Farming Recovery Fund
The government has confirmed on its farming blog – Our approach to Farming Recovery payments – that this is a one-off recovery payment for farmers, which will contribute towards restoring farmland following the damage that Storms Babet and Henk, and the exceptional wet weather caused during last autumn and winter.
Environment Agency and Met Office data were used to identify affected land for which farm businesses will receive a payment.
The Defra blog includes information on:
- the methodology used
- how payments were calculated
- the payment bands being used – payments will range from £2,895 to £25,000.
Around 13,000 farm businesses will receive a payment. The RPA will contact eligible farmers directly – either by email or, if the RPA does not have a valid email, by letter.
All communications should be received within 2 weeks.
There’s no need to submit an application or claim form. Payments will usually be made within 28 days of receiving a letter or email.
We encourage members to check their contact and payment details with the RPA are up to date.
On 13 November, the government announced that Farming Recovery Fund payments originating from the expanded offer will start to land in bank accounts from 21 November following letters to eligible farmers.
Eligible farmers have until 18 November to inform the RPA of any changes in circumstances before payments begin.
Funding expansion
In May, the then government announced an expansion to the Farming Recovery Fund to help more farm businesses recover after relentless heavy rain and devastating flooding across the country over the winter.
The funding was first announced in January and the NFU has worked with the RPA and Defra to help develop the offer which has included feeding in examples of the challenges faced by our members.
We made the following points to the RPA and Defra:
- We have always wanted to see as many affected farmers as possible eligible for this scheme.
- That the offer covers a wide period of time and not just Storm Henk.
- That all areas that have been affected are included, not just flooded areas, but those severely affected by excessive rainfall and saturated ground.
- We have raised concerns over the relationship with the Flood Recovery Framework with reference to rural housing thresholds to trigger support.
- Support to cover more than land, such as loss of soil, soil contamination, infrastructure that is uninsurable.
- That the approach to administrating the scheme works for farmers and that there is no fear of having to repay monies offered.
- That there is transparency with the basis of eligibility to help all to understand, not just contacting those that are suggested as being eligible.
- Flood storage areas should receive compensation.
- The need for farmers to be able to challenge the approach if they feel that the RPA has not correctly considered the land.
The cohort of eligible farmers covered by the original offer in January (land located within 150 metres of named rivers in named counties with funding based on an area rate of £130/ha and payments between £500 and £25,000) were contacted in April and have been issued a payment. This was done in early July.
Expanded offer
The Farming Recovery Fund was expanded to include a wider geographical area of farmers with more funding made available for those affected across the whole of England. The budget for the scheme is now £50 million.
Farmers whose land has suffered significant damage due to flooding or exceptional rainfall this winter and spring will receive a payment to help remediate land and bring it back into production.
- Grants will help contribute towards the costs of land remediation, including recultivation, soil remediation or the removal of debris and pollution.
- Farmers will have flexibility to spend the grant appropriately in their context and will not have to provide evidence of damage or costs.
Property flood resilience repair grant scheme
Most grants under the Flood Recovery Framework have now closed but the Property Flood Resilience Repair grant scheme remains open until 2025.
Eligible flood-hit property owners are able to apply for up to £5,000 to refund homes and businesses for works undertaken to make them more flood resilient or recover more quickly from future flooding.
Your property must have been internally damaged by flooding between Tuesday 2 January 2024 and Friday 12 January 2024 as a result of Storm Henk.
You will need to visit your local council’s website in order to apply. See the list of eligible councils below:
- Gloucestershire County
- Nottinghamshire County
- West Northamptonshire
- Warwickshire
- Worcestershire County
- Herefordshire County
- Lincolnshire County
- Somerset County
- Surrey County
- Oxfordshire County
- Leicester City
- Leicestershire County
- Wiltshire
- Windsor & Maidenhead
- Tower Hamlets
- West Berkshire