Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will review the fairness of the eligibility criteria for the activation of the Storm Henk Flood Recovery Framework for people who live in lead local flood authorities areas where fewer than 50 properties were flooded during that storm.

I extend my sympathy to all those affected by the impacts of Storm Henk, flooding is a devastating experience for anyone impacted.

Following flooding which took place in 2020, and considering feedback from areas impacted at that time, the framework’s eligibility criteria were reviewed and a move to holding the count at Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) level, rather than at district level was agreed for all future activations. For Storm Henk the 50 flooded properties at LLFA level figure was agreed by Ministers across the three Departments responsible for the Framework’s schemes who considered it to be appropriate and to uphold the principles that the FRF is based upon:

• that individual householders and business owners should take out their own insurance as the first line of defence;
• that local authorities should have in place mechanisms to provide support to their residents after flooding;
• that it is reasonable to expect that support for up to 50 flooded properties is within LA capacity and capability;
• but, that it also recognises the financial pressure with local authorities and offers support being provided to those worst impacted.

DLUHC have committed to reviewing the scheme in the spring.