The Government has applied for financial help from the European Commission to help meet local authority estimates of the recent flood damage.
Flood recovery minister, John Healey, said a provisional assessment of damage caused by the June and July floods was currently more than £4bn – significantly higher than the £3bn threshold required to make an application to the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF).
The figure is the Government’s current best working estimate, based on work with local authorities and other agencies, although final costs will not be known for some time, and many highways authorities are still gauging damage to local road networks.
Communities secretary, Hazel Blears, has also announced details of a further £6.2M funding package to help meet immediate needs of people whose homes were flooded in 36 council areas, while work continues assessing the impact of the floods on local infrastructure and properties.
The EUSF is designed to help meet some of the uninsurable costs of dealing with natural disasters, for example, supporting the costs of emergency services, cleaning up and putting infrastructure back into working order.
It is the first time the UK has applied for assistance through the fund and, if approved, it could still take some nine to 12 months before money is made available.
Cheltenham Lib Dem MP, Martin Horwood, said: ‘An application to the EU is welcome but it will not be available for some time. More help is needed in the short term.’
Healey said: ‘The floods caused widespread damage across large parts of the country. The insurance industry estimates there will be around 45,000 insurance claims from households and 14,500 from businesses, with further damage to schools, roads and leisure facilities. There has also been a significant impact on agriculture and the tourist industry.
‘A huge amount of work across government has taken place to support the local recovery operation and help communities get back on their feet. More than £16M has already been paid out to local authorities to help those people most in need, £14M to support schools and family services, and £3M has been made available for transport infrastructure. In addition, at least £10M has been announced to support businesses and local economies, including money to promote rural destinations and visitor attractions. More Government help for local authorities will follow through the special Bellwin scheme.'
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