Drought now grips 71% of England as farm pressure builds

Nearly three-quarters of England is now in drought after the driest July on record, with farmers facing tighter irrigation restrictions, poor crop yields and mounting pressure on livestock feed and water supplies.

The National Drought Group confirmed on Monday 10 August that 71.3% of England is now in drought, covering around 45 million people.

The government said it was stepping up its drought response and was actively considering further support for agriculture, although no additional farming package was detailed in the announcement.

NFU deputy president Paul Tompkins warned that conditions were becoming increasingly serious.

“With no meaningful rain forecast in the coming weeks, the situation facing farmers and growers is increasingly concerning,” he said.

The warning comes as 1,534 irrigation restrictions are now in place in East Anglia, while 302 abstractors are in the process of having the amount they can take from rivers cut by 50% because of exceptionally low flows.

A further 14 abstractors in the Wensum catchment in Norfolk have already been required to stop abstracting water because of low river levels and concerns over the environmental impact.

Tompkins said the effects were already being felt across both arable and livestock businesses.

“Many farmers have completed the earliest harvest on record, with poor yields in key crops reported in some areas of the country.

“Livestock and dairy farmers are already using winter feed because grass has stopped growing, while growers are working hard to keep fruit and vegetables watered, but many are struggling to access the water they need.”

Livestock farmers are beginning to draw on winter forage stocks earlier than normal because of poor grass growth.

The lack of adequate feed is also expected to put pressure on milk production.

The NFU is calling for a risk register for vulnerable farm businesses, a more responsive abstraction licensing system and longer-term investment in water infrastructure and climate adaptation.

It also wants a more supportive planning approach for reservoirs and further rounds of the Water Management Grant.

Tompkins said: “Water plays a crucial role in food security and the resilience of our nation. By treating water for food as a strategic priority, government can work with farmers to protect crops, livestock businesses, and the UK’s long-term food security.”

The East Midlands, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, Kent and East Sussex, and Solent and the South Downs became the latest areas to move into drought status on Monday.

They joined East Anglia, Hertfordshire and London, the Thames Valley, Devon and Cornwall, Wessex and the West Midlands.

The North East and Yorkshire have moved into prolonged dry weather, the stage before drought, leaving no part of England at normal status.

The National Drought Group described the rapidly developing situation as a “flash drought”, driven by very low rainfall and high temperatures.

England recorded its driest July since records began in 1836, receiving just 10% of its long-term average rainfall.

August has so far delivered only 5% of expected rainfall.

In July, rainfall ranged from just 1% of the expected average in south-east England to 26% in north-west England.

Some areas of Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and West Sussex had gone 59 days without a rain day.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said agriculture was among the sectors being hit hardest.

“We know how challenging this summer has been, especially for our hard-working farmers who are at the sharp end of climate change and an increasing number of floods and droughts,” she said.

“We are stepping up our support including working to make it easier for farmers to build more on-site irrigation reservoirs.”

The government is also pursuing longer-term water infrastructure, including new reservoirs and water transfer schemes, while the Environment Agency has said it supports greater use of on-farm irrigation storage.

The agency is working with the NFU, particularly in East Anglia, to keep abstractors informed about changing water availability.

Tony Grayling, strategic drought lead at the Environment Agency and chair of the National Drought Group, warned that the situation would continue deteriorating without prolonged rainfall.

“Drought conditions are worsening and will continue to do so until we see significant and sustained rainfall,” he said.

“We know the hot and dry weather is taking a real toll on farming and there will be long-lasting impacts on our environment.”

Reservoir storage across England has fallen to 69%, around 11.6 percentage points below the level normally expected for this time of year.

Storage dropped by 16% during July alone, the largest reduction in raw reservoir storage during July for at least 30 years.

River flows have also continued to decline, with just 14% classed as normal and 22% exceptionally low.

Exceptionally low flows have been recorded on rivers including the Avon, Wye, Ely Ouse and Exe.

More than 27 million people are now subject to restrictions on water use.

Eight water companies have introduced Temporary Use Bans across some or all of their areas: Affinity Water, Anglian Water, Cambridge Water, Essex & Suffolk Water, Southern Water, South East Water, Thames Water and South West Water.

The National Drought Group said the restrictions had reduced public demand by as much as 9% in some areas.

Environmental pressures are also increasing, with wetlands and peatland habitats drying out and the Environment Agency recording 134 incidents linked to drought and dry weather this year.

Natural England has also recorded 245 wildfires on Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

The current drought is England’s third in five years, following drought conditions in 2022 and 2025.

Further hot and dry weather is expected, with another heatwave forecast and temperatures potentially reaching the mid-30s in parts of the country.

Met Office head of environment and energy Sarah Davies said: “July 2026 was one of the most remarkable months in the UK’s climate record. England and Wales both recorded their driest and sunniest July on record, together with periods of exceptionally high temperatures.”

She said the outlook for the remainder of August and into September included further dry weather, with no strong signal for a sustained period of widespread rainfall.

With no prolonged rainfall currently in sight, pressure on irrigation, grazing, forage supplies and farm water availability is likely to remain a major concern through the rest of August.