Update on council support for flood-hit homes and businesses in Leeds

Leeds City Council has provided the following update on financial support to be made available for households and businesses severely affected by the recent floods in the city.

Leader of Leeds City Council Councillor Judith Blake said:

"The council is committed to doing everything it can to provide help and support to householders and businesses affected by the awful floods of last weekend. We are in the process of developing a detailed support scheme that we will publish early next week. We have already announced that households affected by flooding will receive up to £500 to help with recovery costs. We have also announced that householders flooded will receive council tax relief and this will be for a minimum of three months or while anyone is out of their home if longer.

"Similarly we have also confirmed that we will introduce a business rate relief scheme for businesses affected by flooding and again this will be for a minimum of three months. In addition to this we are developing a business support scheme for small and medium sized businesses to help those affected recover from the impacts of Storm Eva. As a further measure we are looking to introduce a grant scheme that provides up to £5000 per property flooded to make properties more resilient to future flooding. Further details on all of these elements will be published next week.”

Details of additional support for manufacturing businesses affected by the floods will be released shortly, while Leeds City Council is also working with the Leeds Community Foundation which has launched a fundraising appeal today.

Funds raised from the appeal will be used to provide grants to affected householders, businesses and community groups. Donations can be made online at www.justgiving.com/leeds-flood-relief-appeal or by sending a cheque made payable to Leeds Community Foundation to Leeds Flood Relief Appeal, Leeds Community Foundation, 51a St Paul's Street, Leeds LS1 2TE. Further details can be seen at www.leedscf.org.uk with information on applying for grants to be released early next week.

Anyone severely affected by the flooding and wishing to register for support should email the council at floodrelief@leeds.gov.uk or call 0113 222 4444 providing details of their name, address, daytime and evening telephone numbers and a short explanation of how their house or business has been affected and their needs. We will make contact with them by the end of the next working day.

This information is also available on the Leeds City Council website.

ENDS

Leeds City Council communications

Tel: (0113) 395 0244

Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk