More financial support available for people affected by floods

flood barrierYork residents and businesses are being reminded that they could receive up to £5,000 to support the resistance and resilience of their property as part of a national package of financial support available.

The Government is providing the funding to enable local authorities to provide grants of up to £5,000 to homeowners and businesses that have been flooded as a result of Storm Desmond and Storm Eva to help fund additional flood resilience or resistance measures for their properties.

The resilience grant will enable those who have been flooded to better prepare their homes for future flood events, both to prevent flood water from entering the property and to speed the recovery if it does.

People who think they may be eligible for a grant needs to register their interest by emailing: floodresiliencegrant@york.gov.uk or calling 01904 552300.

They will then be sent:

More information about the grants is available at www.york.gov.uk/FloodResilienceGrants

The update from the Two Ridings foundation, which is allocating the grants from  the York Flood Appeal, has still not appeared on their web site .

The organisation promised that it would be published earlier in the week.

 

York Floods Update – Disaster Fund says 100 grants handed over

Appeal now seeking £1,000,000

Appeal now paying out £200 per victim

The administrators of the £500,000 York (flood) Disaster Fund have moved to clarify how their funding is being used.

They are right to do so.

A couple of days ago the York Council claimed that only £18,000, of the £500,000 already raised, had actually found its way to victims.

The average pay-out was only £300.

Now the Two Ridings Community Foundation says that 100 grants have been issued.

416 homes together with 157 businesses were flooded in December.

According to the Foundation, the initial immediate support awards available for household’s subject to flooding, are:

  • All households affected by flooding will receive a £200 award
  • Any household in hardship can apply for a further award of £500 to cover replacement of essential items, excess fuel bills and other costs associated with their homes being flooded
  • After that, any household can apply for further needs but it will be assessed on a case by case basis

A second phase of grants is planned.

The Foundation says, “We will make available individual grants for households whose income has been affected over a long term period and households who have continued to experience increased household expense due to relocation resulting from the flood”.

Who can apply?
  • Individuals or families whose properties and contents have been damaged by flooding or who are suffering other hardship as a result of the flooding.
  • “We would not normally fund businesses but we may consider small business owners or employees facing hardship due to lost work or income because of storm or flood. The fund is not designed to replace income but we may be able to consider cases of hardship”.
  • Voluntary and community groups, charities and other not for profit organisations that may have experienced loss due to flooding or may be experiencing an increase in demand for services as a result of providing support to individuals affected.

Applications can be made online via www.trcf.org.uk or www.yorkdisasterfund.org.uk

The Foundation is promising to provide an update  report early next week on how the Fund is being used.
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York Council defends flood funding policies

Arial photo of York floodingIn the wake of growing concerns about the transparency of the York Floods Disaster Fund allocation processes, the York Council has issued a statement summarising what other financial assistance is available for victims.

The Council statement reads,

“York residents and businesses could receive up to £5,000 to support the resistance and resilience of their property as part of a package of financial support available.

The Government is providing the funding to enable local authorities to provide grants of up to £5,000 to homeowners and businesses that have been flooded as a result of Storm Desmond and Storm Eva to help fund additional flood resilience or resistance measures for their properties

The resilience grant will enable those who have been flooded to better prepare their homes for future flood events, both to prevent flood water from entering the property and to speed the recovery if it does.

In addition to the grant, the council is continuing to provide a raft of financial support citywide to residents and businesses.

To date, the council has helped to provide:

  • £137,000 recovery grant to 274 residents (with a one-off payment of £500)
  • Ensured 342 properties directly affected by flooding will be exempt from paying council tax, to a total value of£114,173.91
  • 92 businesses directly affected by flooding will be exempt from paying business rates, to a total value of £416,022.11
  • paid out £72,000 in grants to businesses affected.

If residents or businesses would like support to talk through these options face-to-face, help is available at the council’s West Offices, Station Rise during offices hours.

Other financial support includes:
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Floods update: Financial support available for Business Flood recovery in York

York Flood AppealSome welcome, if slightly belated, news from York Means Business (which is part of the otherwise invisible “Make it York” organisation). 

Financial support of up to £2,500 is being made available to help small and medium sized businesses in York and North Yorkshire affected by the flooding to get back up and trading.

The recovery fund is supported by Government funding and will help businesses to pay for additional measures over and above the costs of repairs that would normally be covered by insurance.

Affected businesses should email Business@makeityork.com to register. Once the application process has been finalised we will contact you directly with further information on how to apply. More information will be available soon at www.york.gov.uk/floods