Cumbria floods latest news and advice

- Our latest newsletter update
- Farming Recovery Fund opens for applications
- Flood-hit farmers' BPS payments a priority
- 2015 Floods Damage Survey

Updated Wed 16 December

- NFU staff meet Defra Secretary of State Liz Truss in Cumbria to discuss flood recovery

Updated Fri 11 December

If you are thinking of travelling to help out, please read our advice first.
- Flooding in the North of England: What help is needed

Updated Thu 10 December:

10.30am Statement from Liz Truss on Defra website:

“We are providing practical support to farmers affected too. The new Farming Recovery Fund we have set up will offer some relief at this challenging time so that those in the flood-hit areas can get back up and running. The funding will help to cover farmers’ short-term uninsured recovery costs and we will pay out on all eligible applications, offering rapid relief at this challenging time.

“There is still more to do and I will chair a COBR meeting later today to continue to support affected communities. The Floods Minister Rory Stewart is travelling to Cumbria this morning and will be spending several days visiting the most isolated and worst affected communities." Read more...

9.30am NFU welcomes support package

Wed 9 December:

5pm Farming flood damage support announced Support payments worth up to £20,000 will be available to farmers across Cumbria and North Lancs who've been affected by flooding...more

1.50pm Government response includes announcements on extra funding and support:

• £51million more for homes and businesses affected by floods

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Farming families are among those who have been left devastated by the effects of extreme flooding in the North of England.

The NFU is asking for urgent government assistance for affected farmers in the wake of Storm Desmond, which came just days after hundreds of our members said that increasingly severe weather events were threatening UK food production.

NFU President Meurig Raymond said: “Members have reported major incidents such as landslides which have wreaked havoc with their farmland, they have also told us of power cuts which have made running the business almost impossible, and have raised concerns about scheduled dairy collections and animal feed deliveries, which may be lost.

“Prompt action needs to be taken which uses all the tools in the box, including repairing banks and removing debris, whilst also slowing the flow, storing water and improving infiltration further upstream, where appropriate.

“We have also heard examples where gravel has been washed up on farms. Following the 2009 this was treated as hazardous wastewhen removal was attempted. ‎We will be lobbying the Environment Agency and Defra on this point on behalf of members.*

“We also call on the RPA to urgently look at helping those farmers severely impacted by the flooding where BPS and ELS/HLS payments have yet to be made. We are asking for the government to make partial payments be made for those affected immediately."

*The NFU welcomes the EA's decision to deem gravels used in the catchment for operations such as track and road repairs as non-waste activities.