Flood-hit farmers and households to receive financial support

Farmers impacted by recent flooding may be eligible for up to £25,000 in government funding for damage to their land.

The funding has been made available through the Farming Recovery Fund for farm businesses in England that have suffered uninsurable damage due to flooding.

Financial support can be used towards repair and reinstatement costs on farm.

See also: Farmer warns repeat floods threaten food production

Storm Henk created substantial flooding in many regions across the UK, with persistent, heavy rain in early January causing widespread flood damage to land and properties.

Property support

The Flood Recovery Framework will be providing financial support for damage to properties from flooding.

Up to £500 will be made available for eligible households to cover immediate costs.

Eligible property owners, who have been affected by flooding, will be able to apply for up to £5,000 to make improvements to reduce the risk of future flooding through the Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme. 

One-hundred per cent relief for council tax and business rates will also be available for at least three months for eligible households and businesses that have been significantly impacted by flooding.

Finally, grants of up to £2,500 are being made available for affected businesses to help them return to normal operations.

Defra secretary Steve Barclay said: “45,000 properties are already protected thanks to our flood defences, and I would like to pay tribute to the work of Environment Agency teams, first responders, and others.

“For those who have sadly been affected, our Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme will soon be open to help residents protect their property in the future, while our Farming Recovery Fund will support farmers who have suffered damage as they work to put food on our tables.”

NFU deputy president Tom Bradshaw said: “Thousands of acres of productive farmland are still under water and many crops are not going to survive the winter with the huge financial stress and misery that brings.

“With more than 150 flood warnings in place, we are continuing to monitor the situation and supporting our members via our network of contacts in the Environment Agency and local authorities.

“This constant wet weather again highlights the need for government to recognise the strategic importance of domestic food production and urgently deliver solutions to mitigate the impact of flooding of farmland to ensure our farmers and growers can continue producing food for the nation.”