The government has confirmed it has paid out £57 million to farmers affected by flooding last winter, following delays in rolling out the funds.
More than 12,700 payments were issued to support on-farm recovery from last winter’s wet weather, Defra said today (28 November).
The majority of payments arrived in bank accounts from 21 November following letters to eligible farmers.
Payments ranging from were made to around 13,000 farmers impacted by Storms Henk and Babet, between October and March last year.
The one off recovery payments aim to support land recovery activities such as soil remediation, recultivation and the removal of any debris caused by flooding.
Defra said the vast majority (95%) of eligible farm businesses received their payments, adding that outstanding payments would continue to be made.
Last winter, the UK saw its wettest 18 months since records began, leaving thousands of acres of productive farmland under water.
Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said: “We have paid over £57m to farms affected by devastating flooding – £10m more than the previous government.
“However, we are going further by investing £5 billion for the farming budget over two years – with the largest ever directed at sustainable food production in our country’s history."
The government also said that £50m would be distributed to internal drainage boards (IDBs), responsible for managing water levels for farming needs in a particular area.
What is the eligibility?
Eligible farmers received an email or letter from the RPA with details of the area of land considered to be eligible for the recovery payment based on one or both of the eligibility criteria:
• Flooding from rivers
Data from the Environment Agency was used to track high river levels during Storm Babet (19–25 October 2023) and Storm Henk (2–12 January 2024). Satellite imagery was used to confirm the land where the river flooding impacts were most severe.
• Exceptional rainfall
Rainfall data from the Met Office identified local authority areas in England where at least half of the area experienced exceptional rainfall (more than 70% above the 30-year average rainfall) from October 2023 to March 2024.
Farmers whose land is engineered as a flood storage area were not eligible for recovery payments.
