Flooding Support for Residents

Council Invites Applicants for Flooding Hardship Scheme

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council is inviting applications to a Flooding Hardship Scheme, which is part of a package of funding from the Department for Economy (DfE).

The purpose of the Flooding Hardship Scheme is to provide support to businesses and some other non-domestic premises that were impacted by the flooding in October/November 2023 but were not eligible for the previous £7,500 payment or the Enhanced Flood Support Scheme.

The Flooding Hardship Scheme is open for applications and closes on 29 March 2024 at 12 noon. Applications are to be made via an online portal.                    

Applicants will be required to submit appropriate evidence to support their application. All awards are subject to funding availability and late applications will not be accepted.

An online information session will be held on Thursday 21 March from 12.30-1.30pm. Register here.

For further support or information, applicants are asked to contact: flooding@nmandd.org

Rate Relief Schemes for Residents

Land and Property Services (LPS) can assist residents experiencing financial difficulties.  It is essential that ratepayers impacted by flooding contact LPS as soon as possible to discuss options that best suit their circumstances.

Click here to view the LPS webinar presentation which outlines different rate relief options: Land & Property Services Online Information Session

Land & Property Services
T: 0300 200 7801 (calls charged at local rate)
Text Relay: 18001 0300 200 7801
W: www.finance-ni.gov.uk/contacts/contact-land-property-services

Rate Relief for Households

There is a Rating of Empty Homes exclusion for homes affected by flooding. 

Download an application form from nidirect website: www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/rating-empty-homes

SEFA Scheme

The Emergency Payment scheme for flooding is active. Householders who have suffered severe inconvenience from flooding can make a claim for a payment of £1,000 through our Council.

A payment of £1,000 to individual householders severely inconvenienced by flooding caused by rainfall can be made, subject to the individual household applicant fulfilling the criteria of the scheme.

Any householder affected by flooding who wishes to submit an application under the scheme must notify the Council as soon as possible and not later than 7 calendar days from the last recorded date of their flooding incident.

For further information on SEFA please contact our Environmental Health Department on 0330 137 4024 or email: ehealth@nmandd.org

The SEFA scheme is now OPEN from 21 January – 20 February 2024.

Finance Support

The Department for Communities’ Finance Support service is available for people who find themselves in a financial crisis, including those experiencing financial difficulty as a result of a disaster, e.g. fire, flooding, etc. The service provides financial help/support through the provision of Discretionary Support, Social Fund and Universal Credit Contingency Fund. 

Information on all of the help available and eligibility criteria can be found online at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/finance-support

Redundancy Service

The Department for Communities, through its Employer Services Branch, provides help, advice, guidance and support to both businesses (employers) and people (employees) who are facing redundancy. 

Information on the Department’s Redundancy Service, including a range of online resources, can be found at https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/topics/findingstaff/redundancy-service

Staff within Finance Support and Employer Services Branch are happy to engage or attend any relevant meetings to provide details on the help and support available.

Make the Call 

To make sure you're getting all the benefits, services and supports you're entitled to, make the call to
0800 232 1271. 

In 2022/23 Make the Call supported 1,317 residents in the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area to claim c£6.48m of additional benefits they had not previously been claiming, through providing individual confidential needs assessments. 
 
Make The Call offers a telephony service and has a team of Community Outreach Officers who work from regional locations across Northern Ireland to conduct home visits and provide face to face assistance and support with benefit claim completion. 

Details of how to contact Make the Call can be found at: www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/unclaimed-benefits