Debate on the Flood Recovery Framework

The Flood Recovery Framework is a central government scheme to support households and businesses in cases of severe flooding in England. It was established in 2017, and is the primary route for providing “swift, responsible financial support packages” to households and businesses impacted by severe flooding in England.[1]

It is activated at Ministerial discretion in response to specific flood events, and as set out in the government’s Flood Recovery Framework guidance for local authorities in England, “it will be for ministers to determine when this support is made available and the eligibility criteria.”[2]

The government guidance states that funding might typically be deployed in the case of a “severe weather event with significant wide area impacts”, for example across multiple local authorities. It has been activated four times to date: it was first activated in November 2019, following heavy rainfall in Northern England, and in February 2020 following Storms Ciara and Dennis.[3] More recently, it was activated in October 2023 following Storm Babet, and in January 2024 following Storm Henk.[4]  Support made available under the FRF is disbursed by local authorities, and reimbursed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). [5]

The FRF is currently under review, and the government expects this to be completed “by autumn this year”.[6]

This pack contains details of FRF funding and recent activations of the Framework, as well as recent PQs and links to further reading. 

[1]     HMG, Press release: Government announces support for flood-hit areas, 25 October 2023.

[2]     HMG, Flood Recovery Framework; Guidance for local authorities in England, updated 28 October 2021.

[3]     HMG, Press release: Government announces support for flood-hit areas, 25 October 2023.

[4]     HMG, Press release: Government payments for communities impacted by flooding, 6 January 2024, last updated 16 January 2024.

[5]     HMG, Flood Recovery Framework; Guidance for local authorities in England, updated 28 October 2021.

[6]     HC Deb 4 March 2024, vol. 746.

      EFRA Committee, Flooding: Government Response to the Committee’s Fourt Report of Session 2019-21, 22 April 2021, Recommendation 14.