The PFR Recovery Support Scheme is part of a package of aid for residents who flooded after Storms Ciara and Dennis in February.

If your property flooded internally following on from Storms Ciara or Dennis, you may be eligible.

The PFR recovery grant can cover PFR works up to the value of £5,000 (inclusive of VAT) and the grants are intended as one-off payments to assist home or business owners in making their properties resilient to future floods as a part of the repair process. Please be aware that the grant is not intended as compensation and it is not a relief fund. The purpose of this recovery grant is to make your property more flood resilient in future.

What is Property Flood Resilience?

Property Flood Resilience or PFR refers to any measures that can be applied to a building to make you and your property less vulnerable to the physical impacts of flooding.

  • PFR Resistance is the use of materials and approaches to safely keep water out of a property.
  • PFR Recoverability is the use of materials, products and construction methods that mean a building can be quickly brought into use after flooding: i.e. managing the level and consequences of damage, if there is water entry.

PFR brings together a range of measures that help people become more resilient to the impacts of flooding and reduce the length of time needed for recovery. While it is not always possible to completely keep out flood water, greater individual flood resilience should reduce the cost of managing future incidents because this approach will reduce the time that you are out of your property.

Insurance

Home insurance policies generally put properties back to the state they were in prior to flooding.

This should mean that if you have previously adapted your property, you should be able to secure repairs to any sacrificial or recoverable elements from your home insurer.

This grant cannot be used for costs that should be covered by insurance or product guarantees, such as repair of previously installed resilience measures or the costs of drying out properties.

Guidance on responding to major floods is available from the Association of British Insurers ABI on their website.

PRF companies and guidance

All PFR resistance products must have the appropriate British Standards Kite Marks under PAS 1188 of 2014 or BS 851188 of 2019.

You should also use a business that is a Kitemarked PFR Installer where possible. If you doubt a PFR company is legitimate, please contact Trading Standards.

What kind of work is covered?

Recoverability measures

  • Raise electric sockets and meters
  • Raise gas meter
  • Floors - solid floors with tiles placed directly to cement
  • Walls - Lime plaster and lime paint instead of gypsum and non-porous paint
  • Walls and floor - Tanking (a waterproof coating to walls and floor)
  • Walls - Accoya, or plastic skirting, accoya or plastic panelling
  • Kitchens made of solid wood, accoya, stainless steel
  • Plinths to raise white goods
  • Floors with void - Sumps in flooring for pumps
  • Surface pumps for solid floors

  • Generators to mitigate loss of electrics for pumps (never use diesel pumps inside a property)

Resistance measures

  • Flood boards for entrance/exit points
  • Full flood doors
  • Airbrick covers
  • Anti-back flow valves for drains, sinks, showers
  • Toilet bungs
  • Exterior waterproof coating to bricks
  • Alternative sandbags
  • Household flood alarms
  • Flood walls
  • Flood walls and barriers
  • Water filled and water raised demountable barriers
  • Linked block barrier

Fraud statement

Charnwood Borough Council will not tolerate any instances of fraud, corruption and bribery. The appropriate authorities will be contacted if there is an indication that procedures are not being followed legally by an applicant.

Eligible properties

Properties that flooded internally as a result of the February 2020 Storms Ciara or Dennis including flooding from the resultant rises in river levels over the following two weeks. Flooding must have been caused by heavy rainfall, a river overflowing or by groundwater.

Residential properties

Where habitable internal areas of the premise have been damaged by flooding. This includes static caravans etc. where this is the primary residence.

Businesses/social enterprises and charities

Where internal areas of the premise which are critical to the day to day operations (i.e. not storage sheds or warehouses) have been damaged by flooding.

Both freehold and leasehold properties are eligible.

Properties not eligible:

  • Properties that flooded from a sewerage system (unless caused by an increase in the volume of rainwater) or from a burst water main.
  • Garages, outhouses, storage areas, basements and cellars (not used as part of the habitable or business area of a property)
  • Second or empty homes.
  • Properties that should be covered by insurance or product guarantees (e.g. repair of previously installed resilience measures or the costs of drying out).

Properties that benefited from the Repair and Renew Grant in 2014/2015

These properties are not eligible except where an independent PFR survey states that extra resilience measures should be installed, over and above what was previously installed. The survey will need to be carried out at your own risk by a suitably qualified professional and the cost (up to a value of £500) redeemed as part of a successful grant application. Applications for these properties will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) and blocks of flats

HMOs and blocks of flats are considered “one front door” except where Council Tax is charged separately to each flat or HMO residence. In these cases each council tax payer will be eligible.

Only properties directly impacted by the flood within multi-occupancy buildings are eligible. The Freehold Owner of a building is eligible for a contribution towards the cost of making recoverable repairs to the shared spaces of the building, especially where this complements work being carried out to individual properties.

Deadlines

Charnwood Borough Council will deal with the claims under this grant scheme promptly and is aiming to have the process finalised, work completed and all eligible funding claimed before February 28, 2022. (This has been extended from March 31, 2021)

Final dates for an application to reach us will therefore be September 30, 2021. (This has been extended from December 31, 2020).

In exceptional cases, extensions to these deadlines may be granted.

If you feel that you may have an eligible application but may have difficulty meeting the deadlines [for example due to lack of availability of craftsmen or materials] please contact us by emailing FloodResilienceGrant@charnwood.gov.uk setting out your reasons. Each request will then be dealt with on a case by case basis.

The application process - what we expect from you

If your application is successful, you will be responsible for obtaining a survey, quotations for flood protection work and to manage and facilitate any work undertaken.

