Government support for recovery from flooding

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Flood recovery diggers

Since the first day of flooding on Friday, 8 November, the government is providing the following support to help the recovery of people, communities and businesses:

  • The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) activated the emergency Bellwin scheme on the first day of the flooding. Under Bellwin, local authorities dealing with the flooding can apply to have 100% of their eligible costs, above a threshold, reimbursed by the government. This could be for items including rest centres, temporary accommodation and staff overtime.

The government has activated the Flood Recovery Framework

Meaning that for all lower tier or unitary local authority areas which have 25 or more flooded households:

  • MHCLG has committed funding to give all eligible households and businesses affected by the recent severe flooding immediate relief on their Council Tax and Business Rates for at least the next three months. This would mean a home owner in a Band D property in Doncaster, for example could see a saving of over £400 over three months.

  • MHCLG is providing a Community Recovery Grant to local councils – equivalent to £500 per eligible household – to help communities and vulnerable people in areas severely affected by the flooding with their immediate recovery.

Also, as part of the framework; The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is also providing funding for a Business Recovery Grant which will provide up to £2,500 per eligible small and medium-sized businesses which have suffered severe impacts from the floods that cannot be recovered from insurance.

MHCLG has also deployed Recovery Liaison Officers to the most intensely affected local authorities who will work closely with all councils and Local Resilience Forums.

The government set up the cross-Whitehall Flood Recovery Taskforce, attended by Ministers and representatives from local councils to ensure their voices are heard. The taskforce will meet daily to provide local areas with bespoke support and guidance.

Published 15 November 2019

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