Flooding cash help on offer from Government

Somerset has been badly hit by flooding since last year

People in Somerset who were affected by recent flooding from Storm Henk may be able to claim up to £5,000 in grants from central government.

Several parts of the county suffered from severe localised flooding during the storm, which affected properties, roads and railways.

Now, the government has said grants will be made available through the Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant scheme, making it easier for residents to future-proof their homes, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A separate scheme offered by the government is available for farmers.

Croscombe was hit by flash flooding in January with water entering some properties

The Wells constituency of James Heappey MP has seen significant flooding in recent times, with Storm Henk causing havoc in Croscombe and other villages around Shepton Mallet and Wells.

Speaking at a Westminster Hall debate on 17 April, Mr Heappey said some homes in his constituency had been flooded four or more times in the past six months.

Environment minister Robbie Moore MP confirmed in the debate that Somerset residents and businesses could apply for grants of up to £5,000 for flood prevention measures because more than 25 properties had been affected by Storm Henk.

Some farmers say the situation in Somerset is unsustainable

Responding to this announcement, Mr Heappey added: “I am so pleased the minister and the department have opened these grants for affected constituents in Somerset."

He said the heavy rains of this winter were not a "one-off" and that prevention measures were crucial for dealing with flooding in this area.

"It was so important the government listened to the stories of not only individuals but farmers I have met whose livelihoods has been affected by the volume of water we have experienced over the past 12 months or so," he said.

The deadline to apply to the Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme is the end of May.