decades, especially around the Essex coastline."So we know it's effective, we know it works well and we know that it's easy to maintain going forward." Former Conservative Canvey Island town councillor and Castle Point borough councillor, Ray Howard MBE, survived the flood in 1953 at age 10."We lost everything, my father had no insurance at all," he recalled."I knew what it was to be poor."He became part of a local flood defence committee for 43 years, and attended a ceremony celebrating the reinforced revetment on Friday."The wonderful job they've done, it's amazing," he said."It just pleases me to think that this scheme - that I voted for - has been a great success, and seeing my lovely officer today, I was able to thank every one of them." Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

Quatermass 2 review – Hammer turns up the heat in enjoyable alien invader sequel
Quatermass 2 review – Hammer turns up the heat in enjoyable alien invader sequel

The Guardian

time04-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The Guardian

Quatermass 2 review – Hammer turns up the heat in enjoyable alien invader sequel

Here is the 1957 sequel to Hammer's box office smash The Quatermass Xperiment from 1955; it is enjoyable, though the law of diminishing returns is coming into play. Like the first film, it is based on the original BBC drama (the second series, in fact) and Brian Donleavy is back as Quatermass himself: the brusque, unsmiling American rocket scientist working closely with the British government and permanently exasperated with them. Once again, Quatermass finds himself at the centre of a deadly alien attempt to take over Planet Earth. While debating whether or not to fire a nuclear powered rocket up into space, Quatermass comes into contact with a woman whose boyfriend has been injured by what appear to be football-sized meteorites, which his white-coated assistants have been already tracking on their radar scopes. It appears that these sinister rocks are marking the skin of those humans unlucky enough to come into contact with them, the victims becoming brainwashed by the aliens. These aliens have already infiltrated humanity so extensively that there is a top-secret conspiracy at the heart of the government to develop a vast secure facility in the remote English countryside, supposedly to develop synthetic food but really to nurture the invaders. The Shell Haven oil refinery in the Thames estuary doubles as this eerily vast domed complex – some audacious action sequences result – while director Val Guest has at his disposal some classic British character acting talent, with William Franklyn and Bryan Forbes as Quatermass's assistants. The extended shootout at the end accounts for this sequel's bigger budget, although overall it drags a bit. It's good to see Sidney James as the chucklingly inebriated journalist who Quatermass thinks might come in useful to print the truth; sadly, we never find out if his paper ever actually published the sensational story he was dictating down the phone. Quatermass 2 is in UK cinemas from 6 July, and is on 4K UHD and Blu-ray from 14 July.

Quatermass 2 review – Hammer turns up the heat in enjoyable alien invader sequel
Quatermass 2 review – Hammer turns up the heat in enjoyable alien invader sequel

The Guardian

time04-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The Guardian

Quatermass 2 review – Hammer turns up the heat in enjoyable alien invader sequel

Here is the 1957 sequel to Hammer's box office smash The Quatermass Xperiment from 1955; it is enjoyable, though the law of diminishing returns is coming into play. Like the first film, it is based on the original BBC drama (the second series, in fact) and Brian Donleavy is back as Quatermass himself: the brusque, unsmiling American rocket scientist working closely with the British government and permanently exasperated with them. Once again, Quatermass finds himself at the centre of a deadly alien attempt to take over Planet Earth. While debating whether or not to fire a nuclear powered rocket up into space, Quatermass comes into contact with a woman whose boyfriend has been injured by what appear to be football-sized meteorites, which his white-coated assistants have been already tracking on their radar scopes. It appears that these sinister rocks are marking the skin of those humans unlucky enough to come into contact with them, the victims becoming brainwashed by the aliens. These aliens have already infiltrated humanity so extensively that there is a top-secret conspiracy at the heart of the government to develop a vast secure facility in the remote English countryside, supposedly to develop synthetic food but really to nurture the invaders. The Shell Haven oil refinery in the Thames estuary doubles as this eerily vast domed complex – some audacious action sequences result – while director Val Guest has at his disposal some classic British character acting talent, with William Franklyn and Bryan Forbes as Quatermass's assistants. The extended shootout at the end accounts for this sequel's bigger budget, although overall it drags a bit. It's good to see Sidney James as the chucklingly inebriated journalist whom Quatermass thinks might come in useful to print the truth; sadly, we never find out if his paper ever actually published the sensational story he was dictating down the phone. Quatermass 2 is in UK cinemas from 6 July, and is on 4K UHD and Blu-ray from 14 July.

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