The National Flood Forum provides excellent information on all matters of domestic flooding, including the Bluepages which lists companies who specialise in property flood protection technology.

Preparation

Download the guidance note and application form below:

Read the guidance note carefully and check you are eligible.

Assemble your information

Survey

PFR Grant applications involving any resistance works will need to have an independent PFR survey and report produced. Make sure that any PFR surveys for Listed Buildings take heritage into consideration when recommending suitable PFR.

A survey and report are also recommended for applications only involving recoverability measures but is not a condition of the grant. However, you will still need to arrange for a post-completion inspection to be carried out, demonstrating that the work meets the required standard.

The cost of the survey can be claimed as part of the Grant up to a value of £500. The company undertaking the survey cannot be the same company that installs your PFR measures. Where resistance measures are installed, your surveyor may also need to undertake an independent post-installation survey.

Please be aware that if you undertake a property survey and do not chose to go ahead with the PFR grant, or your application is ineligible, you will not be able to recover the costs for the survey and will need to pay for this yourself.

Quotes for the work

You must obtain three quotes for any works. The PFR Grant will only cover the costs of the cheapest quote even if you choose a more expensive quote. If you wish to have PFR works carried out by your insurance company’s provider, please let us know as early as possible and we can assess whether the quote provided is competitive.

Ensure that any necessary permissions are in place

Planning permission may be required for some properties before you are able to go ahead with PFR works

Where are designated as Listed Buildings, planning permission and/or listed building consent may be required for certain PFR measures. You will need to gain these consents before the works can be carried out.

Works to the exterior of the property, including alterations to doors and windows, rendering, and the fitting of flood barriers or flood gates to the building or its boundaries are likely to require planning permission for any listed property.

The majority of internal works to listed buildings may also require Listed Building Consent, including alterations to floors, the relocation of services, re-plastering walls, replacing skirting boards, changing internal doors, or any other alteration that affects historic fabric.

For further advice about grant eligible works for a listed building, and the need for planning permission or listed building consent, visit the planning section of the website.

Please note, some works may also require building regulation approval. For further advice please .

Send in your application and supporting information

Email your application and information to us at FloodResilienceGrant@charnwood.gov.uk.

Or if you are sending in hard copies, please post to:

Flood Resilience Grant Scheme
Charnwood Borough Council
Southfield Road
Loughborough
LE11 2TU

We will contact you if we require further information once an application has been submitted.

Legal agreements

A copy of the survey must be given to us and we will agree the works you wish to undertake with you. You will be required to enter into a Legal Agreement with Charnwood Borough Council at this stage. The legal agreement will set out what PFR measures you will be installing and by signing it you will agree to the conditions of the Grant funding and to maintain your PFR.

Carry out the agreed work

Instruct your contractors to carry out the agreed work and check it is completed to the right standard

You can instruct PFR works over the value of £5000, however you will need to cover any additional costs yourselves. We will release the full grant payment upon satisfactory completion of works.

Assemble the evidence that the work has been carried out and it has been done to the right standard

Once works are completed, you will need to demonstrate to us that work has been carried out to the appropriate standards. These will vary depending on the type of PFR you install but PFR Resistance measures should have insurance backed warranties and independent post-installation surveys.

Submit your claim form and supporting evidence

Email your claim form and evidence to us at FloodResilienceGrant@charnwood.gov.uk

Or if you are sending in hard copies, please post to:

Flood Resilience Grant Scheme
Charnwood Borough Council
Southfield Road
Loughborough
LE11 2TU

We will contact you if we require further information once an claim has been submitted.

Payment

Once works have passed the Quality Assessment, we will pay the amount of your original quote up to £5,000 (including VAT).

Retrospective applications

Retrospective PFR Applications can be submitted, however applicants will need to prove that PFR has been installed to appropriate standards and that value for money was provided. Retrospective applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

If you are planning works that have not already started and would like to apply for the PFR Recovery Support Scheme Grant you should follow the application process. If you go ahead with works outside the PFR grant application process, we cannot guarantee that your application will be eligible.

Collaborative applications

Collaborative applications between adjacent eligible properties can be submitted and can include community PFR measures. These will be assessed on a case by case basis and the total value of the grant will be based on the number of properties applying. If you would like to discuss making a collaborative application, please contact us at FloodResilienceGrant@charnwood.gov.uk.

Sources of further advice information

Blue Pages

Blue Pages is an independent flood directory that lists a range of products and services that support delivery of property flood recoverability and resistance, particularly the latter (Please Note PFR is referred to as Property Level Protection or PLR within the Blue Pages). The Blue Pages are maintained by the National Food Forum.

Six Steps to Flood Protection

The six steps to flood protection offers a step by step approach to ensure that you reduce the risk most effectively and are able to respond if there is a flood.

Flood Guidance

The Flood Guidance website was originally set up as a part of a private sector initiative to provide a free and impartial source of flood guidance information. The website incorporates guidance and advice from sources including insurers, government and other industry sectors

Flood Hub

The Flood Hub, funded by the North West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, has been designed to be a one-stop shop for flood information and resources to support householders, businesses and communities across the North West in becoming more flood resilient.

Flooding and Historic Buildings

If you live in or operate your business from an older property, not all PFR measures will suit the fabric and construction of your building. This does not mean that no flood protection works can be carried out, but they will need to be sensitively designed taking into account the historic character of the building and the need for the traditional construction to breathe under usual conditions.

Historic England guidance on flooding and historic buildings can be found on the Historic England website.

If you have questions or require further information, please email us at FloodResilienceGrant@charnwood.gov.uk with your questions and contact details.

Last updated: Wed 7th April, 2021 @ 14:40