THE CLAIM
In a “Batshit Bonkers Britain” video, Katie Hopkins discusses the severe dry weather affecting Britain and then turns her attention to the Met Office and climate science.
Hopkins says:
“Here in batshit bonkers Britain, where we are still under extreme drought conditions. It has never been so dry.”
She refers to hosepipe bans and homes in Kent being left without water.
Later in the video, Hopkins mocks warnings that significant rain is on its way before making a much more specific claim about the Met Office:
“Climate science… pays for about 75%, 80% of the UK Met Office staff costs, which are huge, by the way.”
That 75–80% figure is a factual claim — and one that can be checked.
WATCH THE ORIGINAL VIDEO
Katie Hopkins’ original video can be watched here:
WAS BRITAIN REALLY IN DROUGHT?
Yes.
This part of Hopkins’ commentary has a substantial factual basis.
England experienced exceptionally dry conditions during the summer of 2026.
The Environment Agency reported in August that 71% of England by land area was officially classed as being in drought.
Millions of people were also subject to temporary water-use restrictions, commonly referred to as hosepipe bans.
So the underlying point that Britain was experiencing a serious drought and widespread water restrictions is correct.
However, “it has never been so dry” is a much broader statement.
Official figures showed that July 2026 was the driest July on record for England. That is significant, but a record for a particular month is not the same thing as demonstrating that Britain had literally “never been so dry” under every possible historical measure.
Rainfall, river flows, groundwater levels and reservoir storage are different measurements and can produce different historical comparisons.
WHAT ABOUT THE MET OFFICE?
Hopkins then moves from drought conditions to the Met Office.
She mocks warnings about forthcoming heavy rainfall, saying:
“The UK Met Office has come out and said that soon… it’s going to start raining with a vengeance.”
She complains that there are:
“No scientific terms here. Oh no. No millimetres. No comparative statistics.”
But her most specific claim follows:
“Climate science… pays for about 75%, 80% of the UK Met Office staff costs.”
That is an extraordinarily large proportion.
If true, it would mean roughly three-quarters or more of the Met Office’s entire staffing bill was being paid for by climate science.
DOES CLIMATE SCIENCE PAY 75–80% OF MET OFFICE STAFF COSTS?
We could find no evidence in the Met Office’s published accounts supporting that claim.
The Met Office is not simply a climate-change research organisation.
It provides weather forecasting and warnings, aviation meteorology, defence services, observations, forecasting models, international meteorological services and numerous other services alongside its climate research.
Its 2024/25 annual report records total staff costs of approximately £169.9 million.
The published accounts do not say that 75–80% of those staff costs are paid for by climate science.
Indeed, the Met Office’s own description of its activities and funding shows money flowing into a much broader range of weather, forecasting, defence, transport, government, scientific and commercial activities.
Climate science is certainly an important part of the Met Office’s work.
But that is very different from demonstrating that climate science pays 75–80% of its entire staff bill.
WHERE MIGHT THE 75% FIGURE HAVE COME FROM?
There is an interesting historical figure which illustrates why percentages need context.
A government review of Met Office climate-science advice discussed the organisation’s underlying weather and climate capabilities.
But the approximately 75% figure appearing in that document referred to the proportion of an underlying capability associated with WEATHER FORECASTING through the Public Weather Service.
It did not say that climate science paid 75% of Met Office staff costs.
Without a source demonstrating otherwise, Hopkins’ specific 75–80% claim should not be presented as an established fact.
DOES CLIMATE SCIENCE PAY THE MET OFFICE TO PROMOTE CLIMATE CHANGE?
Hopkins’ wording also creates a broader implication: that the Met Office has a financial incentive to promote climate science because climate science supposedly pays most of its employees.
That conclusion does not follow from the evidence.
The Met Office conducts climate research, but it also performs the UK’s national weather forecasting function and provides services to government, defence, aviation, businesses and the public.
Its meteorologists and scientists work across weather forecasting, observations, computer modelling and climate research.
The existence of funding for climate science does not demonstrate that forecasts or warnings are manipulated to protect that funding.
CONCLUSION
Katie Hopkins is substantially correct about one important thing in this video: England really was experiencing serious drought conditions.
By August 2026, around 71% of England by land area was officially in drought, and water restrictions affected millions of people.
July 2026 was also exceptionally dry and was recorded as England’s driest July.
But Hopkins then makes a much more specific claim:
that climate science pays “about 75%, 80%” of the UK Met Office’s staff costs.
The Met Office’s published financial information does not substantiate that figure.
Its accounts show a large organisation providing weather forecasting, defence, aviation, government, scientific and commercial services as well as climate research.
Until evidence is produced showing that climate science actually funds 75–80% of the organisation’s staff costs, that figure should be regarded as unsupported.
VERDICT: UNSUPPORTED
The drought is real.
The 75–80% Met Office staff-cost claim is not supported by the published evidence we could find.
SOURCES
Environment Agency / GOV.UK — Dry weather and drought in England, August 2026
Environment Agency / GOV.UK — More areas in England declared in drought after record dry July
Met Office — Annual Report and Accounts 2024/25
ORIGINAL VIDEO
Katie Hopkins — Batshit Bonkers Britain
Batshit Bonkers Katie Hopkins 