Government extends £5,000 grant scheme for flood-hit homes
Extension will allow more time for residents and businesses to apply for funding from eligible councils after coronavirus delays
The government has today (21 September) announced an extension of the £5,000 grant scheme available to homes and businesses affected by flooding last winter.
The Property Flood Resilience (PFR) scheme will be extended by nine months to take into account delays to repair work and the additional pressures placed on local authorities by coronavirus. The extension will give homeowners and businesses more time to carry out repairs and local authorities a greater period to process the grants.
The new deadline for applications from communities flooded in November 2019 is now 31 December 2021, while those flooded in February 2020 have until 1 July 2022.
The grants of up to £5,000 are a contribution towards making a property more resilient to future flooding, such as putting in flood doors and raising electrics from ground level.
The extension aims to provide reassurance to eligible communities across the country affected by the flooding in November 2019 and Storms Ciara and Dennis in February 2020, giving them more time to build back better following the additional challenges placed on the country due to coronavirus.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:
Whilst the pandemic has affected us all, those who endured the hardship of flooded properties in the weeks and months ahead of coronavirus bore an even greater burden than most.
The £5,000 grant enables people to make their homes and businesses more resilient and better protected from future flooding. This is about helping them build back better and greener, while also providing a boost for local economies.
The PFR scheme is administered through local authorities. Members of the public should contact their council directly to access eligibility criteria and the application process for individual schemes.
Today’s announcement comes after the government recently unveiled its long-term plan to tackle the risks of flooding and coastal erosion, ensuring 336,000 properties in England are better protected from flooding by 2027 with a record £5.2 billion investment.
The Environment Agency also published its Flood and Coast Erosion Risk Management Strategy, a blueprint setting out how it will work with communities to deliver the government’s plan.
Flood-hit homes, businesses and charities in communities with over 25 properties flooded between 08 November and 18 November 2019 and during Storms Ciara and Dennis in February will be eligible to apply.