Storm and flooding support advice

Following the impact of Storm Henk, county and district councils have been working with Government leads to clarify a number of issues relating to the national flooding funding, and collaborating to put the best system in place locally.

From today (Friday), householders and businesses are encouraged to apply for the first element of this funding which is being managed by district councils.

Leicester City Council is also contacting eligible residents and businesses to encourage them to apply for funding.

The financial support includes:

• A £500 grant for households - where the living accommodation has been flooded or the home has been left uninhabitable, such as when utilities have been cut off
• Eligible households may also qualify for the Council Tax Discount scheme - entitling them to a 100 per cent discount for a minimum of three months

For affected businesses, the following schemes, which have stricter criteria, are available:

• Business Rates Relief Scheme -100 per cent relief on business rates for a minimum of three months. To qualify, flood water must have entered the property, or the flooding seriously impacted upon the business's ability to trade from the property during Storm Henk
• Business Recovery Grant - A grant payment of £2,500 for those severely affected by Storm Henk, with criteria closely aligned with the Business Rate Relief Scheme

Leicestershire County Council will also be coordinating a property flood grant – where eligible flood-hit property owners can apply for up to £5,000 to help make their homes and businesses more resilient to future flooding – and more details will be available soon.

Councils are contacting eligible people directly and increasing awareness through broader activity including media relations and social media posts.

Application forms, eligibility criteria and extra information can be found on district council websites. Anyone unable to complete the form online is advised to call their district council directly. Information is also available on our website: https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/flood-funding