The Government has announced immediate relief on council tax and business rates for rural businesses and farmers seriously affected by the recent flooding for at least the next three months.
The Government announced the measure following the first meeting of the Flood Recovery Taskforce to support communities as they respond to the seriousness of the emergency.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is providing funding 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.
Meanwhile, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has extended its Farming Recovery Fund to support farmers badly affected by the recent flooding.
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. The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) has also said that it will fast-track grants to those who need the most help.
Chair of the Taskforce and Local Government Secretary, Robert Jenrick said that it will take time for communities to get back on their feet, and businesses that have experienced intense flooding should not have to worry about paying council tax and business rates while they focus on their recovery.
He added that the funding will give all eligible, flooded households and businesses immediate and 100 per cent relief on their council tax and business rates for at least the next 3 months, and help communities recover.
