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Healey publishes update on flood-hit households

Floods Recovery Minister John Healey today published an update of progress being made getting people affected by last summer's floods back in their homes.

Mr Healey praised local authorities and the insurance industry for the part they have played in housing those affected by last summer's floods - 48,000 homes were affected by the flood water.

Publishing new figures on those still out of their homes the Minister recognised the real progress that has been made but called on everyone involved to step up efforts to get people home over the coming weeks and months.

Mr Healey also said that too many households do not have adequate insurance and Government would work with the insurance industry to encourage greater take-up. Up to one in eight of the affected households may not have buildings cover.

Key figures provided by local authorities show:

• The number of households living in caravans following last summer's floods has fallen by over 40 per cent between March and the end of April - down from 2,400 to around 1,400.
• Around 200 households are waiting to return to local authority or other social households - down from thousands last year.
• Around 5,650 households are not fully back in their homes - although hundreds of these are estimated to be able to use part of their property.

Government recently announced a new £31million Restoration Fund for local government to help support their communities. This could include help for the most vulnerable - but it is up to local authorities to decide. It brings total Government support to date for flood-hit communities to £118million.

On a visit to Toll Bar in Doncaster, one of the worst affected areas, where he met council tenants who have recently returned to their homes, John Healey said:

"Next month marks one year on from the first of last summer's floods where we saw one of the biggest operations in this country since the Second World War. A huge amount has been achieved in terms of getting communities back on their feet and the insurance industry has played a big part in this.

"In particular I congratulate local authorities and housing associations for their efforts in getting their tenants back home. They now have around 200 families waiting to return home. Back last summer there were thousands affected so this is a real achievement.

"But the fact remains that far too many households are still in temporary accommodation and unable to return home. People are frustrated and are asking why. They want to know how it can take so long to dry out and get repairs and insurance sorted out on their homes.

"So I urge councils and the insurance industry to step up the pace of progress over the coming weeks and months.

"I want those people still out of their own homes, living upstairs or in caravans to know that they have not been forgotten and are not on their own. I will continue to press the insurance industry to ensure claims are being processed and repairs made as quickly as possible. Last week I met the Director General of the Association of British Insurers and I will meet again with top executives from the main insurance companies early next month.

"While the flood waters are long gone Government's determination to support flood-hit communities remains as strong as ever. We will continue to do everything possible to help."

Notes to editors

In total around 48,000 households were affected by last summer's floods. Latest estimates from local authorities to be published tomorrow show that around 5,645 households are still wholly or partially displaced from their homes. This is down from around 6,700 in early March and 9,100 before Christmas.

Information provided by local authorities setting out the total number of households still not fully back in their homes in each area as of 30 April 2008 is below. This includes the number of households in each area waiting to return to local authority or other social housing and those living wholly or partially in caravans.

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