London Subsidence Claims Hit Record £20,000 After 5 Heat Waves Dry Clay Soil
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · Aug 23
London Subsidence Claims Hit Record £20,000 After 5 Heat Waves Dry Clay Soil
3 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · Aug 23
Summary
UK insurers logged record London subsidence claims last quarter, with households claiming an average £20,000 for damage linked to shifting foundations.
Five successive heat waves dried out the clay soil beneath much of the city, shrinking the ground and destabilizing homes built on it.
The average payout was the highest for any quarter and stood 15% above the same period in 2025.
The surge highlights how repeated hot, dry spells are turning extreme weather into a growing property-insurance risk for London homeowners.