Farming Recovery Fund - latest

Flood-hit farmers in northern England will be able to apply for up to £25,000 in government grants to help them get back on their feet.

The government announced on 13 November that it will extend its Farming Recovery Fund to support farmers badly affected by the recent flooding across Yorkshire and the Midlands.

Through this scheme, farmers and land managers who have suffered uninsurable damage to their property will be able to apply for grants of between £500 and £25,000 to cover repair costs – whether that’s clearing debris or recovering damaged land.

This comes as Environment Agency teams continue to work around the clock in incident rooms and on the ground to reduce flood risk and keep communities safe.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said: “My thoughts go out to all those affected by the devastating flooding across Yorkshire and the Midlands.

“We are providing more funding to support farmers impacted and help local communities get back on their feet.

“Earlier this week I visited Environment Agency teams on the ground in South Yorkshire as they work around the clock to reduce flooding risks and keep people safe.

“I would like to pay tribute to the dedication of these staff, alongside our Emergency Services and Armed Forces, who are working day and night to protect our farmers, local communities and businesses.”

Since the flooding began last Thursday, approximately 14,400 properties have been protected by flood defences, including nearly 5,000 properties in South Yorkshire alone. Over 300 Environment Agency staff are now on the ground in South Yorkshire supporting local communities affected.

Earlier this week the Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers visited Yorkshire to meet the EA teams working on the ground operating pumps, putting up temporary flood barriers and helping residents.

Yesterday the Prime Minister chaired a COBR briefing and this morning an additional 200 UK Armed Forces personnel have been deployed to South Yorkshire to help support the recovery effort.

The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) yesterday announced a Community Recovery Grant to local councils – equivalent to £500 per eligible household – to help communities with their immediate recovery. This comes after MHCLG last week activated the emergency Bellwin Scheme to reimburse eligible local authorities for the qualifying immediate costs they incur as part of their response to the flooding.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) also confirmed yesterday that funding would be made available for a Business Recovery Grant which will provide up to £2,500 per eligible small and medium-sized businesses which have suffered severe impacts from the floods that cannot be recovered from insurance.

Defra opens £2 million Farming Recovery Fund

September 2019

Farmers affected by August flooding can now apply for flood grants through the Farming Recovery Fund – a fresh £2million fund will help farmers with repairs.

Through the Farming Recovery Fund, farmers in parts of North Yorkshire and Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, who have suffered uninsurable damage to their property can now apply for grants between £500 and £25,000 to cover a number of repair costs.

This comes after the Government confirmed up to £5.25 million to support wider recovery work in the area, including the repair of roads and bridges and activating the Bellwin scheme, which can be utilised when an emergency involving the destruction of or danger to life or property occurs, to reimburse local authorities for emergency work in flood-affected areas.

Grants under the Farming Recovery Fund are available for a range of farm restoration work, including rebuilding dry stone walls, re-cultivating productive land and replacing damaged field gates. A handbook has been published today with full details of what is eligible and how to apply for funding.

Unprecedented weather in some areas

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said of the flood grants: “This summer’s unprecedented weather wreaked havoc on farmland in North Yorkshire and Wainfleet. The Government is taking action to help farmers get back on their feet in light of the extensive damage suffered.

“I’m therefore delighted to open the Farming Recovery Fund and would encourage all those affected to check what they are eligible to apply for and to submit an application promptly to ensure they can access the money available to contribute to their restoration work.”

To apply for this funding, farmers must submit an application to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) which explains how their business has been impacted and provides the relevant evidence to show any damage caused by the flooding. For applications covering damage where the applicant has already paid for repairs, farmers should provide copies of any receipts and quotes to help the RPA process them as quickly as possible.

RPA Chief Executive Paul Caldwell said the flood grants were in part due to the association's collaborative efforts with other agencies, saying: “I welcome the opening of Farming Recovery Fund today for applications, following the destruction caused by unprecedented weather earlier this summer.

“The RPA, alongside the NFU and CLA, has worked hard to get this scheme up and running, and we will continue to offer advice and support to affected farmers to complete their applications.”

Apply for Farming Recovery Fund before March 2020

Farmers will have until 31 March 2020 to submit an application for this funding.

NFU Vice President Stuart Roberts said: “The reinstatement of the Farming Recovery Fund will be a relief to those farmers affected by the recent flooding events in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire who’re now coping with a massive clear-up operation.

“We will continue to work with Defra to ensure that the scheme is implemented and farmers are able to apply for the funding they desperately need.”

CLA North Director Dorothy Fairburn said: “In early August, the CLA welcomed the Rural Payments Agency’s announcement of £2 million flood recovery funding for farmers in North Yorkshire and we are delighted that this funding can now be accessed by those affected by the flooding.

“We collaborated with the RPA to make sure the application process is as simple as possible, and we encourage those affected to apply for funding under this agreement as it will enable farmers and landowners to re-construct the landscape, allowing communities and the visitor economy to re-boot.

“We have been working closely with farming support organisations and the local MP to ensure a swift and robust response to this very difficult situation. The diverse nature and quality of this response exemplifies what resilience is all about.”