The Government has ruled out releasing national funds for flood recovery in the wake of Storm Christoph.
Communities in the north of England and Wales have begun picking up the pieces after hundreds of properties were deluged.
However, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said that the impact had not reached the level required to activate the Flood Recovery Framework, which would provide grants and council tax and business rates relief to affected households.
The decision to trigger the framework is taken collectively by ministers based on factors such as severity, duration and the extent of the impact.
MHCLG said it would consider council requests for financial support on an individual basis.
The Welsh Government has made £6.5m available to councils and flood victims to pay for repairs and immediate support. Cheshire West & Chester Council, where 100 residents were evacuated and defences were close to being overwhelmed, has led calls for further help.
Council leader Louise Gittins appealed to the Government to ensure that communities in Cheshire West received the financial support they need for recovery, reflecting the 'special circumstances created by the pandemic’.
Cllr Gittins also warned that climate change had ‘disrupted’ models that were previously used to assess the frequency of flooding.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) has also called for £120m of government investment in flood defences over the next six years.
WYCA chair Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe said: ‘We are asking government for funding to support the infrastructure the region needs to tackle climate change and support our economic recovery in a way that improves standards of living for all our communities, and safeguards homes, businesses, and jobs.’
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has proposed changes to the flood funding formula.
Environment secretary George Eustice said: ‘I am determined to get more support to people hit time and again by floods.
‘These plans aim to give households in flood-hit areas additional support to protect their properties.’
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