Flood Recovery Framework

What is the Flood Recovery Framework?

Communities impacted by flooding will benefit from Government funding to help them recover from the impact of Storm Babet. The funding is available to areas that have experienced exceptional localised flooding.

The Flood Recovery framework was activated on 25^th October 2023 and the following schemes will be made available:

Community Recovery Grant

• Flooded households can apply for up to £500 to give cash to help quickly with immediate costs for properties that have been either internally flooded or deemed to be unlivable for a period greater than 48 hours

Business Recovery Grant

• Small - medium sized businesses will be eligible for up to £2,500 to help them return quickly to business as usual

• Eligible premises are those which are directly impacted by the weather event eg. Flood damage to the premises;

• Or premises which are indirectly impacted by the weather event eg. The business had no/ highly restricted access to the premises, equipment and/or stock as a result of flooding, restricted access for customers, suppliers and/or staff; and directly suffered a loss of trade as a result

Council Tax Discounts

• Households and businesses significantly affected by flooding will be eligible for 100% council tax and business rates relief for at least 3 months or while anyone is unable to return home if longer, if:
  • Flood water entered the habitable areas of the domestic property;
  • Or the domestic property was otherwise unlivable for a period greater than 48 hours
• 100% Council tax discount on temporary accommodation for any household unable to return to their home, in parallel with the discount on their primary residence where applicable

Business Rates Relief

• 100% relief from business rates for a minimum of three months, or until the business is able to resume trading from the property if longer, up to the UK subsidy control regime limits for Hereditament* which meets the following criteria:

For any day:

• The hereditament* was directly impacted by the relevant weather event - for instance flood damage to the property, equipment, and/or stock; or the business could not function due to lack of access to premises, equipment and/or stock as a result of the relevant weather event, and no alternatives were available.

AND

• On that day business activity undertaken at the hereditament* was adversely affected as a result; and
• On that day the rateable value of the hereditament* was less than £10 million.
• Ratepayers that occupy more than one property may be granted relief within the scheme for each of their eligible properties.
• Businesses impacted in multiple flood events should not be precluded from repeat support where this is made available by the government in respect of separate severe weather events

Eligible impacts period: Flooding caused by Storm Babet between 19^th - 25^th October 2023.

Eligibility

Breckland Council assesses the eligibility of individual households and businesses and decides how to allocate the grant to meet local needs.

To verify grant applications, appropriate evidence should be provided of internal flooding or unliveable conditions for a period of more than 48 hours.

Examples of evidence could include:

• Copy of insurance claim or report
• Proof of temporary accommodation
• Supporting evidence from a professional who attended the property eg. Fire Service, Housing Officer

Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), flats, and student accommodation:

• HMOs should be considered "one front door" except where they are disaggregated for council tax purposes - in this case, each individual bill recipient will be eligible to receive the £500 Community Recovery Grant
• Blocks of flats should be treated under the same principles as HMOs

Second homes, empty homes, and student accommodation are not eligible.

*Hereditament means property that is or may become liable to a rate, being a unit of such property which is, or would fall to be, shown as a separate item in the valuation list; See more information on the GOV.uk website:Rating Manual section 2: valuation principles - Part 2: Hereditament - Guidance - GOV.UK (opens new window)

Businesses:

Very small or insignificant impacts on businesses should not be considered for the purpose of this scheme.

Eligible businesses are premises from which small or medium sized businesses actively trade and do not include warehouses or storage sheds unless the business actively trades from the warehouse or shed within the flooded areas.

Funding should not be used to reward poor business practice (eg. If a business made no efforts to seek appropriate flooding insurance).

How do you apply?

Please make one application per household or business. If you need to submit an application for your household and business, please complete two separate forms. You will need your Council Tax Reference number or Business Rates reference number to submit the application.

If you think your household or business is eligible for any of the above schemes, please complete our online form by clicking on the button below.

Apply Online

or call Breckland Council on: 01362 656870

For general grant enquiries, please e-mail contactus@breckland.gov.uk using the subject line 'Storm Babet'.