UK PM Burnham Unveils £65 Million Farm Aid As England Faces Drought Crisis

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced £65 million in extra support for farmers in England as prolonged heat, dry weather and drought hit crops, livestock and water supplies.

The package includes an extra £50 million for the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026, taking its total budget to £290 million. Another £15 million will help farmers build reservoirs on their land and store water for dry periods.

The move came after Burnham chaired an emergency COBRA meeting on extreme heat, wildfires and drought. He later met farmers who reported low yields and lost harvests.

“This is the third drought in five years,” Burnham said. “Farmers are at the sharp end of a changing climate, and they should not be carrying that risk alone.”

He said the ability to grow food was a matter of national security. “So we are acting now: more money into farm support, help to get reservoirs built, and easier access to water when it is scarce,” he said.

The government also plans to make it easier to build reservoirs. An updated planning framework will set out steps to improve water access during long periods of drought. Nine new reservoirs are planned as part of wider efforts to prepare for future droughts, floods and extreme weather.

The heat has also raised the risk of wildfires. Burnham authorised emergency phone alerts warning people not to use disposable barbecues and take other steps that could start fires. He defended the move by saying Britain had become a “tinderbox” with fires spreading across parts of the country.

Plans have also been drawn up to use firefighting planes if needed. The government has earmarked about £100 million to strengthen its response to wildfires and extreme weather.

Environment Secretary Angela Eagle said farmers were facing some of their toughest conditions in decades and needed practical help.

The UK has recorded its fifth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius in some areas. The extreme weather has also disrupted transport, with Network Rail reporting “exceptional challenges” after two trains derailed within 24 hours.