Residents affected by flooding urged to apply for grants

Wiltshire Council is urging residents in the county whose properties were affected by flooding during October’s Storm Babet to apply for Government grant funding.

The grants, which are worth up to £5,000, are intended only to fund measures that improve the property’s resilience or resistance to flooding, over and above repairs that would normally be covered by insurance.

Although the grant funding is offered by the Government via Defra, people should apply via Wiltshire Council by Monday 15 January 2024.

Cllr Caroline Thomas, Cabinet Member for Flooding, said: “October’s Storm Babet caused flooding in some areas of Wiltshire, and it’s important that anyone affected comes forward and applies for this grant funding to make their home or business more resilient to flooding in the future.

“We know the devastation that flooding can bring, and that’s why these grants are so important – the funding may not stop flooding totally, but it will help affected properties to take measures to prevent or mitigate the worst of the wet weather.

“There is a short timeframe for this, so we have already contacted people we know who were affected by the storm. However, we may have missed some people, and some who were affected may not be known to us – that’s why we’re putting this call out for applications.”

To apply, people should go to www.wiltshire.gov.uk/civil-emergencies-flooding, complete the form and email it to drainage@wiltshire.gov.uk before Monday, 15th January 2024.

For more information on the grants and who may be eligible, people should go to www.floodguidance.co.uk.