HOMEOWNERS in areas prone to flooding could get free cash worth thousands of pounds to improve their properties.
The extra help is available via a new scheme, which is designed to help with repairs that protect properties from flooding in future.
People will be able to get up to £10,000 free cash through their insurer to help make their homes more resilient against flooding.
The cash can be used for things like moving plug sockets and white goods higher.
It means that during a flood these essentials are above the water levels, reducing the impact and letting families return to homes sooner.
Waterproof tiling and extra door seals are also among the home improvements that could be made to make it easier to recover after water damage.
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Flood damage can be costly and run into the thousands of pounds for repairs, so improvements could also help cut down on the future cost of repairs for homeowners.
The grant is on top of an insurer's usual payout that would cover the cost of repairs and losses as a result of flooding.
The Build Back Better scheme is a partnership between the government's Flood Re and insurers.
Flood Re allows people in areas with a high risk of flooding access to affordable home insurance.
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Five insurers have so far joined Build Back Better, but more are expected to follow.
They are:
- Ageas
- Aviva
- Lloyds Banking
- LV= General Insurance
- NFU Mutual
Jon Bird, property claims manager at NFU Mutual, said that there has been a trend towards wetter summers and winters in recent years, with one in four homes now at risk of flooding.
He said: "With at-risk properties often being hit again and again, higher flood risk threatens to cost homeowners a lot of money and stress."
To access the cash you'll need to have insurance with one of these providers through Flood Re.
You can check if your property is at risk of flooding and eligible for Flood Re using this online tool and searching your postcode.
There are many more insurers which offer Flood Re policies, but only the above area part of Build Back Better.
You'll still want to check that any policy you get for home insurance suits your needs – check out our guide for getting the best deal.
The cash available for improvements will depend on your needs and the work that needs doing, but is worth a maximum of £10,000.
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If you're eligible, the cash is available when making repairs after flooding, and you'll need to go through your insurer directly.
Meanwhile homeowners could get free cash of up to £5,000 for making energy improvements to their properties.
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