Emergency £1,000 payments available for flooded homes

The scheme is designed to help householders who have suffered “severe inconvenience as a result of internal flooding to their properties”.

Eligible householders can receive a £1,000 payment as “an offer of practical assistance if they have suffered severe inconvenience to ensure homes are made habitable as quickly as possible”.

The Permanent Secretary for Communities, with the approval of the Department of Finance, has agreed the emergency funds will be made available to cover council costs incurred in responding to flooding caused byrainfall or tidal surge between September 17 until October 16.

Individual households will be eligible for a £1,000 payment when they can produce evidence the property for which assistance is being claimed is their main place of residence and they have notified district councils within seven days of the flooding incident and a senior official has obtained evidence that complies with the terms of the scheme.

The monies are initially paid by councils and then reimbursed by Department for Communities.

In an alert on social media, on Wednesday, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council advised that Antrim Castle Gardens; Crumlin Glen, the golf courses at Ballyearl Arts and Leisure Centre and Allen Park were closed “due to the yellow weather warnings for wind and rain brought by Storm Agnes”.

Incidents of flooding can be reported to the Flood Incident Line on 0300 2000 100. This number is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It can also be used to request sandbags to protect property.

Sandbags are located in Antrim and Newtownabbey at Mossley Mill; Ballyearl Leisure Centre; Valley Leisure Centre; Whiteabbey Village Car Park; Ballyclare car park, The Square; Environmental Services Depot, Newpark, Antrim; Tesco, Crumlin; Toome House, Toomebridge; Neillsbrook Community Centre, Randalstown; Castle Mall Car Park, Antrim; City of Belfast Playing Fields, Mallusk.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter