Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of ineligibility for the frequently flooded fund on communities which are frequently flooded.

Protecting communities around the country from flooding and coastal erosion is one of the new Secretary of State’s five core priorities.

In July 2022, a ring-fenced £100 million Frequently Flooded Allowance (FFA) was created as part of the Government’s £5.6 billion investment programme into flood and coastal erosion schemes.

The eligibility criteria for the FFA were designed, in collaboration with the Environment Agency, to ensure funding is targeted towards communities that have flooded more than once within the past ten years. They were subject to targeted testing with Regional Flood and Coastal Committees and representatives from Risk Management Authorities. The criteria aim to address some of the specific challenges faced by frequently flooded communities, particularly those that are smaller and more rural and can face barriers accessing funding due to the relative complexity and cost of building flood defences compared to the size of the community.

Projects not eligible for the FFA are able to apply for Grant in Aid as part of the Government’s floods investment programme. We will review this programme to ensure flood risk management is fit for the challenges we face now and in the future.